Weeping Forward

The name of this post is from Day 3 of Kelly Minter's Ruth bible study, and I think it's a little relevant at this point of my life. (Check it out!)

This particular devotion talks about how Naomi, Orpah and Ruth wept as they were leaving Moab. They were heartbroken. But Naomi and Ruth wept forward. Mourned but continued on to the next part of their lives. Sometimes moving forward isn't easy, but obedience to God's plan is key. 

Although I'm not weeping, this is a period of good-bye in my life... and a period of hellos. 

This past Wednesday night I was feeling a little down. I told Derrick, "nothing's wrong, I'm just feeling a little melancholy..." He smiled that I used the word "melancholy" and then asked if I was just tired of saying goodbye. I hadn't thought of that. But maybe that was it. 

It's the end of the year at Campbell. A time of much free food and festivities. And, this year, a time of big goodbyes. Thirteen of my student ambassadors are graduating. Many of them I have grown close to, and they have all blessed me. I have loved getting to know them, sharing in their lives, and celebrating with them. Three are particularly special to me, and I've been spending time recently with them - saying good bye. 

But after every graduation, we welcome a new class. A fresh group of students who have no idea in what ways their time at Campbell will change them. And, after every leaving ambassador, I invite new students to become a part of the program. I get to know them, am amazed at their dedication and spirit, and get to share in a portion of their lives. 

Tomorrow is our last Sunday at Relationship. Wednesday night we went to our last Life Group. And I'm not good at saying goodbye. I don't want to risk crying. I don't want to make a big deal of it. But we've poured our lives into RC and been poured into for the past year and a half. These people have become our dearest friends and church family. And it's definitely going to be different. 

But Thursday night we had dinner with some new friends from Hope. Derrick is quickly making friends with his coworkers and getting plugged in, and I'm excited to do the same. On one hand, I'm sad to be saying "goodbye" to one church and one friend-group, but I'm excited to be saying "hello" to new friends, a new church family, a new adventure. I'm excited to see what's ahead on the path. 

So sometimes life might make you sad. Moving forward may break your heart. But it's okay. Weep forward. 

Her husband is respected...

My husband is a super cool person. 

He's the best best friend. My partner in life. My rock. 

He is someone I respect and am proud of. 

And we've had quite a journey together...

When we met, he wanted to be a PR consultant. For those who don't know him extremely well, that might seem like a stretch, as he's a little more laid back than outgoing. 

I remember when he fell in love with video. It was the same semester he fell in love with me. We took a video production class together because, eh, it seemed like it wouldn't be too bad...And everything changed.

And we began this crazy-beautiful journey. I grasped his hand, and we started down the path. And it's been amazing so far. Sometimes bumpy. Sometimes dark - with God only allowing us to see the very next step. But I'm Derrick's shotgun rider - with my feet up on the dashboard (which he hates) and music playing in the background. 

Our first video production had us as the stars in this suspenseful, romantic, doesn't-actually-make-sense movie trailer. Next thing I know, Derrick was researching the heck out of video equipment.

Then he interned doing a video for Campbell's campus ministries, and his eye for video was evident. Before we knew it, he was getting all of the behind-the-scenes details and experience of this crazy industry, as he began working for the youtube sensations - Rhett & Link. In fact, I started this blog while he was gone on his first out-of-town video shoot and wrote about his positive attitude about the hard journey ahead - check it out. 

Three months into our engagement, R & L let us know that they'd be moving to California. That began the hardest period of Derrick's job-life so far. Months of applying for dozens upon dozens of job. No responses resulted in us getting married at a point when Derrick didn't yet have a job. That required a lot of faith, patience, and budgeting. I remember how hard it was for me to go to work while he was at home, and how devastating it was for him to apply to job after job without hearing back. People gave him a hard time a lot, but I am proud that he never gave up. 

A month and a half into our marriage, Derrick finally took a job at HHGregg. I was so proud of him. He rocked that job. We celebrated every little commission-based check he brought home. Some nights he would do well. Some nights he would come home dejected after selling nothing. I remember sitting at home alone at 10 p.m. at night, wondering if how he was doing. We were thankful he had something. It was hard being in that situation as newlyweds. But it was a huge blessing going through it together.

Then, one day, Derrick got turned around trying to find a wrong address I had given him. When he went to turn around, in a parking lot behind Ruby Tuesday, he saw a sign for Amazing Videos. On a whim, he looked them up - and figured that it wouldn't hurt...he emailed the owner - and a few weeks later, he started working there, soon moving up to Media Director. His time there has been a huge blessing - as he's gotten to know some pretty cool people and work on amazing projects. 

