Twenty Ten

Sex God: I’m seeing relationships and intimacy in a whole new way

When I initially saw the title of this book in the Christian bookstore, I was taken aback. I was definitely not use to seeing these two words used in conjunction in a clean context, and the scene from “What Women Want” with Marisa Tomei and Mel Gibson immediately came to mind. But after picking up the book in sheer intrigue, I found out that it was about something all together different. Having grown up in church, the s-e-x word was never uttered much. It was always alluded to, but there were never frank conversations about the intimacy, the fragility, the amazing power, or the beautiful encounter that God intended when He created it. So, I went through life thinking that it was something that God not only wanted saved until marriage but that it was this encounter that solely meant to result in babies. The end. I never realized the story that was being told or the beauty that was unfolding in this union of two becoming one flesh. Sex God by Rob Bell radically changed all of that. I wish that I had read it sooner, but in some ways I wouldn’t have appreciated or have fully understood much of it without being where I am today. It brought intimacy, relationships and SEX to a whole new light for me. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who has a mixed bag of emotions, views and baggage when it comes to the topic of sex. The book is written in a raw way that isn’t clouded with euphemisms or religious rhetoric. It breaks it down and makes the formerly dirty three letter word of s-e-x a whole new thing in the light of Him who created it.

My journey of faith

A while back Andy Stanley taught a series on how there are 5 things that God uses to grow our faith. To quote Andy, “We believe there are five primary things God uses to grow our faith. These five things are not listed anywhere in the Bible. We discovered them by observing how God works in the lives of believers - and even unbelievers. We are not proposing that these are the only leverage points God uses. But every time we hear someone recount his or her faith journey, at least one of these five dynamics is part of the story.”

So, the five things are:

1. Practical Teaching
2. Providential Relationships
3. Private Disciplines
4. Personal Ministry 
5. Pivotal Circumstances

After hearing this series, I started thinking back over the major events in my life. I thought that it would be neat to chart out my milestones and see how they laid out against these 5 things. 

1994: My faith journey begins

I asked Jesus to forgive me of my sins and be my Lord & Savior. He gladly agreed.

2000: Providential Relationships

My high school boyfriend at the time invited me to what became my new church home where I made friendships that last to this day.

August 2001: Pivotal Circumstances

Two of my best friends, Jenna & Daniel, were killed in a car accident. It rocked my world. 

Early 2003: Pivotal Circumstances

My fiance at the time called off our engagement four months before the wedding. I fell apart.  

Late 2003: Providential Relationships

I moved to Colorado to attend YWAM Denver and met some of the most amazing people ever at my DTS (Discipleship Training School).

Early 2004: Personal Ministry

As part of my DTS, I went to Africa to work with kids.

Late 2004: Pivotal Circumstances

I was accepted to the School of Journalism at the University of Georgia. I was ecstatic!

Summer 2005: Providential Relationships

I met Beth Finlayson who invited me to BCM where I became involved and made so many good friendships that will last a lifetime.

Late 2005: Personal Ministry 

I helped clean up the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina in Waveland, Mississippi.

August 2008: Pivotal Circumstances

My good friend, Miley Duvall, was killed in a car accident

September 2008: Practical Teaching and Providential relationships

I started attending Buckhead Church where I am being fed practical teaching and building relationships

September 2009: Personal Ministry

I helped clean up the devastation of the Georgia floods through HopeATL.

July 2010: Pivotal Circumstance & Personal Ministry

I went on a globalX mission trip to Cambodia to meet the 33 precious children of the New Life Orphanage in Phnom Penh and was changed forever

Present day

Through all of these ups and downs, disasters and joys, laughter and tears, one thing has remained true: God is faithful. He is always there. Whether I am running for the nearest exit or running straight into His arms, He waits patiently and calls me back home to His love. I definitely believe that these 5 things grow our faith, because as I took time to look back on all of these milestones in my life they all fit the bill. All of these things broke me, shook me, challenged me, and pointed me back to the one who is ever faithful. And in the process it strengthened my faith in Him. All of these things have molded me into who I am today, and so with all that I have in me I am willing to go wherever He leads. Because I know that He is faithful.

“God, who got you started in this spiritual adventure, shares with us the life of his Son and our Master Jesus. He will never give up on you. Never forget that.” 1 Corinthians 1:9 

I wrote these words in the sand of the Sahara Desert in 2004, and they are still the beat of my heart today.

