Going into my 5th Year in AR

        I can't believe I am going on my 5th year here in AR. This entry is late because my move in date was the 5th of August. I have no idea what the 5th year holds for me because everything is up in the air right now but I can't wait to find out. I never thought I would make it this long here in AR but God wanted me here for this long so here I am. Five years on the 5th of August. Strange, huh?
       This past year has been nothing but really challenging for me. It seems like I say that in every entry I write about my year in AR but I think this one tops them all. I've had some tough descions to be made and I was let down a lot in this past year. Yet everything has made me a bit stronger. I don't even know where to start because a lot has been going on. I know this month is hopefully my last month that I spent living in the apartment that I have been in since I have moved to AR. I am, hopefully, moving into a cheaper one since the rent of this one seems to keep going up and my career doesn't pay that much.
        I will be out by the end of August and hopefully in a new one that is in Rogers, AR, which is just down the road from me, really. That is the adventure that I have this year and maybe a new career in the future. That is one change for me that I like that is happening. Another change that I liked is that I gave my life over to Christ again because I really understand what it is like to have a relationship with Christ now and I want to be closer to Him then ever. I notice how much more I need just Him then the humans around me. They can let me down at times but Christ never does.
        I have had some great Bible studies too that has helped me grow a lot this past year. I found a new community group that I am apart of now and I like it because it talks about the books of the Bible and sermons from Saturdays in a deep way. I also got done with a Bible study called, "The Armor of God" by Priscilla Shirer. I also did a Beth Moore Bible study and it was called, "Breaking Free" and it was in the Fall (last). I also started a Bible study where we went through a study called, "Me, Myself, and Lies" by Jennifer Rothschild but didn't finish it because I found another community group that I fitted into well.
        I added something else to my walk with Christ and that was going to the Joppa House of Prayer with a friend of mine. I started going in January and in a way it is relaxing. I can get my quite time in and some writing time in also. It is a way I can get away from my house and just relax for a bit. I will admit I have met some people that that I was surprised to meet but none the less it is pretty calming. In a way, also, it helps me see things in a different point of view.
         I also had a lot of changes in this year and learning new things like who I really am. Of course, I got a new job last September and with that job came a lot of changes. I started out as an assistant teacher for the infant room. Then in January (2016) they moved to the toddler's room as a lead teacher. I liked it because I had the infants that I started out with but they were all 2 by then. Through that change, I have learned a lot about myself and who I was meant to be and also what I really like and don't like. I had to go through a lot of changes when I became the lead teacher. I love the older twos a lot but the just turning one group can be a lot of work and a lot of memorization for me, which I have now.        
         I had to remember their feeding times, what they ate and when, how to put them to sleep, and certain times for other certain things. When the children change, the parents to do so that can make a huge difference too. You have to learn what the parents want and what their personalities are like again. I was fine with all of this change when it happened slowly but then the end of the school year came and everything happened so fast without knowing anything. I would have two or three new infants come into my room and I would have to know their times for certain things right off the bat.
        Not only did I have the children change, I would also have the assistant teachers change every 3 months it seemed like and I would have to repeat myself over and over again. I would always forget something that I was suppose to tell them but not on purpose. I could just never remember what I told  and when I told them. I found an easy way to fix that and that was to just right everything down and hang it up on the inside of the doors. That way if I forgot something then they could look inside the doors and find it. I learned how hard a lead teacher has to work and it is not all about just having fun with the children but it is about running a classroom, helping the assistant teachers out, and making sure the children are safe too. There is sure a lot of things for a lead teacher to do and remember.
        Just like every year I had some bad things happen too but they also help me grow in my maturity. There is always purpose for the hand things that happen in life. Things like losing friends because they just need a break from you or they move to another state. I have had 2 friends move to other states. One even got married and moved to another state so there is two changes right that but I am happy for her. Just miss her a lot right now. I lost connection with another friend earlier this year but I have been able to talk to her again, which is always good.
        Then there are times that guys are totally out of your life because you need to focus on God and yourself. That can be hard at times too.  It is just that feeling that women need guys around them all the time but really that is our flesh telling us that. Who we really need us around and with us all the time is God. He is the Only Guy we need with us.
        Then there are moments where you have people call out places that you need to grow in like your leadership or communication or remembering. While, those things hurt while they are called out, they could still be good for you in the long run. It should only make you stronger. Then there have been a lot of fights with the devil that I feel I got through with God's help pretty good. I understand some of those, really most of those, places but it is still hard. Then there are moments that you learn what you are capable of and incapable of. God is just teaching you who He made you to be. It can be hard at times but in the long run it is worth it.
          My 5th year isn't starting out the easiest right now but then again I wouldn't have any room to grow again if it started out easy. I feel like God is really preparing me for something big this year. We'll just have to wait and see what it is. The part that I am worst at. He is also working on my patience if you can't tell in this entry. :)