Last October, he stumbled across a job at a pretty well-known video studio in Raleigh. He applied and, out of the other hundred or so applications, he got the job. It was awesome. I was so proud of him. But neither of us felt right about it. We didn't feel at peace. So - out of complete faith - he turned it down. 

Today, Derrick starts a new job in video ministry
 (that we didn't even know we should be dreaming about). 

And I'm just as proud of him as I was the day he started working at HHGregg. 

But - wow - I am so happy for him, and I love marveling in God's amazing plan. Because he's worked so hard for it. We've been praying for it. He's been preparing for it, learning for it, ready for it. 

Derrick Green is the coolest person I know. And I'm so proud of him. I love being his partner.  

No matter what the future holds, it's my hand in his on the path God's paving. 

Hijacked Miracles: Part 2

Now it was a waiting game for Derrick and me. Lots of prayer, excitement, and anticipation. Having to keep it between the two of us until we heard something. While we waited, I was reminded of God-things leading up to this point. 

In January of last year, we moved from Hilltop to Relationship and, before we knew it, we were plugged in, serving, and surrounded by a new church family. I was baptized at Relationship. Friends and family began coming with us. And Derrick was soon involved with the video ministry, while I was leading our First Impressions team. 

In the fall of last year, Derrick had been offered a job at a large video studio in Raleigh. The job would have been a step above where he was, but we felt like he needed to stay in his current job. That God had other plans for us. We didn't feel at peace about Centerline, though we couldn't quite put our finger on why. And Derrick enjoyed and was blessed in his current job. So we waited.  

For the past few months, Derrick has been exploring long-term dreams of getting into video ministry, although we didn't exactly know what that would look like for us. Did that mean he should start his own business? Focus more on video at RC? We talked through all the options, did research, explored the possibilities, but weren't quite ready to take any next steps. 

So that's where we were when we got Allen's text message that morning.

 God has been preparing us. God has been working - but He had been keeping the end of the path dark. He had shown us one step at a time, preparing us in little ways...but still wanting to surprise us with the big-ness of His plan. 

So,at this point, it was obvious that this was a miracle. A story brimming with God-things. But the question was: Is this only Allen and Sara's God-thing or is it ours too? We certainly didn't want to hijack their miracle. 

We waited two weeks. We visited Hope with Allen and Sara. We prayed. I was excited, but skeptical. And also very aware that this new job would mean leaving our church family - which was definitely the hardest part of trying to wrap my mind around things. It's still the hardest part of trying to wrap my mind around things.

For two weeks, I had been praying "for us to hear something soon", "for God to guide and bless the decision-makers", "for them to let us know something soon". 

But on Monday, April 1, I wrote and prayed for "Hope to get in touch with Derrick tomorrow!" And that's what God did. Derrick got the email about an interview the very next day. (He, of course, said that I should have written tomorrow two weeks earlier). 

So Friday a week ago Derrick interviewed with Hope and loved his time there. And last Thursday he got the official job offer in the mail. We'll be starting this new adventure one week from tomorrow!

We're ready. Ready for a new journey. Ready to be used in new ways in a new place. Ready to celebrate the awesomeness of God. Ready to see what God has in store. 

I ask that you'll pray for Derrick in his new job and pray for both of us as we begin this new chapter in our lives. Our God is greater! His timing is perfect. 

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us!

Ephesians 3:20

Hijacked Miracles: Part 1

It was a Thursday morning, and I was in the kitchen getting our lunches ready when I heard Derrick's voice from the bedroom...

"Allen just texted to see what'd I'd think about working at Hope Community."

"It'd be fun to work with Allen!" I quickly said. Allen is one of our best friends. He and his wonderful wife Sara live half a mile from us, and we get together with them almost weekly. Allen's been working for the past six months or so in Hope Community Church's video ministry. 

We soon found out that the possibility wouldn't be for Derrick to work with Allen, it would be Derrick taking Allen's place. 

Last fall, around the same time that Derrick turned down a job at Centerline Media because we felt God had other plans for us, Allen had been applying to church video jobs. He applied to one at Newspring in South Carolina and one at Hope Community. The Newspring job didn't work out at that time, and Allen happily took his position at Hope. 

