WHEN I GET WHERE I'M GOING

This past weekend I was supposed to have been exploring Texas for the first time with my boyfriend. The week before that I had a flight booked to go to Seattle and visit my best friend that I only get to see twice a year. My roommate and I have been saving up for months to spend the entire first weekend of June sweating our butts off at CMA Fest and screaming every lyric with our favorite country artists to celebrate living in Nashville for a WHOLE year! And in one day, all those plans were canceled.

That's how we live our lives right? One "event on the calendar" to the next. We make all of these plans. Go to this concert, book this trip, sporting event next weekend, put off the laundry for tomorrow, the kids can have a play date some other time, today is just too busy. Que 2020 entrance. Kobe Bryant, lost in a helicopter crash. COVID-19 pandemic, shuts the country down for months. Natural disasters happening for the first time in centuries. My hometown is burning, one acre of land at a time. Let me tell you friends, tomorrow is a gift, and it is not promised. There is one thing you can not put off for another day because "it's just not the right time". That's your relationship with your Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

For years I have wanted to start a blog. I've felt like I have things that I wanted to share, but who would really care? Out of all the famous writers, celebrities and influencers, why would someone want to read my blog? Rewind back to the first of the year and I promised myself I would launch my website so I could finally share my thoughts with whoever was interested in reading about them- thinking it would probably just be my mom and a couple friends to be honest. And again, I didn't start the blog. "I didn't start on January first, so I need to wait for another significant date to put it out there". So Valentines day came (gag me with a spoon) and I couldn't make myself start something so important to me on a holiday I've grown to loath. If you know, you know. So here comes March and boy did I feel motivated to finally get this site up and going. My ideas came on strong and powerful. Like they were being placed on my heart, intentionally. So I did it. March 30th, 2020 I launched Wandering West and it felt like a a sack of potatoes was lifted off my shoulders and hit me in the gut at the same time. What will people think? Did I use my punctuation correctly?... probably not. Will anyone actually care about what's going on in my life?

That same month I started to get back into daily devotions, praying with intention and really trying to find a church home here in Nashville. After asking for suggestions on a devotion to start, I got an overwhelming response to start 100 Days to Brave. So far I have absolutely loved it. It challenges me, makes me put effort back into my relationship with God and is helping me get through situations in life. Last week my devotions "Bravery Challenge" was to ask God a question that you truly want an answer to. Boy did I get more than I bargained for. That night in my journal I simply asked God, after all this time, why was it so heavy on my heart to start my website in March? Nothing major, like why is the world going through a pandemic, or is this the end of times- at least I thought it was a simple question.

Driving home from my twelve hour shift on Tuesday I turned on a new song by Thomas Rhett and several other artists called Be A Light. If you haven't listened, now is the time! And as I'm listening to the lyrics, "In a place that needs change, make a difference. In a time full of noise, just listen". Y'all. I kid you not. I got goosebumps from head to toe, busted into tears and felt like God spoke to me for the first time in my life. I heard God say, "I need you to help be the change in your noisy world right now. Lead them back to me." As plain as day those words ran through my mind and I immediately knew that was God's answer to my question about starting my website so suddenly. So here I am, in tears again as I write this because I know God wants to use me, a sinner, that tends to wander off the path He has laid out for me, to reach you.

Friends, I want to help you find peace in this time of chaos. Feel surrounded by love while you're isolated. Help you invite God into your heart, to save your soul and welcome you into the Kingdom of Heaven. If you feel like God has been trying to reach you and you just haven't been ready. Now is your time. I have a simple prayer that I prayed in Vacation Bible School when I was a little girl, that brought Christ into my heart. It gives me peace in all my times of worry about the world around me, that whenever the time comes that the Lord is ready for me to come home, that I am welcomed into his Kingdom with open arms, hearing "Well done, my good and faithful servant".

If you are ready to ask God into your heart, pray this simple prayer:

Dear Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner, and I ask for your forgiveness. I believe You died on the cross to rescue me from sin and death and rose from the grave. I give myself to You Lord, I turn from my sins and invite You to come into my heart and life. I want to follow you as my Lord and Savior. Fill me with Your love, Your life and restore me Lord. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.

My hope is that even if this blog post only reaches one person, that it is the person God chose to speak to through me. You are all in my prayers as we navigate this difficult time in our lives together. 2020 will not defeat us!

xo, Kolbie