November 13, 2011

33rd Birthday

On my actual birthday I worked in the morning at Redeemer. I had already packed for my trip to South Africa (for the most part), so I went to coffee with Neil and Robyn afterwards. It was a pretty day and quite warm for a November birthday spent in New York City. I remember we talked about a lot of different things but one of them was dreaming about discipleship at Redeemer.

That evening a group of dear friends went to dinner at "Ditch Plains" on the Upper West Side. I was incredibly spoiled. I looked around the room and thought of how much each person had influenced me in the last few years in New York. I remember when I first moved thinking that I would never have community like I've known down south. The folks at this bday table have thankfully proven me wrong. Some of these people have been friends since I came to New York and some are newer. Some are folks I call when I am crying. Some that make me laugh like crazy. Some that talk to me about Jesus. Some that help me throw really fun rooftop BBQs. Some that talk to me about my past. Some that dream with me about my future. I love each one of you people!!

I got 2 covers to my new iphone and several other special gifts. Bethany organized a special book for me where friends wrote 33 things they think of about me or memories with me. I read it on the plane the next day. What an amazing gift! I will point out that almost half of them used the word SASSY to describe me....hahaha!

Thanks so much, Bethany!!!

Looking over this 32nd year, I have to reiterate by saying I have unreal friends. This year has not been the easiest year for me but I've seriously had a wonderful year in the midst of some deep pain. A few things to remember: 

I ran my first half marathon in July in Queens . 

I also decorated my apartment which was long over due but really fun to pull together. Thanks, Perryn! 

A few other things to remember.....We threw a big 60th birthday party for my mom in September. Neil moved to Texas but just recently moved back...yeah!!  I went to a lot of concerts this year...Sugarland, NKOTBSB, Dave Matthews. I don't normally go to many concerts so that was fun. I also got to go home to North Carolina in August to spend time with my whole family and celebrate my grandfather's birthday.

We also started having a few BBQs on the rooftop where we incorporated some prayer & praise times. I hope to bring that back in the spring & summer.

While I was already 33 when I got on the plane, it has also been a great year thinking and planing for the first Redeemer Team to go to Cape Town.

I'm one blessed girl and I'm looking forward to all God is going to do this year. I keep saying this is my "Jesus Year" because He was 33 when He went to the cross.

November 13, 2010

32nd Birthday

Last year my fellowship group and several other friends spoiled me so much. The night before my birthday, we went to dinner at Almond in the Flatiron district. Also, my camera had broken and they all pitched in and gave me a new one! I was so surprised.

On my actual birthday, Bethany and Laryssa made me dinner and spent time just hanging out. It was a difficult day for me but my dear friends made is super special and memorable.


A lot has happened the last year or so. Jeff and Jenn got married in August 2010. Lisa Brown married Clint Eubanks. Maggie Dahlin married Mike Paulus. Ashley Lovell married Dominic Bagley. I went to Atlanta twice to work with Perimeter church on Children's Ministry stuff. I know so much more happened but it has been a challenging yet good year.

My verse this year is Psalm 116:7-9:

 Return to your rest, my soul, 

   for the LORD has been good to you.

 ⁸ For you, LORD, have delivered me from death, 

   my eyes from tears, 

   my feet from stumbling, 

⁹ that I may walk before the LORD 

   in the land of the living.

November 13, 2009

31st Birthday

This was an incredible birthday. Sandi & Bill sweetly had a small gathering for me at their apartment. It was really low key but just what I wanted to do. The cake was unbelievable.

On my actual 31st birthday, Ben took me to one of my favorite French restaurants in the village. Tartine. YOU.SHOULD.GO!! Get the spicy chicken & guacamole...YUM! This was an amazing night I'll probably never forget...even though it was rainy. After spicy chicken and curry clams (you can take the boy out of India but not India out of the boy), I had promised Ben he would get to taste a real donut. A Krispy Kreme donut when the hot now sign was on. So we headed to Penn Station to share some. 

