Jesus didn't come to take AWAY our suffering but rather to bring MEANING to our suffering...

A year ago today I would have argued with you ~ today I blog before you a changed mind. (For quite some time it’s been a rocky road… hahaha that’s a flavor of ice cream! I’m not 100% to where I once was but I think it’s safe to say I’m heading there again) I have suffered plenty in my life of 27 years. For some my suffering only scratches the surface for others it’s a lifetime of suffering. For those of you who know my detail for detail life story consider yourself enlightened and informed but you don’t need my life story to appreciate the importance of this sentence. You have your own suffering or that of a loved one to know the depth of it whether you believe in Jesus, Buddha, Muhammad, Gandhi, the Dali Lama, God, Religion, or Spirituality at all, you must believe in something and whatever that something is you can apply this application to it. I believe that in my heart of hearts. Anyway I really didn’t intend this to be a soap box entry so I will get off here and proceed with my reason for this blog.

I met the most amazing man on a day that is so amazingly depressing to me. It was a blessing in the making but I didn’t know it at the time… I didn’t know it as I was driving to the airport to pick up the motivational speaker who was to speak at our Leadership Banquet to be held the next night at our University. But the moment I locked eyes with this stranger I knew things would be different. I didn’t know what it was in that moment but somehow I let myself open to it and I’m so glad I did because I’ve been changed for the better if in some small or huge way I know it’s there and I will live it every day as a testimony to my new friend, Johnnie Tuitel. I can’t speak for him but you can’t say that he hasn’t suffered in life. But he has the most amazing outlook and approach to life it’s utterly amazing and refreshing. He really did just reach into my heart and change me for the better. I will forever be grateful for my time spent with Johnnie. It was an amazing two days and Johnnie I think from now on I will always go out on the ice because life is just too short not to. Thank you for teaching me that!

Suffering is a part of every single one of our lives and if we are patient and learn, listen and apply our suffering in all that it means in our individual lives it leads to bigger, better, and amazing things. This I have come to believe in the last week has happened for me. I am more than excited for Australia to happen. Most everyone I know is very excited for me, few to none are jealous or resentful and fewer still are unsupportive. This I find very refreshing and amazing within itself. I got to thinking about the nature of why that is and I’ve come to realize that this really is the right time, the right place and the right reasons. This is for me and I am blessed that I get to share this with my good friend Danielle. We didn’t get our grants and although that’s sad and disappointing it’s not the end of the world or devastating as some would believe. It just means this will now be a real adventure and the security of a cush bank account won’t be at our finger tips but what is money anyway! Haha Everything else has lined up perfectly and that’s just amazing. It’s very interesting to me that with two very different paths that this would work out we started this thinking hey if it works out we would do it and besides the grants (which again would have only been just bonus) there have been NO glitches. We both have degree’s (oh yes, for all of you nonbelievers out there you do have to have an education to be a ranch hand… so don’t think you can go dropping out of school and skipping the country haha) Visa’s checked out, talking with the corporation we are working with EVERYTHING has just been amazingly on point. I feel good about this and it brings me comfort to know that both of our efforts have brought this amazing thing into our lives. I am excited to see what doors open and what life’s hurtles will unfold for us as we venture into this new world of unknowns and new adventures.

I'm no fortune teller nor do I know the answers to ANYTHING for sure! But I do believe that all my suffering has led me to this new chapter in my life. For that reason alone I am grateful I survived because I am ready to see what comes ahead. The world is my skating rink!