(August 2011) I began writing this blog 8 months ago on the brink of life's changes and I am now sitting on the other side, in a newly settled life, reflecting on all that has happened. I have been remiss in not keeping up with this blog. 8 months has brought with it a GREAT deal of change and I know that I will miss deeply important things in my writing of it but I also know that these 8 months have created a change in me that can't be missed.
Let's begin with career change.
Back in January I was still working at Cole but I sensed the change coming in my career and I felt very unsettled about the impending change. Unsure of what would happen I began feeling disconnected from the team there and I couldn't figure out what was happening. It wasn't long before I heard from my supervisor that funding would not exist for my position the following year and that when my contract was up in May I would no longer be renewed as the Director of Communication and Development with Friends of Cole. It took a few weeks to process and begin making my "To Do" list in preparation for my job search. I polished up my resume and began networking with the connections I had made in the community.
In mid February I heard about a non-profit organization (City Year) hiring for a new a site in Denver. City Year is working to combat the urban high school drop out rate by deploying 17-24 year olds as full time mentors, tutors and roll models into public schools in 21 cities across the continental U.S. as well as 2 internationally (London, England and Johannesburg, South Africa). A friend of mine had served with City Year Seattle for 2 years and she and I shared many unique cultural experiences from her time as a corps member and my time in Christian education. The week after my first introduction to City Year a gentleman I had been working with in the community called me after receiving my resume and asked, "Have you heard of City Year? You would be perfect for that organization."
To make a short story even shorter I took the hint, contacted City Year, applied, was invited to interview, interviewed, was offered a position, and began working with the Comcast Start-Up Team all within less than 10 days time. A clear gift from God.
I worked as a Program Associate for 4 months before applying for and being accepted into a full time position with City Year Denver as the Corporate Relations and Foundations Manager which I began on July 1, 2011. But that is just the beginning of the change that I have seen in the last 8 months.
The Lord also saw fit to bless me with a godly man.
Ryan and I were acquaintances back in early high school through our Christian schools' camps and fine arts competitions. He had a crush on my best friend at the time and I remember very little about him from then but we hung out a few times back in the day and I have pictures to prove it (I'll not be posting pictures of that embarrassing time just yet). He likes to say that we "reunited" when he began attending Providence (my church here in Denver) in February.
As much as I want to write out our whole story here I think it deserves a blog post all to itself (coming soon to a computer screen near you) so for now I will just say that the last 3 months since we began dating have been an incredible time of unparalleled joy and intense spiritual growth for both of us. We don’t know what the future holds but we are crazy about each other and so thankful that this act of obedience to the Lord is such an easy one.
About 2 months ago I was chatting with an old friend about the Lord’s hand on our life situations and while circumstances can be difficult and discouraging at times, our faith in Christ sustains us. I told her that I felt very blessed and her response has stuck with me and resounded in my mind over and over the last few months:
“Alyssa, you are blessed and highly favored.”
