Thankful Thursday #163

"Rejoice in our confident HOPE;

be patient in affliction;

be persistent in prayer.

~Romans 12:12

Today, I am thankful for:

1.  God working out all the details for me to start my internship with Restore next week - crazy that it's almost here!!  Here's me and a few of my fellow counseling interns (Hannah, Cecilia, Jacey, and Jen) + the lunch at our orientation meeting on Tuesday + me and Debra, my site supervisor - yay!  *Side note - she wrote our nametags, and it totally looks like my handwriting. lol

2.  This endearing 2010 pic of T-man and Carter Lee, right around the ages they were when I first met them! =)  ...Time is such a gift from God, and I'm thankful that we have the ability to remember backward and imagine forward in ways that strengthen our love and connection in the present! ❤

3.  I'm thankful that these adorable girls and their charming brothers have great dads who love Jesus and love and value their families.  ...And I'm thankful for the gift of reading... and candid photos... and the joy of having excellent, Godly friends!

4.  Thankful for my fun-loving nephews... two out of three got a buzz cut for the beginning of this school year, a trend that makes me laugh.  The second I saw Jace in person, I had to run my hands over it - such a fun texture! lol  =)

5.  My fun book vase... cuteness!!  (I may have already posted this, but I couldn't remember for sure).  Also thankful for lovely roses. =)

6.  The power of words... I am around ten years older than the majority of the interns I'll be working with, but I'm noticing that my words seem to hold more weight with them, so it feels like there's a natural leader dynamic that is mine for the taking if I choose to step into it.  It's unfamiliar but nice, and it's making me think more carefully about speaking life and encouragement when they talk about feeling nervous or inadequate.  (It's hard to imagine being thrown into the counselor role in my mid-20s, and indeed we should be grateful people were not lining up for my advice in those days. lol  But I've grown and feel better equipped now, ready to start a new chapter where I am more active in serving and leading others!)

7.  This. new. podcast.  So freaking good... it's helpful writing advice for anyone who would like to author a memoir, but it's also an insightful framework to reframe the way you interpret and view your own story.  (Most episodes are about 12-15 minutes, and Ally explains things so well.  The ads and silly theme song are my only complaint. lol)

*P.S.  After several rounds of phone calls to finally get my medical records to the right spot, their schedule is full, so I have a surgery consult set for October.  That's all I know for now.  I am feeling (or trying hard not to feel) frustration and fear and pressure concerning the path ahead, so pray for wisdom and healthier choices as I process those emotions, since turning to God for comfort rather than food has not historically been my strong suit!  [But people can change, and we can do hard things!!]  Mom also has an upcoming CT scan to follow-up and make sure all is well after radiation, so pray for good results there, too.  That's all for today.  Hope you're doing well in the midst of this boiling hot weather!  ❤