New Meaning to A Common Phrase

This blog is inspired by my friend Emily C. in Arizona. Emily has faithfully "given her life away" to many women I know and has made an impact on my faith, my personality, and my life.

For any and all of you who have had "Navigator" training or background, I guarantee you have heard this said many times: "giving your life away." This weekend, I learned that giving my life away does not and will not always look exactly the same.

I first heard this phrase early in my college years. During these last two years, God has given me the vision and opportunity to begin giving my life away in order that other women may grow in their faith and share Christ with people. Discipleship has come to be at the center of my heart and where my passion in life remains. I long to see women drawn near to the Lord, drinking deeply of His waters, and feeding people around them with the Bread of Truth about who Christ is.

This year, God has taken and placed me in a job and community far different from the college students I found myself surrounded by these last four years. This year has been filled with getting to know my husband Marcus, growing in relationship with my sister in law Joni and her husband Derek, talking with my sisters long distance as they are in college, seeing extended family for birthdays and holidays, and spending time with both Marcus' parents and my own. I work in an environment of hectic, fast-paced movement that allows for little to no conversation about topics outside of our job. I have found myself wondering "God, how do I attempt to give my life away in these settings?

Well, this weekend, my heart realized its place here. I have the amazing opportunity to witness the growth of a small child, my neice Miya Karin Pine. Sometimes I feel like my heart could not love her more, it nearly bursts as though she were my own! I have watched her take her first few steps, make her first attempts at forming words, and it is a joy to watch her discover our world. She has such a desire to learn, to imitate, to befriend. She soaks up anything and everything placed in front of her or in her hands.

And this got me thinking...what better age to begin praying for, loving on, and speaking truth to a person than at 2 years old? The things she learns now will be her foundation for life. Even though she wont remember much of it, she will have certain thing engrained in her personality and thoughts whether good or bad. I feel so fortunate to hold her, speak or sing in her sweet little ears, to dance to the Wiggles together, to teach Gizmo tricks, lay in bed with her as she falls asleep, hold her so tight as she says "Miya-hold you!" (her version of "Kelli, hold me"), and tell her who Jesus is. I pray God would give us rich years with this child, and fruitful, meaningful conversations and life experiences with her father and mother, Joni and Derek. God has given me a blessing and I pray I take no time for granted but make the most of today.

It is exciting to watch God develop new and exciting ways to "give my life away" to those around me. I pray this will be a never-ending pattern in my life.

To those of you who have been a part of this, you have blessed me more than I can ever expect or imagine to bless you. You push me to new levels, and you have molded and changed me into the woman I am today. I LOVE YOU ALL!