It’s been a while

It’s been quite a while since my last post. There have been lots of things that have happened offline, and I’m anxious to get back to blogging my way through my TwentyTen story. When I set out to do this blog, it was with the intent of writing a story with my life. I specifically wanted to focus on 7 areas: Spiritual, Relational, Physical, Finance, Community, Travel, and Career. To satiate my OCD nature and to get back on track, I’m going to stack a stab at posting an update on all 7 areas tonight. Here it goes…

Spiritual

Dive into His mind everyday. I am so happy to say that I am making progress in this area. After my time in Cambodia, God really stirred my soul. I have a renewed passion for relationship with Him and for seeking Him through His word and prayer. I love getting up in the morning, well let me rephrase that. I am not a morning person. I am a night owl. But I love starting off my day with my mind being set on Him. It frames my day and steps. Even though I have a snooze alarm reflex, the thought of starting the day without seeking His face first is more important to me now than a few more minutes of sleep.

Find a mentor. I haven’t found an Atlanta mentor yet, but I have been blessed with a new great friend who has been speaking into my life about where I am heading in my life. He has been a great inspiration, and his journey is such a great example. I have also reconnected with a woman whom I have loved and respected since I was teenager. She doesn’t live in Atlanta, so I don’t have a chance to see her often. But having the chance to email back and forth and know that she is praying for me is great. She is willing to speak into my life, and I need that very much. Still hoping to find a mentor in Atlanta that I can meet with face to face regularly, but I am learning to appreciate the people that I have in my life who are amazing long-distance mentors.

Join Buckhead Church. Loving my church home. Next mission is to connect with a new small group at GroupLink this Saturday and to sign up for a service group.
Tithe. Still struggling with this one. I can’t peg what my hang up is, but I know that I need to learn more about what God says on it. I know that I need to do it, but I need to apply practical teaching. I need to put it in practice. I am thinking about listening to Andy’s series called, “Balanced.” It says, “Can you be unbalanced financially and still be a devoted follower of Christ?” I think this is teaching that I really need to hear and apply.

Relationships

I recently went on a mission trip to Cambodia (you can read more about the amazing journey that ensued on my blog dedicated to Cambodia). I got on a plane with 7 familiar faces and returned with a new family. The bonds that were formed are for life, and I couldn’t be more appreciative for each and every one of them. Alex, Darren, Heather, Jennifer, Laura, Lindsay, and Rebekah are amazing, and I am blessed to call them friends. I am glad that I am forming deeper friendships with people that are share the same passions that I do and are seeking God’s face continually. After my life-changing experience in Cambodia, I have new vision for what I want not only in friends but in a boyfriend and husband. I am learning day by day to be a woman worthy of the man that I want to be with. 

Physical

Join a sports team. Go to the gym. Eat healthy. I could be doing better in this area of my life… a lot better. I did join a kickball team earlier this year, and I am considering joining back for the fall season. The work softball league turned out to be a bust for me, since the games were all the past the airport. I was lame and didn’t want to face rush hour traffic. I cancelled my gym membership, because it was a waste of money (aka I never went). I’m just not a gym junkie. I’m not inspired to breathe in recycled air and run on a treadmill. I rather be outside or doing something with others. I have found a program that will help me start running. A lot of my friends are marathon runners, and I am intrigued by the lifestyle. I found a program that will help me start running slowly, because a runner I am not. I am hoping that this will help me kick start a healthy habit that won’t leave me bored and will help me get back on the healthy bandwagon. My current goal is to get through this 3 week program. If I am successful (aka survive), my next goal is to run/walk a 5k. Wish me luck and no shin splints!

Finance

Build a TwentyTen budget.  Keep up with receipts. Track my actual spending. Stop relying on others to bail me out. Be realistic.

I feel like I am doing pretty well in the financial area of my life (aside from tithing as noted in Spiritual). I have a budget that I stick to every month, and I am keeping up with my expenses. Once I get tithing worked into my life, I would like to save more and donate more to things that I am passionate about (like my kids in Cambodia).

Community

I love people. It’s not me. It’s Jesus in me. With Jesus in me I just can’t help but pour out His love. This love for others lead me to always seek out a way to volunteer and get involved with people. I am so excited about the two new volunteering ventures that I am heading on! I just finished my volunteer orientation at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta today. I will be working with kids in the Emergency Department at CHOA Hughes Spalding, and I can’t wait! The other opportunity is through the Intersect Project at Buckhead Church. It is a partnership with Safehouse Outreach. I will be mentoring a middle school child. Most of the kids in the Safehouse program have at least one parent who is incarcerated, so being a mentor to these children has such a positive impact on their lives. It has been shown that it improves their school grades and decreases their chances of getting into trouble. I have training for that program this Sunday, and I am looking forward to building a relationship with this child for the next year.

Travel

I love traveling. I often tell people that you could put me on a plane to anywhere, and I would go. This isn’t an exaggeration. I really would. (I think I repeatedly say this in hopes of some ridiculously rich individual overhearing it and calling my bluff by sending me around the world). I recently had the opportunity to go to Cambodia for a mission trip, and it was incredible. The trip was more than I could have ever imagined, and I can’t wait to get back. I miss my 33 kids, and the Cambodian people are so warm and welcoming. I love them. 

