Beautifully Unexpected.
2013 has been a great year. It also went by extremely fast! I can't believe we are hours away from a year that my friends and I have dreamed about since kindergarten. We would say "2014 is Soooooooo far away, can you believe we are graduating then? We have such a long time!" Boy, did time fly. I am SO excited for this new year because that does in fact mean that ya girl is graduating!
I know everyone says the quote "Last I never would have guessed where I would be now." and I really can't agree more with the popular opinion. My life has taken a complete 360. If you would have told me on January 1st, 2013 where I would be today I would probably laugh and tell you that it will never happen.
This year has been great though. As I look back on it, there really isn't anything I would take back. 2013 involved so many great people, so much tough pruning, lots and lot....and lots of laughter, smiles and butterflies and some tears. But, even all the tears and heartache brought me to a better place. A more needy place. (needy of Jesus, that is.) If I had to sum this year up into two words I would choose: Beautifully Unexpected.
Since I love lists, here is a list of the highlights of my year and why they made all the difference in my crazy life.
1. Holy Convocation: It's this gathering that happens in the beginning of the year at my church. We gather as a congregation for forty hours to pray and fast. It's incredibly fun. This year was the first year that I actually stayed and participated the whole time. It was so great. I remember the night before going, I watched a video that some good friends of mine had posted on their Facebook wall about this mission trip that they were going on. I had talked to a few people about this before but I wasn't incredibly serious. I entertained the idea of going to Honduras but never really prayed about it. I watched this video and was taken back. At the end of the video I remember calling my friend and telling him "I can't afford not to be a part of this." It was on my mind since then. My prayer journal is filled with questions to God about going. If I were to go, I wanted to be called. I already felt called but you know us humans and our never-fleeting need for signs and wonders. So, at Holy convocation I prayed and prayed..and prayed asking if this trip was where I was supposed to be. Around midnight, I took a walk around the church with one of my friends, Zach C. I told him what was on my mind and he gave me such a simple answer. It moved me so much that I actually have it still written in the notes portion of my iPhone.
"Say your dad takes you out to ice cream and he says "what one do you want?" you don't reply saying "oh heavenly father thou shalt pick for me" you choose. He would look at you crazily. When God places things like that in your hands you don't wait. If God has placed something on your heart don't doubt him or his reasoning, He knows what he is doing."
So, I went to talk to the woman who was leading the trip then signed up. I also signed up the day after the deadline for the early-bird price. Which added a good 300-400$ to my trip. This really only made me laugh in the end because god took an amount that I was so comfortable with making and made it really uncomfortable just so He could show off. And He did. The faithfulness of God in the time it took raising the money blew me away....again. Raising money is something that I have grown quite familiar with but this time was jut different. God showed me once again, that He has got my back....along with everything else. :) So, 7 months later 1nation1day changed my life. I will never be the same.
2. My adventurous summer: Three trips in one summer! I went to the Smokey Mountains, Myrtle Beach and Comayagua, Honduras. It was hands down the best summer of my life. I learned how to stretch myself more. I also spent more time with family in a concentrated area than ever and loved it. I got a super great tan and a new bathing suit ;) haha. It was just great. I don't really understand why me, of all people is blessed enough to do things like this but grace sure is a wonderful thing. Exploring is my favorite thing to do. I love it with almost all my heart. I can tell ya though, 1nation1day changed my life more than those other two trips could have. (see number 1) I had a GREAT summer.
3. SENIOR STATUS: I became a senior this year. That is something to celebrate. I was incredibly scared at first. I also had no idea what I wanted to do besides be a missionary. Senior year is definitely different than the rest though. You are faced with this dilemma that you really have no idea how you are going to react at the fact that in mere months, all the people who you have came in contact with for 13 good years are going to disappear from sight. You are all going to go your separate ways and the most you can do is hope the best for them! SOOOO weird. But, I'll figure that out soon enough. I'll also see the reaction on May 31st when I stand on the podium and give a speech to my class about all this craziness. It's going to be wonderful!
