mobile like the wind

Do you ever ask God for like, the smallest stupid little things, like deep in your heart? And although it feels kind of childish that you ask the Creator for like, green lights on the way to work, or a good parking spot at the movie theatre, when it happens, you just know how much He cares? Like when I used to live at surfing the nations, we would get boxes of food for our apartments every Thursday from the Hawaii foodbank and I would always be asking God, “please Lord, let there be non rotten vegetables today..” And then when it came, and all my roomates are stoked, I would smile deep inside knowing, I asked, and it came. And my heavenly father is so rad that he cares about me having fresh veggies. I love that feeling.
Well, about a week ago I was driving in my car, I remember I was going over the Destin bridge, and I kind of prayed, “Father, I would really love to have a new journal.” Super quietly, it wasnt like something I was gonna cry over if I didnt get it. But in my heart I really wanted a new journal. I had lost my old one. And I even pictured it.. could it please be something with brown leather, gold pages. I desired for something beautiful to write about the beautiful things God was doing in my life, thats why I like to journal.
So Tuesday, the day I left for Hawaii, I had to take my swedish sister Asa to the airport at 4 am. Super early. We woke up and got packed and drove to Pensicola. After that I met with a friend for breakfast and then drove back to Destin. Well when I got upstairs I saw it.. on my bed. Brown leather, gold pages, and jeremiah 29:11 carved in the front- “For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you not to harm you, to give you a future and a hope.” I starting bawling. It wasnt really the journal, but the love and care of my heavenly father, that he cares about the small things. How he knows us so well. Skyler came in my room and saw me just holding the journal and bawling, probably thinking I was the weirdest person ever, but to me that had meant so much.

So yesterday I arrived and I christened that journal with its first entry last night. I’m staying with my friend Samia, who is also a missionary in Bali. Our lives have kind of crossed paths alot. I met her in 2007 at my first visit to surfing the nations. Saw her again in Bali in 2009 and stayed with her at the Bali Surf House where she works. And as I was planning to come back to Hawaii on my way to Bali, she had happened to write me telling me she was staying on the north shore for the winter surf season. Turns out she had a mattress on the floor, and me needing a home base, it worked out perfectly. And when I say she’s staying on the north shore, I mean literally, we share a fence with the volcom pipe house, and it is steps from the beach. What a blessing to me! I got to meet up with the old surfing the nations crew yesterday and even paid a visit to my old stomping grounds in Wahiawa. We sat around in my old apartment, talking story and baking brownies. It was awesome, but kind of weird not to see my things hanging in the closet and my dirty, and usually unmade bed in the corner of the room. There is also a comfort in moving on to your next chapter in life but also looking back at where you came from. Although my times at surfing the nations were amazing, fun filled, and taught me so much, I know I am right where I am supposed to be. And when I miss coming back to my apartment in Wahiawa, getting in my old toyota camery to go surf kaisers, or hanging out with the homeless kids on the west side, I remind myself to look at the future, and how good God is, that I have an opportunity not alot of people get to have. To do what I love and be where I love to be.

My church has played a big part in this. I cannot tell you how much it means this past Sunday to feel the support, the smiles and excitement my church had for me as I was saying goodbye. All these small things, like countless hugs from the church members, to the small leather journal, and the sound of the waves breaking at pipeline while I sit on the couch in this house, has reminded me of our fathers care for us, and what a joy it is to be following your dreams with Him supporting you all the way.

Lots of love and aloha from Oahu. <3