Time passed and a few weeks ago, Allen randomly felt led to email his contact at Newspring - "...keep me in mind if you ever have a job opening...". He was happy at Hope, but still had dreams of working in ministry at an even bigger church. Quickly, he heard back. They were hiring, and they had a position they felt Allen would be perfect for. 

That same week Allen and Sara made the trip down to Spartanburg, SC to visit the church. Allen interviewed, got the position, and they were pumped. By the end of the week - without even putting their home on the market yet - their house sold. Everything was falling into place perfectly and God's hand was more than obvious in the whole thing. 

So...now Allen and Sara are seeing God's plan unfold. A plan they never expected. And, when he went to let his boss at Hope know about this new opportunity, Allen handed in a single resume as his recommendation for someone to take his position...

Derrick's. 

Life abundant!

After months of trying to find a free weekend, Derrick and I finally took off this past Friday morning and headed to the beach.

It was wonderful. We watched four movies. Four. Movies. That's about three more than we've watched otherwise this year. We watched Wreck It Ralph. My favorite Disney movie ever. Plus, Men In Black 2 and Rush Hour 1 & 2. I stayed awake for 3/4 of them. 

We ate at two new restaurants. A backwoods bbq restaurant at Ocean Isle and a hidden little pub in Wilmington. Irish pubs are Derrick and my thing. One day we might make it to Ireland to visit the real deal.

We walked on the beach. Went to Wilmington. Slept in. Read the Easter story from Luke together. 

It was a wonderful time away. 

This morning at church, we rolled out new signs, a new runner, new guest bags - to make everyone feel welcome in celebration of Easter. I am constantly so amazed and thankful at the way our church family comes together to serve others and Jesus. They constantly bless me. 

After church, Derrick and I had our families over for Easter. It's a tradition we started last year - everyone will always come to our house for Easter. We ate spaghetti and cupcakes and Hershey bar cake. We had an Easter egg scavenger hunt. Played Cranium. Laughed a lot. Our families are so amazing, and we are blessed with them. 

Then Derrick and I ended the day going to an Easter service at Hope Community and out to eat with our dear friends Allen and Sara. 

Through it all, I couldn't help but thinking of how awesome it is to live life abundant. The reason Christ came. So that we didn't have to live in the bondage of sin and death, but could live in the joy of a life with Jesus Christ as our Savior and Friend. He died and rose again so that we may live. 

...the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ”

Best friends and birthdays!

This past week held a couple of big blessings...some I'll tell you about later, but two I'll mention now.

Derrick and I got to see some of our best and dearest friends - our Best Man and Matron of Honor - all in one week. This is rare. Very rare. 

See, Joel and Ashley live in Alabama. They moved there just a little while after Derrick and I began dating, but the distance hasn't hindered how much we love them. The minute I met Joel and Ashley, I instantly felt like I'd known them for years. We only get to see them 1-3 times a year...so it's a big deal when we do.

 Whitney and Aaron live in North Raleigh/Wake Forest. Whitney's been my best friend since 4th grade; we've literally grown up together and gone through everything together. We normally see them about once a month. 

But this week we met Aaron and Whitney for dinner in Raleigh. We tried a new restaurant at The Depot. A fancy Mexican restaurant with green salsa and steak tacos - anywhere that offers free chips and salsa is good with me. I love the random little adventures we go on with these two. 

And Joel and Ashley were in town for a concert with their Southern Gospel group - Justified. We went to the concert with our dear friends (and another groomsman) Allen and Sara. It was such a blessing to see Joel and Ashley do what they love and use their talent to worship Jesus. But, of course, the whole thing made me miss them even more. I've already listened to their CD three times. True story.

(Random interruption: Three years ago today - March 24 - I started my job at Campbell. One of the most life-changing, awesome days of my life! Can't believe it's been three years)

Now it's on to Derrick's birthday week!!! Woot! I'm so pumped to get to spend some time celebrating and loving on my wonderful hottie husband. 25 years ago tomorrow God blessed the world - and mostly me - with the handsome, hilarious Derrick Green. 

Birthday week = 

Monday night - celebration with Derrick's Dad

Tuesday night - celebration with Derrick's Mom 

Wednesday night - relax at home/celebrate with our church group

Thursday night - celebration with my parents

Friday and Saturday - beach trip for Derrick and Renee :) 

Sunday - Celebrate that Jesus overcame death to give us life! 

All of our family at our house for Green Easter :) 

My Best Friends' Weddings

Last Friday, I was blessed to be a bridesmaid as the 6th in our WCA group of girl friends married her man. Weddings make you reflect and dream, think back and look forward - and, I think, there are three things to note about each of these weddings and the memories and moments tucked away in my heart. 