4. Toby Torres: While I was in Honduras, I got a text from my aunt saying that my biological father had just been released from prison and is in a halfway house. I didn't know how to react and i'm pretty sure I looked like I had just seen a ghost at that point. My real dad had been in prison since I was 2/3 years old. So, a very long time and was not expected to get out until I was 23. I planned my life out according to this expectation. I wouldn't have to deal with the problem until hopefully after I get married, graduated college, maybe have a kid...but nope, here it was. That night we went out to different churches and all I wanted to do was be with my uncle. (who was on a different team) because he is one of the men that has been most like a dad to me these past years. But, I wasn't. I was with my real Dad though, the one who created me, and He took care of me. I'm still learning how to adjust to this big change and get to know someone completely new but it's good. Tough but good. I fully believe Jesus knew what He was doing when that daunting release date was moved a good 7/8 years down. The timing is good. I am learning from this situation in so many ways and I am sure the learning will not cease for some time.
5. You: Falling in love changes your life. It makes you look at things differently and makes you hope so much more. This summer, that also happened. I fell in love with someone that I probably wasn't supposed to and he fell in love back. This year would be so much different without you. The person who I broke my walls down for and imagined everything to be different with. The one I trusted and still do without a second guess. You are such a blessing to me, a blessing that changed everything and made everything different for a few months. All those skype calls, nights filled with laughter and random conversations that would stem from no where, made me so happy and I am so thankful they all happened. The way you looked at me made me feel like I was the only girl in the entire world and c'mon... the connection. lol. I definitely miss that. I miss you but, things change and Jesus uses that change to build us and mold us. So, here's to building and molding...Cheers!
6. Braces: I got my braces off....I think that speaks for itself and can we get an amen?! PTL for braces but more so PTL for straight teeth.
7. Guatemala: My. Dream. Came. True. Who wouldn't want to go on a mission trip with their other half? Let alone go to your most favorite place with her?! I remember the countless nights of talking Katie's ear off about Guatemala and how great it was until one night she said that she was going. Definitely didn't believe her. Until the payments started coming in then wee boarded the plane together! It was so surreal. To serve Jesus alongside my very best friend. My heart leaps just thinking of it today. We had SOO much fun and took some pretty great adventures. I also got to watch her fall in love just as I do every year. Jesus is so good. That will forever be ingrained in my heart. I love my best friend. I love Guatemala. Put them together = happy Selina.
8. Graduation: Speaking of Katie, she graduated in 2013. It was one of the hardest things I have ever had to deal with. Katie and I can be described as...attached at the hip. Now, picture us being in the same building for 8 hours a day. Yes, atttttaattttched. I was so scared about my best friend leaving and then I would be so lonely and of coarse she would be so lonely because I wouldn't be there and of coarse the only rational thing to do was just to move to Guatemala together and open an orphanage. hahaha. 2013 was filled with many crying conversations with Katie late at night before bed. the great thing is, we survived. Katie didn't move away, I didn't die and we are still inseparable... just a little more flexible. This year however... We are both moving. BUT, we will survive. :)
9. Oral Roberts University: Oh, the future. I definitely didn't expect to go to Oklahoma for school but heyyy, guess what life loves to throw you? Curve balls. ORU is definitely a curve ball for me. A wonderful one at that! So, most of you know the story. The guy mentioned in #5 moved to ORU, so I wanted to go there. Well, yes..but not fully. ORU is such a great school. My mentor went there, a family member went there and lots of super awesome people from church went there. It wasn't something that just popped into my head a few months ago but it definitely was something that got more serious for me a few months ago. If I am just being honest, I didn't want to go to school. There was no way I was going to waste my youth in an educational system when I could be saving the world. If I were to be forced to go, I would study Spanish only to be able to teach English (to make some money) in a Spanish speaking country. Well, ORU was my curve ball. I fell IN LOVE with the place when I visited and while I was in Guatemala they talked about how poor the medical field is down there. There were several children while I visited that had doctor visits and each time would come back frustrated. So, I decided. I love people. I want to do anything in my power to help as many people as I can and help them feel better. BUTTT I realized that I can do more than just emotional help (Jesus) I can get training to help them physically as well. I also love the medical field, doctor visits and just being in a hospital atmosphere....I have since forever. I also am highly addicted to House M.D.... haha. So, like I said, I made a choice. I am going to ORU in the fall to study Nursing. WOO! :) I'm very excited.
