random nostalgic goodness

tonight, as i was writing a quick letter to a sister that i haven't talked to in forever, i decided to do a quick search in my email to make sure i have her name right. sr. gemma is pretty key to my transition from corporate life to missionary life because she was the Good Shepherd Sister that i randomly met at a fair trade craft fair in Redondo Beach, CA - back in like 2008! i remember my mom calling me one random day telling me to help her out at a fair that she was volunteering at, and so i agreed because it wasn't too far from where i was living in Santa Monica at the time.

turns out, i would meet Sr. Gemma, who i learned was currently living in Michigan (or Chicago, one of those!) and for some reason, i started pouring out some of my life story and desires to her. i remember telling her about my love for the philippines and how it is my dream to live there, and my heart is moved in the direction of women and children, in particular against human trafficking. but of course, i was still in sales/marketing, and so in a way, i felt stuck. just had to learn to be patient. she then shared with me that i should check out their community in quezon city when i visit the philippines next.

as it turns out, i would eventually be spending my easter that year in quezon city, and so, she hooked me up with the community over there. really amazing stuff.

some things never change...

love!

and now, flashback to tonight:

so i checked my email to make sure i got her name right, and this is an excerpt from a "thank you" email i found that i wrote her on April 28, 2009 (i was still working in sales/marketing in Los Angeles, CA at the time):

I am at a place right now where I am still discerning God's plans for me.  I love the Philippines with all my heart, and in a way, I am waiting for God to show me a light or present me with an opportunity to really make a move over there - whether that be next year, next month, who knows, but I am very much open and willing to move to the Philippines to do service work among my brothers and sisters over there.  It is so difficult to be here in California, when I know that my heart longs to be in the Philippines - spending time with the children and teens over there.

little did i know that God was moving in my life this entire time. pretty much a month later, i discovered Cabrini Mission Corps on May 27, 2009 - the same day that my best friend, Ryan, told me that he was going to be moving to NY - the same day I told him that I might be moving to NY...crazy!

i wrote a thank you letter to Gina, my director, for having a great (the word "great" does not do it justice!) initial conversation , and then a couple of hours later, turns out I followed up with this email:

Just wanted to let you know that I submitted my Preliminary Application online for opportunities with the Cabrini Mission Corps.

dang! clearly, i moved quickly on this one. haha, it just felt right! i still remember that day! it was one of my happiest drives to work! my "drive to work" playlist only added to that awesome experience. L)

And the next day? May 28, 2009 (exactly a month from the day that i wrote my email to Sr. Gemma), i started filling out the full application for Cabrini Mission Corps.

what? so awesome. and in fall 2010, God gave me my dream, but definitely in such an even greater way that i had ever imagined! i think it's what He had planned for me all along :)

...now in a classroom! :)

...he does love me. a lot!!

God is such a master-mind and such a good story-maker, life-maker, planner of goodness.

So many other good stories already happening, and looking forward to seeing how God will wow me next. but no expectations - i know it will just happen! :)

slowly and surely, the pieces eventually all come together. :) and the best part, is there is grace in it all!