South Africa Calls To Her

South Africa is calling her back. Or, it may just be that plane ticket she bought several months ago that is calling her to hop on board that plane. Around this time last year a spent the weekend in The Burg (Lynchburg) with my dear Jo. I will never forget the Saturday that we got to spend together that winter. We at mexican food and didn't mind when the waiters flirted with us even though they were probably just trying to get a good tip. We grabbed Starbies and took a little overcast drive to the Lynchburg airport. We sat there for quite a while watching the planes take off and land engaging in soul bearing conversation without distraction. The Come Away album by Jesus Culture will always remind me of that afternoon. I remember the way the air smelled and the peaceful gloom of the skies. I remember how real that moment felt. How we talked of the birthing of dreams. We talked about our similar and unique passions. We talked about faith and insecurity. The challenge presented with endless possibility. I remember how my heart sighed to be in fellowship with such a driven, passionate and faithful woman.

Since then, Jordan has taken on a new and exciting challenge. She's currently living in Plettenberg Bay in the Western Cape of South Africa. She has committed a year to living there to serve with a non-profit that is pioneering an orphanage, anti-trafficking work, and photography/videography communication. She has taken on a lot of responsibility and roles while being there and as a friend I could not be more proud of or excited for her. I am continually encouraged and inspired by her steps of faith as she surrenders and humbles herself in this adventure.

I had the privilege of seeing her while she was in the states when she came to visit Virginia Beach. We did what I think has sort of become a "thing" for us to do. Take a drive, park the car where we can overlook something and talk. No coffee this time but we had just made one bangin' breakfast. We sat in Norfolk overlooking the bay and caught up some more before we went back to my house and spent a good bit of time in the car and in my room getting into a little deeper discussion on life. I wish I could have spent so many more hours with her because I think we could have just kept talking. She's such a free spirit and one that you just want to be in the presence of. She's wise and understanding and shows her crazy a little bit here and there which I wholeheartedly jump in on. Don't you worry. We get a little weird. Haha.

All of this to day that South Africa has such a precious human residing in the cape. She is moving mountains...or...making waves. Whatever the metaphor, she's chasing not only a dream and a hearts desire but she's chasing the Lord, and I am so honored to know her.

Below is a little information on what she is doing in South Africa:

Just A Quick Little Morning Jot

There's a lot around here in my life that's movin' and groovin'. Thankfully travel season is pretty much over for anything farther than local cities! My last trip to Baltimore was wonderful. A good wrapping up of the season for sure. It seems as though with the change of the weather comes life with it's own changes and beginnings. This morning is was the coldest morning we have had here yet in the good ol' 757. A crisp 34 degrees. My housemate and I started a new morning routine which puts us up before the sun at 6 a.m. The great thing is that I feel so productive and alive! Let's hope I feel that way next week. Other exciting things are on the horizon as it comes to things that are movin' in life. From wedding coordinating, to justice creative initiative projects, to meetings with my beautiful mentee, to progressing in my rock climbing, to bridesmaid responsibilities for a wedding in the Midwest, to all my little creative side projects and future planning... More details in months to come. Oh!! And I get a bed this week!! Exciting adulting things. Guys, I just can't wait to sleep in it...or maybe jump on it. Ya know. Break it in.

This is a brief update on just general life things. It may not seem like much but it's all filling me up. I feel alive. I feel like myself which is a beautiful thing. I'm going to keep writing about Storyline but I gotta take care of a few things before I do. Especially since I'm still doing my own personal processing.

For now, I leave you with this. Morning's deserve a little inspiration & beauty.