10. Jesus IS who He says He IS: This isn't really a highlight but just something that this year has taught me overall. I find myself praying this quite often "Thank for being who you say you are, Jesus." No matter how hard life hits you or how many curve balls you get, life still moves on. Things always get better, but more importantly, JESUS IS WHO HE SAYS HE IS. He isn't a fake. He doesn't put on a show. He is genuine. He loves you and cares about you. If you have no one to turn to, He listens. This has made 2013 so much easier.
There's so much more about this year but I will leave it at that.
I pray that you have a wonderful New Year. Even when it gets to be "not so new". I also pray that you can find joy in everything that happened this past year. Good and bad. Find the joy in each day! The best is yet to come! :)
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
So, I went to talk to the woman who was leading the trip then signed up. I also signed up the day after the deadline for the early-bird price. Which added a good 300-400$ to my trip. This really only made me laugh in the end because god took an amount that I was so comfortable with making and made it really uncomfortable just so He could show off. And He did. The faithfulness of God in the time it took raising the money blew me away....again. Raising money is something that I have grown quite familiar with but this time was jut different. God showed me once again, that He has got my back....along with everything else. :) So, 7 months later 1nation1day changed my life. I will never be the same.
2. My adventurous summer: Three trips in one summer! I went to the Smokey Mountains, Myrtle Beach and Comayagua, Honduras. It was hands down the best summer of my life. I learned how to stretch myself more. I also spent more time with family in a concentrated area than ever and loved it. I got a super great tan and a new bathing suit ;) haha. It was just great. I don't really understand why me, of all people is blessed enough to do things like this but grace sure is a wonderful thing. Exploring is my favorite thing to do. I love it with almost all my heart. I can tell ya though, 1nation1day changed my life more than those other two trips could have. (see number 1) I had a GREAT summer.
3. SENIOR STATUS: I became a senior this year. That is something to celebrate. I was incredibly scared at first. I also had no idea what I wanted to do besides be a missionary. Senior year is definitely different than the rest though. You are faced with this dilemma that you really have no idea how you are going to react at the fact that in mere months, all the people who you have came in contact with for 13 good years are going to disappear from sight. You are all going to go your separate ways and the most you can do is hope the best for them! SOOOO weird. But, I'll figure that out soon enough. I'll also see the reaction on May 31st when I stand on the podium and give a speech to my class about all this craziness. It's going to be wonderful!
4. Toby Torres: While I was in Honduras, I got a text from my aunt saying that my biological father had just been released from prison and is in a halfway house. I didn't know how to react and i'm pretty sure I looked like I had just seen a ghost at that point. My real dad had been in prison since I was 2/3 years old. So, a very long time and was not expected to get out until I was 23. I planned my life out according to this expectation. I wouldn't have to deal with the problem until hopefully after I get married, graduated college, maybe have a kid...but nope, here it was. That night we went out to different churches and all I wanted to do was be with my uncle. (who was on a different team) because he is one of the men that has been most like a dad to me these past years. But, I wasn't. I was with my real Dad though, the one who created me, and He took care of me. I'm still learning how to adjust to this big change and get to know someone completely new but it's good. Tough but good. I fully believe Jesus knew what He was doing when that daunting release date was moved a good 7/8 years down. The timing is good. I am learning from this situation in so many ways and I am sure the learning will not cease for some time.
