right where I belong

There's so much to say right now. I feel a strange mixture of feelings . . . I'm sad to have watched Stephanie leave, and then almost heartbroken watching Mom & Dad drive away. And yet, at the very same time, I am feeling so confident and assured that this is exactly where I need to be right now. I need to be on my own, listening for God's gentle whispers. I need to live on $400 a month, and I need to learn the value of hard work and putting my heart into something new. (And really, what better time in my life to be "poor"?)

I've enjoyed my sight-seeing adventures here in Nashville. I feel somewhat oriented to the city and traffic patterns. But I'm ready to really dive into the city, into the ministry, into a new chapter in my life. When I met with Jennifer and Bob at Vanderbilt, I was excited to meet students, face fears with them, struggle with the issues that come up as a first-year student, cheer on the Commodores, and wear black & gold (at least when I forget that black & gold are also Steeler's colors!). When I met Susan, I was excited to see the cute house I'll be living in. She told me about my new church, Downtown Pres, the homeless ministries there, the couple that have volunteered to be my host family--a very sweet sounding couple, who have gone on several mission trips and work with Habitat, which I feel is a wonderful God thing.

It all feels so right.

Even though I'm sitting here, alone, with the last of my physical PA connections heading into Kentucky, I know that sometimes God's plan for our lives demands some sad moments. It takes moments that make you wonder what it really means to allow God to guide your pathway. Even though it is hard, and will probably be much harder in the months to come, I'm with God, and there's no better place to be than in the midst of His grace and love.

Listening to David Bailey's song "Life," right now:
". . . the music will tell you that right now, you're right where you belong."