Also, I made this California boy dress like a real New Yorker. He pulled it off pretty well.

Tartine is just behind us.

Crystal came a few weeks later to celebrate Thanksgiving in the city. Then, two weeks after that she married Bradley!! Big year!

November 13, 2008

30th Birthday

This was a MASSIVE birthday for me. Yes, it was the big 3-0 but it was also my first birthday in New York. I was spoiled beyond belief for this birthday.

• Kristin Greenslit (my roommate at the time) got me the day off of work.
• KG created a day where I could pretend I was French all day.
• KG collected money from friends to treat me to an amazing few days.
• KG made me french toast for breakfast!
• KG took me a European spa for massages and other interesting treatments (full.body.scrub).
• We met some friends for dinner at Nice Matin (FRENCH!).
• We saw a French Opera at Alliance Francaise.

At the French Opera with Kristin

• I woke up Friday morning and lounged around. The buzzer goes off. I thought Kristin had ordered coffee from Columbus Gourmet. BUT, Laryssa had come to NY to surprise me!
• We went to Pio Pio (one of my fave restaurants in the city for dinner). Then we decided to "stop by Bethany's" but little did I know they were throwing me a surprise party with friends from the Cate's fellowship group.



Jeff & I have November bdays two weeks apart & of course have to go under the table. I joked with Jeff that we both were turning 25 ;).

• Saturday night a whole group of us went to The Garage in the village for dinner and live Jazz.

With Lisa & Laryssa at The Garage (Josh, Bethany, Kristin & Johnny also came)

Lily & I also share November birthdays :). This was about 2 weeks after turning 30.

November 13, 2007

29th Birthday

I don't really remember what I did to celebrate this particular birthday. I was still living in my house in the university area. I was working for Campus Outreach. I was considering what would be coming next after my time on staff with Campus Outreach. I'll include a few excerpts from my journal from entries around the time of this birthday.

• Nov. 5, 2007 "I have dreams & desires but feel sad about what I'm leaving. Writing that seems to make it more clear that I'm thinking more about moving on than staying. I'm pretty sure that if there was a job offer in NYC, I would take it. Lord, thank you for dreams, for giving me hope. Give me direction & provide for all the little details that can weigh  on my heart. I can boldly & honestly say that I've never been this scared in my life. I feel completely alone. I keep hoping God will just give me clear direction."

About three weeks before my 29th birthday.
Michele & Keith's wedding

• Nov. 8, 2007 "Have Tracy call me today. Help me be patient about NYC. Give me an offer to fully consider. You are so good to me. Move quickly, Lord. I love you I feel so honored to be your daughter."

A few weeks after my 29th bday
Last Campus Outreach Staff Picture

• Nov. 12, 2007 "Jesus, you are with me. Do it again. Give me a team like this again. Provide for me. You know where you want me. I don't. Show me clearly. I want to be obedient. Give me ears to hear your voice. I so terribly want to be married but not at the cost of laboring, seeing the world, living in a place of enrichment. Lord, I feel very scared but also so excited about what you are doing in me & through me. Move in me."

Three days before my 29th bday
Crystal Laws Eagles' wedding

• Dec. 3, 2007 "God, will you use my life over & over again in the lives of women? Now the honor of standing in gap for women that don't know you or know little about you. I want this more than anything. Don't let me forget this. You are what I need. You do satisfy even when I think I need other things. Show me again that you will meet my needs. I love you but I'm scared." Ezekiel 22:30

November 13, 2006

28th Birthday

This is directly from my journal as I wrote it. I'm being pretty open and vulnerable!!

As I was waking up this morning I was thinking about the last year of my life. I thought I'd list some things that happened while I was 27.

