An Introduction...

       Well, I suppose it was bound to happen. One way or another I always swear up and down I will not succumb to the latest trend sweeping the social media circuit, but alas, here I am. Several of my close friends have encouraged me to start one of these for quite some time, but self-admittedly I just do not see myself as your typical "Blogger".....First of all, I in no way find myself inspirational, nor do I have any sort of savvy forward-thinking advice to offer...I don't even have a rallying cause/point-of-view worth your concern. I do however, like everyone else, have a story to tell. And well, seeing as I have always had a heart for others' stories, I decided to take this opportunity to share my own.
      So needless to say, as you've probably picked up on already, I will find myself traveling abroad this summer - First to Dublin, Ireland for a truly incredible internship opportunity with the Courtyard Studio Production Company which specializes in the production of corporate commercials for not only Microsoft, but the drug company Pfizer, as well as numerous other UK mega-corporations....they even produce a little show on the STARZ network called "Camelot"....I hear it's kind of a big deal, but outside of GLEE and "Grey's" this chick isn't so in tune with the vast array of TV shows out there. Regardless, trip #2 is set to happen in early July when I will leave Ireland to join my school group in London to begin classes at Kings College studying British Media as well as the personal lives of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien, as well as travel across the UK and into Europe seeing what this fascinating part of the world has to offer. No big deal, right?....geez, just describing it makes me that much more excited!
     Anyway, however your want to package it (Study Abroad, Internship, or even a "fixed" vacation) this trip is certain to prove itself nothing short of incredible in every sense of the word. So I suppose with all of that background it would probably be best if I introduced all of you to a few things you will probably want to be "clued" into in order for all of my ramblings over the next few months to make any sort of sense. So ready? Here we go :)


1. AJ = Amanda Joy. Other than the fact that even as a small child I despised the name "Amanda" (I still remember begging my parents to change it to "Amy" as a preschooler....that's a whole different story), I really have no idea why this nickname came about nor when it really started to stick, but what I do know is that I never have been an "Amanda"....AJ is just, well, it's me :)


2. My Passions: Living a Christ-Centered Life, Becoming all that God wants me to be, Learning from my faults, Loving Wide-Open, and being the best Friend, Daughter, Sister, and Girlfriend I possibly can be....anything outside that well, I just try to be at peace with what is and isn't in my capability to change and respond accordingly.


3. I am in a constant state of growth and learning, and I suppose it's pretty much been that way since I started college. I never really have been one to be stagnant in anything I do, and well, as hard as I've tried, sitting on the sidelines has never really been how I play the game. Don't get me wrong, being born with a heart for service, adventure, and seeking out all that this life has thrown my way has been a blessing in so many ways, but it has also come with it's downfalls....to name a few, I often spread myself too thin, am always seeking the approval of others, and even I can be a little flighty at times, not to mention the times where God has called me to be still and wait on Him have proved rather disastrous  on my part.....all of these things you will come to observe.


4. Austin. I wish there was a better way to describe us, but there just isn't. I suppose ever since we started dating in high school under unorthodox pretenses (he having just dated/broke up with one of my very best friends...not to mention that I was a Senior, He was a Sophomore...I did marching band, He was the infamous "Kicker" and soccer star....I went off to college, while he stayed home.....the list goes on and on), nothing about our relationship was ever meant to make any sort of sense. But ever since Dec. 15, 2007 we have been content to deal with the chaos of "us", and after 3 and 1/2 years of on and off long-distance, here we are. Sure, not everything has been perfect, and just having relished (myself, celebrating!) in the closure of this past, extremely trying year for us both in which we broke up for 6 months, we are so on fire for one another and I could not count myself more blessed.....seeing God's grace and promises come to fruition in the midst of that hurt has been truly incredible. Anyway, to say that he is my very best friend is truly an understatement....no one can make me think, pray, laugh, or love the way he can. As cheesy as it may be, he encourages me, he protects me, and he pushes me to never let my own self get in the way of what God has in store for my life. Yeah, best friend, just doesn't really seem to encompass it.


5. I am SO extremely excited, nervous, anxious, sick-to-my-stomach, crazy in love with all that this summer has to offer. I don't really know if other people try to find ways in which Sunday-morning sermons are applicable to their lives, but for myself something that has pretty much been the over-arching theme of my life for the past few years is the fact that the greatest blessings are the result of the most tremendous sacrifices. So yes, as excited as I am, it is not without recognition of what is on the line.....time spent with my family, yet another summer job to save money for the future, precious, precious time with Aust before school in the Fall....all of these things and a whole lot more are the humbling forces keeping me grounded in the reality that this trip is not simply that. It is a sacrifice. But how encouraging is it to know, that if it were not for my Savior there would not be a blessing to follow :)





    Okay, so I suppose that's basically me in a nutshell. I mean, I only have about a million other quirks that I could write about, but for now this seems sufficient, and hey, you are probably going to get to know me pretty well by summer's end anyway, right?
        On a bit of a sad note, today marks Austin and I's last day together until August. Though I am leaving this Friday for Dublin, my amazing guy is leaving Tuesday for Chinendega, Nicaragua to serve as an Intern for Crosspoint Ministries at the Missions house they have stationed there. It's definitely bitter-sweet because on one hand I just cannot help but be so incredibly proud of him. I mean, how lucky am I to have such a wonderful man not only in love with me, but in love with the Lord as well and be willing to serve Him in such an inspiring way, however my selfishness wants him with me as I always do. Having been in a relationship in which our days apart far out-weigh our days together, has put us both in the situation of constantly yearning for the other's time. Sure, we have been doing long-distance for several years now, but this is different, much different, and going such a substantial amount of time without contact is far too unbearable to think about for now. Regardless, no matter how many times we find ourselves in this position, God always seems to supply us both with an inner peace....but for now, sadness it is. 




    Until my next writing....
                                         Philippians 1:27-30


Blessings,
AJ