What does Google say about you?

So from time to time I google myself because I'm always curious what new things are being said about me in the world of cyberspace. It's also fun to discover who links to me and what others are saying about my photography.

But every now and then I discover something that makes my eyes go wide. To prove that anything you do on the internet is permanently recorded forever, I ran across a really really really old blog I had totally forgotten about that I used to keep right after college. It was crazy to read back over my life and the thoughts swirling around in my head that I so vulnerably put out there to the world. (Not that I really had any blog readers considering I only posted about 4 entries, and that was before blogs were cool!) I couldn't help but reflect on the very first blog entry which started like this:

April 24, 2004

1. I don't know what the future holds for my career.
2. I don't know what the future holds for my love life.
3. I don't know what the future holds for my mom's health.

I went on to ramble about each of them and all the insecurities that surrounded each situation. To give the nutshell version of each:

1. At this time, I was in between post-college jobs so clueless what direction God wanted me to go in.
2. I was in the midst of breaking up with my first love.
3. My mom's mammogram showed a few suspicious spots.

And it was just so amazing to remember that scared 22-year-old girl that I was, and how far I've come come in the past 4 years.

1. Woo hoo, after trying out 4 different careers, I finally figured out that I was meant to be a photographer!
2. Ok, this one I still have no clue about, but I have faith God knows what He's doing.
3. Praise Jesus, my mom is now a cancer SURVIVOR!!!!

College was a great experience, but I feel like these past 4 years after it, that I've been in the college of life learning an education through the highs and lows of simply living. There have been amazing moments, confusing moments, blessed moments, crumbling moments, content moments, depressing moments, on top of the world moments, and more. But all in all I can look back and see God's hand and purpose in each moment as He continued to guide me to where I am today. It was a good wake up call to read this as a reminder that waiting on God's best isn't always easy, but it is always worth the wait when we keep our eyes fixated on Him. (I needed that reminder for #2 especially, ha!) In appropriate timing, this morning in my quiet time, I read the verse:

Jesus said "I came so that everyone would have life, and have it in its fullest." ~John 10:10

That's one thing I never hope to lose sight of, is living life to the fullest in every moment we are given.

Walking through fears.

Thinking outside of the box.

Having the courage to do things that would make others gasp.

Walking the narrow path.

And loving and serving those that God puts in my path.

I pray that your life is full of all of the above too! And I'm curious, where were you 4 years ago? Leave me a comment and tell me your story!

This is me in 2004. Look how crazy short my hair was. It was all part of the trying to find myself phase, so I went from hair down to the middle of my back to chopping it all off on a whim. Never again will I go that short! I need big hair! :-) (Mom was going through a bad hair year too. )