I was lucky to be able to get some Skymiles on my trip across the globe, and I am hoping to save some more to go explore another part of this amazing world that God created.

Career

I am super happy at work. I love my new gig as a Content Strategist for the Marine Corps. It’s challenging. It’s fast-paced. It’s often chaotic. Like I said, love it! I work with so many fun people, and my bosses are two of the brightest people that I have ever worked with. I love learning from them, and it makes going to work a joy. I am hoping to go to Washington, D.C. soon to tour the Marine Corps Museum for content ideas and inspiration. I have loved all of the content collection trips that I have been on, and I am always anxious to get back on the road. And I am super excited about moving into our new office space in January! It’s going to be awesome!

Whew… I made it through all 7 areas! I’m so excited be writing a story with my life. I am happy that I am documenting it my progress, so I can look back and appreciate the journey. 

• journey
• life
• progress
• spiritual
• relationship
• physical
• finance
• community
• travel
• career

Slow and steady wins the race

According to the story of the tortoise and the hare, slow and steady wins the race. In an attempt to not beat myself up over set backs and for the purpose of wanting to write a story that will have a meaningful ending, I’ve decided to consider myself a tortoise. I rather be slow to climb the hill, but eventually I will reach the top with more appreciation for the view, understanding from the journey, and humility learned along the way. So, here’s an update on my story… tortoise-style.

My Spiritual Story

• Dive into His mind everyday. My progress on this reminds me of Matthew 26:41, “The Spirit is willing, but the body is weak.” I really like the frank way that The Message puts it too, “There is a part of you that is eager, ready for anything in God. But there’s another part that’s as lazy as an old dog sleeping by the fire.” That’s a pretty good descriptor of me up to this point. I long to read His word, and once I’m in I’m enthralled. But it’s getting there that trips me up. Long days lead to long nights and before you know it it’s almost 2am and you’re typing up a blog post on Tumblr (case and point right now). But I need to make it a priority. I need to take in the Word everyday. Just like my body needs food, my soul needs His word. 

• Find a mentor. I am really wanting to get this one started, but I just haven’t had anyone come into my path yet. And I am not sure who to seek out. I need to open my eyes a little wider and pray for God to bring a providential relationship into my life. 

• Join Buckhead Church. YAY! I did this! I’m making progress. I’m writing my TwentyTen story. Woo-hoo! So, my next step is to get involved with strategic service. I am still debating which area to go into, but I am almost decided. I’m also serving as a project leader for do.justice on April 17th! I’m so excited about this event. If you’re in ATL, find out how you can get involved.

• Tithe. Oh boy. I don’t know why I struggle so hard with this. I did ok for a while, but then I was out of town and let myself slip back into my old habit of not giving. Shame shame on me. But I recently came across a verse that challenged and encouraged me in this area, Malachi 3:10, “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this, says the Lord Almighty, and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.” How can you argue with that? Next step: Be a cheerful giver.

xoxo

kg

A few months later…

So, it’s been a few sunrises and sunsets, since I’ve updated the good old TwenyTen blog. The last few months have brought lots of changes, excitement, new experiences, new friends, and fun! Here’s just a little taste of what has been keeping me away for a while…

• Moved apartments
• Moved offices and cubes
• Traveled to Louisiana
• Traveled to Texas
• Traveled to Illinois
• Traveled to Wisconsin
• Traveled to Iowa
• Traveled to Minnesota
• Traveled to North Carolina
• Decorated my apartment and painted the living room purple
• Joined a bowling league
• Had a few heart-to-hearts with close friends
• Met a 90 yr. old WWII veteran
• Took 8+ airplane trips
• Stayed in 12+ hotels
• Started to feel a little like Clooney in Up in the Air 
• Applied to volunteer at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta
• Met a Retired USMC Brigadier General
• Laughed… a lot
• Met great people from JWT NY
• Discovered a 2 mile Beltline trail near my house with B & C
• Joined a kickball league
• Made some new friends
• and found time to sleep & eat somewhere in between all of that and more.