The Memories

Tart-Taylor Wedding
From Olive Garden lunch to sleeping on the floor next to Whitney to blowing bubbles at the reception, Bethany's wedding was a time of new beginnings for all of us. A time of innocent excitement and naive uncertainty. It was the first, and it's traditional, down-home, country feel was a simple reflection of Bethany and Jeremy.

September 2009

Haight-Bauer Wedding

From tying bows, Hi 5 bonding with Chad and Kevin and Rascal Flatts with Amanda to a Walmart run and relaxing manicures and panara bread. From helping her into her dress, a prayer circle and peeking out the window to sweet time with friends under the twilight glow and a butterfly-filled stomach before my toast, Whitney's wedding was a time of fairy tale magic and whispers of happily ever after. It was a simple backyard wedding that felt like you had stepped into a Disney movie - a beautiful image of Aaron and Whitney's love for each other.

June 2010

Buker-Chiu Wedding
From a road trip to Ohio to a circle of prayer and murder mysteries. From meeting all new people to bonding in the bathroom, from magic wands and swords to falling asleep before midnight, from New Years to ever ever after, Jessi's wedding was a time of new places and new adventures and a childlike excitement and wide-eyed joy. The energy and spirit of the celebration reflected the joy and innocent sillyness that Jessi and Evan share with all.

January 2011

Hamilton-Shelley Wedding

From signed basketballs to beautiful hymns being sung in celebration. From popcorn and jewelry to dinner around a cocktail table and crowded photo booths, from a choreographed dance to a potato bar and beautiful cupcakes, Ashley's wedding was filled with tiny touches of the bride and groom everywhere you looked. The breathtaking, elegant spin on take-me-out-to-the-ballgame details, was the perfect representation of Ashley and Jordan. 

March 2011

Cruz-Sierra Wedding

From a sleepover in Charlotte to a circle of prayer in an open room in Raleigh, from Laotian food to Lebanese dessert, from Las Vegas to Puerto Rico, from Beauty and the Beast and Harry Potter to dancing the night away with a latin flare, from handwritten wedding vows and prayer to silly songs and inappropriate stories, Jessica's wedding was a time of nervous anticipation and beyond-elegant breathtaking execution, of thankful tears and excited triumph. Every elegant, rustic, vintage touch and passionate words of love for Jesus and the couple showed the heart of John and Jessica.

I am so thankful for the "photo album" of memories hidden in my heart from each of these special times. All different. All unique. All wonderful.

The People

I am constantly amazed at how weddings bring people together. People with a love for Jesus and a love for the dear couple. At each of these weddings, I met people I'd never met before - and over a week's timing, we bonded. This past week - during Jessica's wedding festivities - I truly feel like I made lifelong friends in just three days. It is beyond amazing, and it's sad when you have to say good-bye.

The memories, the behind-the-scenes moments, the chaotic cries, prayers, laughter, stories, and love that you share creates a bond and opens up a place in your heart for these sweet people who mean so much to your friend. Even if we never meet again, I will forever hold dear memories of the friends I've made in the short days surrounding each wedding.

The Moment

On each of these days, there's normally a moment. At Whitney's it was the moment we all stood in her backyard, under the glow of twinkle lights, and posed for a picture. It took me back to a story I had written in 10th grade about that exact scenario. At Jessica's wedding, it was as I stood up front, with Cari beside me, Jessica getting married, Whitney's sweet voice filling the air with song, and Carrie, Ashley, Bethany sitting together sweetly looking on, and Jessi sending her prayers miles away.

It's the moment I capture. The moment I memorize. The moment I realize that those 16-year-old daydream whispers, wonderings about our future...those 10-year-ago starry-eyed dreams were now coming true. The time we're in is the exact moment we had always dreamt of...and it's better than we could have ever imagined. How AWESOME is our GOD - to allow these eight innocent dreamers who were just yesterday only girls dreaming about and praying for their future husbands and laughing deep into the night, having no idea what the future would hold to still be friends, connected deep at the core.

"We’re all very happy and busy. We’ve all changed a lot, yet as we proved five years ago, we're all the same people that we’ve always been. We may not be able to get together as often as we would like but we’ve made tons of memories together, and memories are something to always cherish. Well, this story has ended, but our stories are still only beginning." - Excerpt from the book I wrote in 10th grade.