- - Sweetly - -

Gabrielle

Not A Valentines Post

Well my friends it's February. I guess I've missed a month of blogging but that doesn't mean I can't start now! So here we go. At least two posts a month. That's my goal. Keep me accountable will ya? ;)

Here's a little dose of what has been on my mind lately. I'm doing some re-evaluating of my time and how I am spending it and where I am spending it and why. Something that I have been trying to be better at is being intentional with people. I'm not sure that I shared that here in my blog at any point in past months, so, if I haven't, basically I have been wanting to not only say I am going to do something but also follow through on those things. A lot of it comes down to my relationships. I don't want to just say that I would like to get coffee with you but I am going to say it and mean it. It can become hard when you walk into a local shop here in Virginia Beach so close to the university I not only attended, but also now work full time at ,because I am bound to see not only one person I know but probably a couple. So basically I am expanding my being intentional with people to also being intentional with my time. 

So what's that look like? Well, I have my absolutes that I am needing to focus on first and then build on those from there. Last semester I dove in head first to my job, small groups, church, and extra curriculars. Let's just say that it was a lot. Especially after spending most days by myself in Texas over the past year. That year went quick. 7 months of being back in Virginia Beach has gone quick. Life is speeding up I swear. So my absolutes are as follows: 

• Personal with the Lord - Daily Manna. Plain and simple. Not saying that time with the Lord is plain and simple. You get what I mean. :) It's an area that needs some work in my life since I moved back to Virginia. It was so easy being home, waking up at 930am and starting my day with the Lord. Now with a full time job and other responsibilities it's a bit harder and so I'm learning. Not failing. Learning, growing, and challenging myself in this new season. 

• Wednesday nights I go to a discipleship group called "Love Feast" - So this group is a group I attended last semester and that's how I met my mentee! (no not manatee) I really get to glean a lot from Sara who is a friend of mine who leads the group and her husband Mike (also a friend of mine) who is a part of my "family group." I feel like a mentor or someone to look up to within my family which is kind of neat. It also makes me more aware that I am being watched. I think it's a really good environment for me to be in. 

• Friday nights I meet with a group of artists called "The Gathering" - I just started attending recently but really they have only been meeting for a little over a month so I haven't missed out on much. Many of the members couldn't believe that I just started attending because they could have sworn I was around when it all started up. I feel at home with these creative and inspirational souls.

• I am a mentor to a 18 year old girl in undergrad who is the absolute sweetest. We meet sometime throughout every week depending on our schedules. I think I am doing just as much learning and growing as she is in our meetings together. The Lord continues to surprise me with the little nuggets of wisdom that come from my mouth. Sometimes it's just what I need to hear as well. I cannot tell you how much I love pouring out and into her life and being of encouragement to her. 

• Sunday's I have church - This is another area where I am looking at where I need to be. I have been attending the same church I went to as a student and for some reason in the past month I have felt like I need to start visiting elsewhere. We will see what comes of this in time.

•  Work Monday through Friday - Of course this is an absolute that takes up quite a bit of my life. 40+ hours of my week to be exact.

• Love & Scissors - If you know me well you know that I am a part of a non-profit called Love & Scissors which is an anti-human trafficking organization that I do administrative, marketing, and event planning work for. I just recently became committed as more than just a volunteer which is very exciting. Big things are coming and we are spending some time dreaming which is always exciting. 

 So with those being my absolutes I am accounting for all the rest of my time which is precious since it isn't much. The rest of my time is spent being intentional with people and taking time to myself. I am needing more introverted moments. More time to myself to write, read, create, and dream. Sweet moments where I come home, make dinner, cuddle up in bed and watch an episode of Parenthood...because I can. More moments of getting off work to make my way to Cafe Moka to drink tea and read or write or knit. Peaceful moments. So good for my spirit. So needed. 

All of this writing, perhaps too much, to say that I am re-evaluating how I spend my time. I want to spend it wisely and to spend it in a manner that has me coming away inspired, or refreshed, or at rest, or excited. You get the idea. 

I suppose that's it for now. Just a long list of things. Nothing to significant or ground breaking. Just a little bit of life. 

 

Here's me // Happy Valentines Day

If you expected there to be some sort of irony in regards to my title of this post...sorrynotsorry. hahaha