San Diego Arrival

I made it!! Sean and I took a road trip from Monday to Thursday from Toronto to San Diego, and it was a really special time. We had a lot of fun, chatted, listened to music, listened to some sermons, admired State after State and God's incredible sense of variety and creativity, but most of all His awesome ability to make so much beauty. We even stopped in Las Vegas, and were able to

appreciate God's mercy and grace in such a place....not to mention all the unbelievable hotels!

We drove our cute new Honda Fit into Solana Beach, CA, to my new Studio, and met my landlady and was given the keys on Thursday evening. It was wonderful to have Sean with me to unpack and set up my place and have memories of us in this temporary home before he flew back for the weekend. There were lots of tears, but we have been chatting a lot on Skype and using our calling card, so we are optimistic about the communication opportunities we will have. Here are a couple of pictures of the house where I am living - I have my own entrance and am completely separate from the rest of the house....but the house is ADORABLE! Check out the fountain beside my door!!

My friend Andrea and her family have been so great hanging out with me and offering support in such practical and emotional ways...I am so grateful to have them so close by. And this morning I was able to go to church with them at Solana Beach Presbyterian Church, where I used to attend when I lived in California years ago. How fun that they were wrapping up their summer series on Phillipians, just as we are doing at TMH!! God really spoke to me in Phillipians 4: 8,9 when Paul reminded us to be about what is true, noble, right (just), pure, lovely (loving), admirable, excellent and praiseworthy and about not just studying it but putting it into practice. The message was of such value as I am leaping into a year full of unknowns and all kinds of great opportunities to live out my faith as an example to the strangers whom I will soon come to know so well. My prayer is that I intentionally focus on these standards set by Jesus and strive to live them out as He did....I'll fall short, but I'll aim for perfection.

With that encouragement from God this morning, I set up my Studio so it felt more like home and then set out this evening to a "meet and greet" with my fellow MSRE students.....I was praying while I was there visiting and meeting people, that they would see something different about me and be my accountability this year as they learn about my passion for Jesus and then watch closely to see how that sets me apart from those who don't know Him. I prayed for a loving, open heart towards the people around me, and for reminders that this program is only part of my purpose here....God's full plan is yet to be revealed and I need to stand fast and be ready.

Class starts tomorrow, so please be praying for me and my class, that we will learn from this program, but also from one another, and about more than just Real Estate.