5. You: Falling in love changes your life. It makes you look at things differently and makes you hope so much more. This summer, that also happened. I fell in love with someone that I probably wasn't supposed to and he fell in love back. This year would be so much different without you. The person who I broke my walls down for and imagined everything to be different with. The one I trusted and still do without a second guess. You are such a blessing to me, a blessing that changed everything and made everything different for a few months. All those skype calls, nights filled with laughter and random conversations that would stem from no where, made me so happy and I am so thankful they all happened. The way you looked at me made me feel like I was the only girl in the entire world and c'mon... the connection. lol. I definitely miss that. I miss you but, things change and Jesus uses that change to build us and mold us. So, here's to building and molding...Cheers!
6. Braces: I got my braces off....I think that speaks for itself and can we get an amen?! PTL for braces but more so PTL for straight teeth.
7. Guatemala: My. Dream. Came. True. Who wouldn't want to go on a mission trip with their other half? Let alone go to your most favorite place with her?! I remember the countless nights of talking Katie's ear off about Guatemala and how great it was until one night she said that she was going. Definitely didn't believe her. Until the payments started coming in then wee boarded the plane together! It was so surreal. To serve Jesus alongside my very best friend. My heart leaps just thinking of it today. We had SOO much fun and took some pretty great adventures. I also got to watch her fall in love just as I do every year. Jesus is so good. That will forever be ingrained in my heart. I love my best friend. I love Guatemala. Put them together = happy Selina.
8. Graduation: Speaking of Katie, she graduated in 2013. It was one of the hardest things I have ever had to deal with. Katie and I can be described as...attached at the hip. Now, picture us being in the same building for 8 hours a day. Yes, atttttaattttched. I was so scared about my best friend leaving and then I would be so lonely and of coarse she would be so lonely because I wouldn't be there and of coarse the only rational thing to do was just to move to Guatemala together and open an orphanage. hahaha. 2013 was filled with many crying conversations with Katie late at night before bed. the great thing is, we survived. Katie didn't move away, I didn't die and we are still inseparable... just a little more flexible. This year however... We are both moving. BUT, we will survive. :)
9. Oral Roberts University: Oh, the future. I definitely didn't expect to go to Oklahoma for school but heyyy, guess what life loves to throw you? Curve balls. ORU is definitely a curve ball for me. A wonderful one at that! So, most of you know the story. The guy mentioned in #5 moved to ORU, so I wanted to go there. Well, yes..but not fully. ORU is such a great school. My mentor went there, a family member went there and lots of super awesome people from church went there. It wasn't something that just popped into my head a few months ago but it definitely was something that got more serious for me a few months ago. If I am just being honest, I didn't want to go to school. There was no way I was going to waste my youth in an educational system when I could be saving the world. If I were to be forced to go, I would study Spanish only to be able to teach English (to make some money) in a Spanish speaking country. Well, ORU was my curve ball. I fell IN LOVE with the place when I visited and while I was in Guatemala they talked about how poor the medical field is down there. There were several children while I visited that had doctor visits and each time would come back frustrated. So, I decided. I love people. I want to do anything in my power to help as many people as I can and help them feel better. BUTTT I realized that I can do more than just emotional help (Jesus) I can get training to help them physically as well. I also love the medical field, doctor visits and just being in a hospital atmosphere....I have since forever. I also am highly addicted to House M.D.... haha. So, like I said, I made a choice. I am going to ORU in the fall to study Nursing. WOO! :) I'm very excited.
10. Jesus IS who He says He IS: This isn't really a highlight but just something that this year has taught me overall. I find myself praying this quite often "Thank for being who you say you are, Jesus." No matter how hard life hits you or how many curve balls you get, life still moves on. Things always get better, but more importantly, JESUS IS WHO HE SAYS HE IS. He isn't a fake. He doesn't put on a show. He is genuine. He loves you and cares about you. If you have no one to turn to, He listens. This has made 2013 so much easier.
There's so much more about this year but I will leave it at that.
I pray that you have a wonderful New Year. Even when it gets to be "not so new". I also pray that you can find joy in everything that happened this past year. Good and bad. Find the joy in each day! The best is yet to come! :)
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
Here's a few pictures of year in review :)
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