shots still hurt, even at 24

So much to update you on!

Let’s begin with the title, haha. I’m currently in the stage of preparation for Thailand where I have continuously tortured my body with immunization shots. Granted, I am incredibly thankful that these shots are protecting me against gross diseases and brain-swelling viruses; but darn, these puppies HURT! I have a pretty high threshold for pain, but I find that after every prick (sometimes multiple ones in a single visit), even though I am now 24 years old and consider myself an adult, part of me wants to go home, go to sleep, and let my Mom or Grandpa serve me warm soup and lollipops every few hours. :) Sounds slightly pathetic, doesn’t it? It’s okay, you can let me know, I’m strong enough to handle your sarcasm.

In other news…it’s been great catching up on a bajillion things I’ve put off until I “had more time” (note to self: there will never be enough time, so embrace the time you have and make it work!). I have only been doing odd jobs here and there since August, and this break has been a blessing on many, many levels. One of which is the extra time I have to develop a healthier lifestyle. It dawned on me a few months ago that I have got to get my body in better shape before I leave for Thailand. I’m not overweight, but I’m not in the place where I could survive living in the tropics without serious issues, either. So I became a member of a local gym in April, but only recently have I been completely faithful to keeping in shape. And you know what? I can’t believe I’ve waited so long to take such good care of my body! I mean, if we read Romans 12:1 we see that we are to offer our bodies up as a living sacrifice--and that means we need to also keep our bodies healthy and working well, not just unpolluted from the worldly things around us. Our bodies (along with our salvation) were bought at a price, and we need to honor God by taking care of His creation. So all month I have eaten healthy carbs, high-calcium yogurt and cottage cheese, fruits, and veggies, and worked out almost every day. The result: a healthier, happier, Heather! I actually did 21 miles on the stationary bike today, and it felt wonderful. I’m praying I can keep up a healthy regiment in the months to come, and that my body will better withstand the heat, humidity, and air pollution of Bangkok.

Two paragraphs on the body…time for an update on the soul…

Another bonus of being temporarily unemployed is that I’ve had more time to read (and I highly recommend taking a book with you to the gym--totally makes the time fly by on the bike or elliptical). I recently read a daily devotional by Alicia Britt Chole entitled Pure Joy! Words of Encouragement and Hope, and the entire book was just that: pure joy, encouragement, and hope. If you are reading this blog entry and know a woman who has a birthday coming up, you should buy this for her! Each day has an entry with a scripture, a prayer, and a short devotional. Chole is completely biblical in all of her stories and illustrations, and writes like no other female author I know. She’s also great in person, if you have the chance to see her preach. One of the devotions touched on many of the emotions I have been experiencing lately, here is an excerpt:

“During transitions we uproot and replant our sense of purpose, value, and self. Between what was and what will be, we often feel vulnerable, uncertain, and exposed…If embraced, transitions will refine our character and grow dependence upon God in our souls.”

I mentioned in a blog entry from this summer that I was learning how to be more dependent upon the Lord in all areas of my life, and this excerpt touches on that point. I am recognizing more and more the transition that I find myself in, and all of the emotions that go with this time in my life. I feel incredibly vulnerable. I feel more exposed that I have ever been, especially when I’m on stage in front of a church, sharing with them my deep burden for the lost. But I am also recognizing God’s hand in the midst of the transition.

I don’t often “feel” His tangible presence surrounding me like I have felt so many times before; but I feel the weight of His promise to never leave me or forsake me (Joshua 1:9, Hebrews 13:5) more deeply and more clearly than I think I have ever felt before. And it is comforting. And it is reassuring.

And it is real.