After that whirlwind of a few months, I am back to a somewhat normal schedule now. I am excited to get my story making and sharing back on track, and I have lots of updates to come. I also have 3 more parts of my story making to pen: Community, Travel, and Career. I love documenting things as they happen in my life, because it’s so easy to forget. I am the kind of person who really enjoys the little things in life, and I don’t want to forget the little pieces of experiences that make it into a wholly awesome story. Stay tuned for the next installment on Community and updates on the rest of my story! 

xoxo

kg

• time
• moved
• update
• travel
• community
• story

“Nobody ever drowned in his own sweat.” Ann Landers

The number one resolution that tops the US list year after year is some form of a weight loss, healthy eating, exercise combo package. Even in a recession, we seem to be able to pack on the pounds, while awaiting January one as the call to put down the fork. I am definitely among this guilty crew, but I want to make that a thing of the past. For those of you who have been reading my 2010 story up to now, you know that I no longer want to make resolutions. I want to write a story with the life that I’ve been given. Now let’s be honest. If you aren’t feeding your body what it needs and giving it the chance to sweat it out on a regular basis, you are destining yourself to write a short story instead of a novel. So, on that note…

What story do I want to tell with my physical fitness, eating habits, and overall well-being?

I want to be able to go for a jog with my friends and not be the weak one. I want to be able to play on a sports team and enjoy the camaraderie of teammates, the sweat and pain from a hard practice, and the exhilaration of a hard fought victory. I want to have the body that I use to have… fit and happy. I want to look at pictures of myself and be excited and pleased, instead of depressed and angry with myself. I don’t want to look back at highschool and college pics as the “glory years.” I want to look in the mirror and be happy with where I am today. I want to try on clothes and be ecstatic about how I look, not for egotistical reasons, but for contentment with myself. I want to treat the body that I have been given with respect. Granted, this is MUCH easier said than done. Especially for someone (i.e. me) who would like to have Mexican food declared as its own food group. There are going to be struggles. I am going to fail. However, I hope that little by little, the changes that I make will become part of my lifestyle. I want to be able to look back in a year and see a radical change in the way that I think about my body and the way that I treat it. We only get one, right?! We better make sure it will endure the journey. Plus, I want to take mine on a pretty freakin’ awesome journey, so I’m going to need it in supreme-O condition.

How am I going to tell my story of healthy living?

• Join a sports team. The sport isn’t the object. The exercise, determination, camaraderie, fun, mental hurdles, and sweat are.
• Go to the gym at least 4x a week. I want to make this a habit that I will miss if it isn’t part of my day.
• Feed my body what it needs. In the past I have gone down the trail of making everything off limits to myself. Knowing my personality that has not turned out to be a successful approach. The more I can’t have something, the more that I want it. So, I am looking at what my body NEEDS. I need to eat fruits and vegetables and wholesome things. In the process I will be filling myself up with things that I need and won’t be so famished that I stuff my face with cheese dip and tacos.
• Keep the house and office stocked with healthy options. This will make it that much easier to make positive food choices.
• Be accountable to people in my life who know my healthy living desires. Since I am viewing this as a lifestyle change and not a crash course in weight loss, I want that voice of reason and encouragement to help me remember my larger reason for changing.
• Learn tips & tricks from those who are successfully leading the lifestyle that I want to implement. The Nutrionista is a great example. She understands a healthy life of balance. Just like I immerse myself in the fashion world because I love it and want to learn/know more, I need to immerse myself in the health & fitness world. Having examples of people who live the life everyday are great encouragement and inspiration.

• fitness
• health
• exercise
• weight
• healthy
• sports

Friends. I own all 10 seasons on DVD.

Yes, it’s true. I have a serious Friends addiction. And yes, I know that the show ended 6 years ago. That doesn’t change the fact that I love Rachel, Ross, Monica, Chandler, Phoebe, and Joey. I could quote every episode, and “The one where no one’s ready” is one of my favorites. So, on a tangent, one of my chapters in 2010 is to build better relationships.

So, what story do I want to tell?

I want deep friendships. I don’t want a phonebook full of superficial contacts. I want to know the triumphs and the struggles of my friends. I want to know that there is someone in my corner and that they can know the same thing about me. I want to be able to lower my walls and go deep with my friends. I’m tired of the superficial, and I don’t want surface level friendships anymore. I know that this will mean that I need to devote time, be prepared to be vulnerable, and be willing to listen and available to their needs. I’m ready. So, let’s start this “Frienaissance!” Yes, that word was invented by Phoebe.

How am I going to embark upon this Frienaissance?

• Host a housewarming party.  I want all of my friends to know that my door is always open to them… day or night. Whenever they need me, I want them to know that I am only a call or text away.

• Make a coffee date with one friend a week. Catch up on their life and invest time in them and our friendship.
• Be more open and honest with the girls in my Small Group. To put more time and energy into the study so I can be a thoughtful and sincere part of the discussion.
• Join a volunteer group at Buckhead. I want to make connections that will turn into meaningful friendships with a firm foundation.
• Make new friends at my apartment complex. I want to know my neighbors. I don’t want to just smile and nod in the hallway. I want to know their names. I want to make dinner and watch cheesy reality tv together. I want it to be comfortable and feel like home. Because everyone loves a place where everybody knows your name (and they’re always glad you came).