changed for the better.

There are people in your life that change you.

I am blessed to have a wonderful selection of friends and family that are those people to me, but today I want to write about two people that have had a huge impact on me.

as a person.

as a mother.

as a wife....

My pastors.

Anyone who has had the privilege of meeting these two people are nodding right now. They are amazing.

and real.

They don't pretend to be anything less than who they are.

They are passionate about God and it's evident in their day to day. Don't just give me words but show me.

They show me every day.

For the past 6 1/2 years I have been working part time as their administrative assistant. When they asked me to come on as the churches' admin, I laughed a little and told them I have no experience. They said to me "You don't, but you have the personality and the knowledge of the ministry {growing up in a missionary home}. I knew it was too good of an opportunity to pass up and boy, was I right. It's hard to put into mere words how much I have learned from watching their example, how many times I am faced with a problem and I literally think "what would Pastor Paul do?" & how much love I carry for these two people.

It just cannot be expressed.

But I'll try. Because somehow I feel like I need to pen this, as if it's part of me closing the chapter of this book. Because today? Today was my last day as their admin.

I felt it about a year ago. My business was picking up, and my heart wasn't in the job like it once had been. Did I love being there? oh, gosh-of course. But I knew my time was drawing to a close. It was just getting too hard to juggle it all and quite frankly, I didn't feel like it was fair on them. I want them to have the very best in their staff.

So, when we got an offer on our home, I knew the time had come.

I knew it was time to open my next chapter.

In a way it's so exciting to open up a new chapter to your story, and follow your deepest passions. But I think as humans, sometimes we get scared. We don't want to open up that chapter. We don't want to see what's inside. Because we're comfortable. We're safe.

But I can't not open that chapter. Because I know beautiful things will fly off the pages. I know there is an explosion of so much more that God has for me.

And I'm grateful. Grateful for the years I had with them to glean, to learn....to fly. If it wasn't for them and how the Lord used them in my life, I know beyond a shadow of doubt I wouldn't be where I am today.

So - Paul&Dana,

Thank you. Thank you for allowing me to be such a huge part of your lives. Thank you for trusting me and believing in me. Paul, I will hugely miss our daily talks about life, about God, and even about Survivor. You have become a second father to me and I am forever grateful for those moments.

So, while I may cry today about leaving something so close to my heart, I expand my arms towards what is ahead. I am excited about the new opportunity's that lie in my horizon.

Much Love,

LiziE

Sometimes you just need to step out of the boat.

xo

Paul&Dana::