erickabennett - Goodbye 23, Hello 24!

"These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever."
Joshua 4:7a

That verse from Joshua is just one place in The Word where God reminds us how important memories are. I think it's a good thing to reflect back on important memories and ways God has blessed us and moved in our lives. As I enjoy my last day of being 23, I just wanted to reflect back on the last year of my life. Though I'm sure I'm leaving out a TON of amazing things (if you can think of anything, feel free to add a comment!) -

Here's a little list of 23 things I'm proud of and thankful for from the last year of my life!

1- Wrote and performed my first original song

2- Organized and performed for a coffee shop benefit series that raised money for Invisible Children, Military Ministry, and Children's Hospital (Thank you Toomer's Coffee and everyone who helped!)

3- Took my first ministry job (many thanks to my "family" at Farmville Baptist Church)

4- Discovered my passion to teach - especially youth, college students, and young adults

5- Discovered my passion for photography

6- Graduated from Auburn University with a BA in Communication

7- Went on my first international mission trip (and visited 3 new countries!)

8- Survived Africa (including all the pre-trip shots, the malaria medicine, the long drops, an 18 hour plane ride, ox-tail stew, and 12 days with no shower!)

9- Got HEALED!
(Yes, I said healed! Completely! From allergies, asthma, and severe acid reflux disease - from 4 pills a day and an inhaler twice a day, to NOTHING, all in one word from God!)

10- Learned a new language (okay, I only learned a little bit, but for only 2 weeks in Swaziland, I was pretty proud of the SiSwati I learned and still know!)

11- Had my photography and one of my stories from Africa published in a literary magazine (The Auburn Circle) and an online e-zine (Wrecked for the Ordinary) :
http://www.wreckedfortheordinary.com/category.asp?category=poverty&filename=river-of-life-school-gugus-story

12- Closed a chapter of my life by giving up my last pageant title EVER (Miss Glomerata 2007) after 19 years of competing in 45 pageants across the state

13- Answered the call to full-time missions and took a job with Adventures in Missions

14- Moved to a new state (GA), and a city I'd only been to once on faith (Gainesville)

15- Found a new home, a roommate I love, and a new community of incredible people who speak truth and love into my life

16- Saw money raised for orphans around the world through God blessing mine and my co-workers efforts in fundraising (we have a long way to go, but it's a start!)

17- Sang for the troops at Fort Benning

18- Saw friends and family come home from war safe and sound (but I'm still praying for those of you still overseas!)

19- Sang in Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, Florida, South Africa, and Swaziland

20- Lived out James 1:27 and Proverbs 31:20

21- Fell in love - with people, places, and the children who've been forgotten around the world

22- Chased my dreams, realized new dreams, and began to see God bringing them to reality

23- Learned to let go of control and embrace uncertainty!
(I have to re-learn it everyday, but when I do, God blesses me beyond my wildest imagination!)