memories.

I remember my tenth birthday like it was yesterday. My mom surprised me and took me out of school for the day for all sorts of birthday festivities. I got a manicure for the first time, and probably trotted out of the salon with sparkly pink fingernails. We then headed to the Bergfeld Shopping Center to go to Amy B's for lunch. We then went across the street to Crabtree & Evelyn. The cool thing about this store was that if you went in there and told them it was your birthday, the owner would give you a free fizzy bath ball and sample lotion. (Those of you that didn't know about this really missed out!) Now, I've done all of these things since that time over the years, but that one day will always be etched in my memory as one of the best days of my life.

Since I just turned twenty, I have a real perspective on all of the things that can happen in a decade, and to be honest it kind of blew my mind. First off, reading through my journals from the time I was in my early teens are enough to make anyone fall out of their chair laughing-I was quite ridiculous back then (even more so then than now). I had my years of being a Moore Mustang when my biggest concern was what Abercrombie shirt I was going to wear to the Valentine dance (*with no suggestive sayings on it*) and what color band combinatino I would choose when I would go to the orthodontist that month. High school rolled around and brought a new level of experiences. New friends, new interests, new insights on life-it was great. Here I am now, twenty years old and a sophomore in college.

It unnerves me a little bit on what possibilities lie in the next 10 years (getting a real job, decorating my own first house straight from an Anthropologie catalogue, getting married, potentially having children, etc.). Psalms 23-24 says, "Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterwards you will take me into your glory." The presence of God and consistency of His word have been heavily weighing on my mind as of late, and couldn't be more relevant at this very moment. All these changes and adjustments are sprinting in my direction, and frankly I have no idea which ones to take, leave or let marinate for a while. Through all of the scariness of growing up, thankfully I find solid ground in the consistency of who God is. I never have to question or doubt His presence in my life, because He's always there, and always guiding me where I need to go. Through this assurance that I'm given, I can find peace in the midst of the changes and live with a joyful, expectant spirit of what is to come, because I know it's all in the hands of a God who loves me, and is fully capable of taking care of it all.