The Real World Begins

Dad, me, Thomas, Sarah, Mom and Uncle Steve after my graduation

With one of my best friends and roommates, Alex

I can't believe it has already been a week since I graduated from Baylor. It really hasn't hit me that college is over! As happy as I am about the exciting things to come, I'd be lying if I said last weekend wasn't difficult. I've been blessed beyond belief with amazing friendships and memories while at Baylor, and saying goodbye to friends was really hard.

Having said all of that, I think it's time for a much needed update. I had every intention of using my blog to document the final memories of senior year, but time simply slipped away!

My last semester at Baylor was wonderful. I finished two internships, one at the local magazine as a photography intern, and the other as a PR intern at The Dwyer Group. They were both great experiences and I look forward to applying those skills to a job soon, which leads me to...

The job hunt! I had a very promising lead towards the end of the semester (with possibility of starting before I even graduated) and a job offer in Waco seemed right around the corner. However, I was disappointed when I learned that the company decided to use internal resources to fill the vacant position. It was back to the drawing board, having already submitted 10+ applications to companies in Austin and not hearing anything. I prayed for God to open and close the right doors, which means something better must be out there waiting for me! I continue to hunt for my first job, and I'm looking to stay in Waco for as long as possible to be close to Thomas as he attends graduate school at Baylor. Once he graduates next August (2012), we'll figure out our next move together.

Speaking of Thomas, did I mention we're getting married? Thomas proposed on April 17, and I absolutely feel like the luckiest girl in the world!! The full engagement story and a story of our relationship is published to our wedding website, which we'll be debuting in the coming days. He is currently on a mission trip with his fraternity, and I'd love it if you would pray with me as they serve the Lord in Uganda. Check out their blog for daily updates with stories of God's glory!

Since Waco is a ghost town with everyone gone for the summer, and with Thomas out of the country, I decided to come home to Austin for a few weeks of rest and relaxation with my family. My little sister Sarah is home, having just finished her sophomore year at Texas Tech, so we're enjoying time together while Mom and Dad are both at work!

So, the "real world" begins. Landing my first job, planning a wedding, experiencing both growing pains and joys, and living in the peace of the One who provides it all... bring it on.

Divine Appointment

Have you ever opened your Bible and stumbled upon a note you once wrote in the margins? Nothing makes me happier than looking back on how God has revealed himself through sermons, Bible studies or daily devotions.

Today at Highland, Kyle started a new series on the book of Jonah. As I turned to Chapter 1, I smiled as I read "Uganda, 05/19/10." Winnie, one of the evangelizers we met while at Restoration Gateway last summer, talked about Jonah during one of our morning prayer sessions. I wrote down a quote of hers that I'll always cherish.

"As long as you have an appointment with God, He is faithful to accomplish it."

Thinking back on our trip to Uganda, I was reminded of a divine appointment I had on the plane. I journaled about it upon arrival in Kampala, and when the memory was triggered this morning I felt led to share it with you!

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"The flight from Amsterdam to Uganda began with a special God moment. The man sitting to my left was named Eric and was a native Ugandan. I'll admit, at first I was a bit nervous and didn't want to make conversation, but his willingness to open up put me at ease. I realized what an incredible opportunity I had to learn about the people I'd meet before I even arrived.

Eric is a solider in the Ugandan army and was returning home after being in the U.S. for seven months of training. He told me that he has two children whom he couldn't wait to see, Evelyn and Arinda. Arinda means 'protector' in their language, and his son was given that name because Eric said, 'God protects us!' When he asked me what my name meant, I told him that Amanda means 'worthy of love.' He then pointed to my ring and said, 'Someone loves you!'

At the time I was wearing my James Avery cross ring, so I proceeded to tell him about how my parents gave it to me after I was baptized. I shared a little about my faith as a Christian and how for us baptism is a personal choice of faith as a public statement of our relationship with Christ. I asked him about religion in Uganda and he said it's primarily Christian -- a mix of Catholic, Protestant and Seventh Day Adventist. 'But I believe that religion isn't a group or a title,' he said. 'I know that being a Christian means having a relationship with Jesus.'

I'm sure I was smiling when he said that! As much as I was fidgeting in my mind, trying to orchestrate a conversation that led to the gospel, God's promise became a reality. He said to Moses in the Bible, 'I will help you speak,' and now He was calling the shots in my conversation with Eric.

Eric told me all about Uganda's history and his involvement in the army. He spoke almost in a whisper, since talking about the war and the Lord's Resistance Army wouldn't ordinarily be an acceptable plane conversation, but it was so humbling to hear first-hand of the cruelty behind the Invisible Children documentary. I was humbled to think about the sacrifices Eric made to be away from his family while pushing the LRA out of Uganda.

'I hope my children understand why I do what I do,' Eric said. 'I want to make sure they have a better life, that they don't have to experience unrest.' I tried to imagine his reunion with his wife and kids in just a few short hours when we landed. Wanting a better life, Eric left home and gave up time to train in the UPDA (Ugandan People's Defense Army).

In the same way, wanting redemption and reconciliation with His people, Jesus left his throne in heaven to pay the ultimate price for our sins. How much sweeter will our reunion be when we finally see Christ face-to-face?! The Word became flesh so that we could experience true life. Life with hope and grace and mercy in the mist of so much hurt."

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"I hope my children understand why I do what I do." Can you hear Jesus saying that? He yearns and pleads for us to understand His grace, to try and wrap our minds around the magnitude of His love for us. What a beautiful reminder of his loving mercy.

Uganda

More photos from Uganda:

#1 - http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2041489&id=1515720161&l=17c681cba0

#2 - http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2041547&id=1515720161&l=1c92686381