Rooted that we might ________

We are right in the heart of the holiday season and it is such a joy to celebrate another year of life.  2013 has been one of growth and transformation in some exciting ways.  One of my favorite parts of Christmas and New Years is the spirit of reflection and appreciation that is in the air.  I have had the opportunity to spend tons of quality time with friends, family, and those closest to me which has been SUCH a joy! Thinking back to last year, it is crazy to think about how much has changed, and how the bull city has become home to me.

Both big and small, here are some highlights of 2013:

• Starting my senior year at Appalachian
• Seeing my sister graduate from UNCC and be commissioned into the US Army
• Getting my first "normal" job at Bull City Running Company
• Running my second marathon and qualifying for the Boston Marathon
• Being a Girls on the Run Coach for the first time
• Confronting how my anxiety was controlling me and taking steps to let go of my desire to have "control" over every little detail of my life
• Connecting with the local running community, both co-workers and other community members
• Becoming more comfortable in my own skin and confident in myself
• Trying to seize whatever season I am in and be fully present wherever I am
• Re-learning just how important my family is to me and how much they have shaped the woman I am today
• Going to my Grandma's church women's retreat with her - a truly special time to fellowship, learn, and laugh with some wise women
• Seeing my Nana and Poppie find out they are getting a new great-grandbaby this year
• Getting plugged in to the Tobacco Trail Church - an unconventional church community that is so different from anything else I have experienced in a church.  It is an intentional group that merges faith and running, two things I am truly passionate about.  A place to seek, follow, and grow in the Lord.  I have so much faith in the mission of our body and believe that God has some big things in store for us as we continue to move forward.  While I am still new to the church, I can't wait to continue to get more involved
• Each and every coffee, lunch, or dinner date shared with my parents
• Seeking my passions and following after my interests
• Embracing the opportunities to try new things and being okay with failing
• Starting to attend CRU again - weekly meetings, being discipled, Bible study, and special events have created some unforgettable memories
• Reading tons of new books from some new authors and genres
• Starting to consider the possibilities the future holds for me
• Becoming more aware of my personal values and committed to trying to live for something bigger than myself
• Making new memories and relationships in the bull city - as I said, this house has become a home, which I am beyond grateful for

The list could go on and on, but this list is a good overview of the things that really stand out to me about 2013.  Each and every one of them has shaped me and brought me to where I am.  I have laughed, cried, been terrified, celebrated, grown - I have lived life to the full.  It is the relationships and all the little things that come together to breathe meaning and joy into my day-to-day life.  Each moment I experience and every memory I cherish creates the fabric of my character and personality.  My past is what helps me really appreciate my present which frees me to dream about my future.  I am rooted - in community, in faith, and in relationships - not so that I can live a stagnant, structured life.  I am rooted so that I might grow, flourish, and bear fruit in my life.  My roots remind me that God is not finished with me yet - He is perpetually transforming my heart because He is committed to seeing me grow and become the person He created me to be.  As 2013 comes to a close and I reminisce about this past year, I am hopeful and excited to see how God plans to fill in the blank in 2014.  I am rooted so that I might _________ - I guess only time will tell what exciting plans God has in store for my future.