• Met Kristina Bergan and she became a Christian
• New roommates from Kali, Patricia, Natasha to Mary Beth, Heidi, Ashley
• Adriana moved to Virginia with COVE team (Radford Campus)
• Kristin & Sam got pregnant and just had little Lily 2 weeks ago :)
• I got my new white Honda Accord 2002 and Carrie Henson named her LaFonda
• Jeff finished college at UNCC
• Deddy started a new job and left Tidewater
• Papal got a new car
• Bacon died
• I lived in the Dirty South with Megan Long for the summer
• Went to Paris in April '06 to visit Renee & Tiffany....so awesome
• Friends got married (Clint & Rachel, Drew & Katie, Ashlee & Barrett, Patrica & Alex, Heather & Tyler)
• CB moved
• Laryssa came back from Vienna
• Took a class with staff team on Sanctification
• Carley was diagnosed with breast cancer and went through treatment
• Bradley started working for a driving company
• Amy Crook & Emily Reynolds came on staff
• Been in my house for 2 years
• Fiona died (neighbor's dog)

Written a few weeks before turning 28:

"As I think about turning 28 next month I have so much anxiety. It is now very strange to still be single at this age. Up until 26 it was still so normal. My friends are having children. Their children will babysit mine at this rate. I'm not feeling intense emotion around this at the moment but I do regularly, very regularly. The fear is overwhelming. Like today I am okay but it doesn't take much for me to plummet downward into a very low place. I feel like I am disappointing my family and those around me because I haven't "achieved" marriage. Ultimately I feel it is my fault and there is something I should be doing to change my situation. I feel like I haven't been given a choice about singleness. It's been given to me, decided for me."

"Your head may never on this earth wear a veil, but one day it shall wear a crown." Reworded quote from Spurgeon 

November 13, 2005

27th Birthday

Three months before turning 27

So as I recap the last few birthdays to start this birthday blog I have been rereading several journal entries. I've always kept journals. At least on and off. Time to time. As the emotion, day, circumstance call for it. I have stacks & boxes of them dating back to when I was 15. I process alone. Me & my journal. Me & Jesus & my journal.


According to my journal from 2005, the week I turned 27 I was writing about Psalm 145:13-19 that I was looking at with my sweet artsy friend, Tiffany Skidmore.

My thoughts are recorded like this in my journal:

• everlasting, endures through all generations
• loving toward all He has made
• bowed down: broken, down & out
• provider
• eye of all
• opening hand: releasing
• every living thing: satisfied
• The Lord is near!
• Hears their cry
• 1 Sam 10:19 Rejected your God

I don't remember what I did the day I turned 27 but I do remember that it was hard for me. Twenty-seven was sort of my 30. I remember telling a friend that by the time you are 27 you are lumped into your 'late twenties' and even on forms you fill out, the category puts you in the 27-30 column. So for me 27 felt like the new 30. Which writing this retroactively is working in my favor because I know now turning 30 was pretty awesome...stayed turned for that entry.

Four months after turning 27

I also remember some time during my 27th year having a tearful conversation laying in my king size bed downstairs in my room in my house in Charlotte. It was something like..."Jesus, I want to be married. I've told you a lot. A whole lot. Though painful I have concluded that I won't marry unless the man is madly in love with you, a soldier, a man after your heart. A man of the Word. You know my list but I'm submitted to your will even if that includes singleness and waiting for this sort of man. I am yours & you are mine."  This is a moment I point back to for myself and others as a time of consecration in my walk with Jesus. It is a personal ebenezer moment to remind me of what my priorities are, who my first love is and where my heart is.


The circumstances of my life at 27 included living in my house in Charlotte near UNCC with Patricia, Kali and Adriana had just moved out to go raise support to start Campus Outreach in Virginia.  I was the Women's Coordinator at UNCC. Jeff was in school at UNCC & to his chagrin leading worship weekly for lots of college students. I was discipling the TaTa's (Ashley, Megs, Renee, Crystal, Tiffany, Mary Beth & Heidi). It was a sweet time in ministry at UNCC.