It all started with a toaster

"I have found the one whom my soul loves."
-Song of Solomon 3:4
Yes, this ones about you babe!
Growing up and becoming an adult is scary but when you have your best friend by your side, it's not  necessarily easier but sweeter.
I prayed for Eric to come into my life long before I met him. My heart was bruised from the only other serious relationship I had before him and I was anxious to move past that and meet the man I could call my husband.
As we all know (and I'm clearly a firm believer), everything happens in Gods time and not our own. How everything happened between Eric and I was and still is fate. Gods gentle hands have been all over our relationship from the beginning!
Rewind to  February 20, 2011. Another Valentines Day had past and I was more bitter about love then the year before. I had spent some time with friends that weekend at Cherry Point Air Station with no intentions of wanting to meet anyone, especially a Marine.
I was actually getting ready to leave and go back home when I saw a white Ford Ranger roll up to the barracks and a very tall man in uniform get out and slam his truck door. My friend turns to me and tells me that was the guy she wanted to introduce to me. I told her forget it, he seems goofy. Next thing you know, Eric is throwing a toaster over the balcony of his barracks all because his roommate made him fail room inspection. Not only did he spark my interest then for some reason but I also wanted the toaster, ha!
A few moments later, we met! One sushi date and a week later, he finally asked for my number. I guess you can say we started dating immediately. The next weekend he took me down to SC where I met his family and the rest is history! We spent every single moment we had together. We would sit in the walmart parking lot for hours just talking. We would take turns driving that hour and a half drive to see each other every day until I finally moved closer to be with him.
On my 21st birthday (3 months later) we were riding in that same truck when he asked (more  like declared) me to marry him. After asking my parents permission, we set the date for August 12th but the Marine Corps decided 24 hour duty was more important so we set it for August 19, 2011.
Three years and two months later and I still get butterflies when I know my husband is on the way home from work. Anytime I look at him, it's like I see him for the first time. I still remember what it was like the first time he kissed me, told me he loved me, or sang to me in his truck.
Our relationship has been the biggest growing experience in my life. God used Eric to save me and mend the bruises that surrounded my heart. He showed me what love really was when I needed it the most. He is my biggest blessing and without him, I wouldn't be a mother to the most beautiful baby girl.
He's my best friend, my soulmate, my teammate, my tickle fighter, my hard worker, my honest critic, my spiritual mentor and the best daddy I could've ever asked him to be. After all we've been through, I know that we were meant to do life together. I couldn't be more proud of the man and father he's been becoming.
If you're looking for love, stop. God will bring a partner to you at the exact right time. It'll be worth the wait and, like me, you'll look back one day at the times you were at your loneliest and just be
even more thankful for the person by your side. Love is out there, just keep praying!
As always, I'm here to pray with or for you about anything! aljanson819@gmail.com.
Much love!

His plans>my plans

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares The Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." -Jeremiah 29:11

Wow! Before I start let me just say that this is one of my favorite bible verses. I have a horrible time memorizing scripture but for some reason this one has no problem sticking in my mind permantely. And for good reason!
My whole life has been nothing but following a plan (whether I knew it or not) that God has had designed for me long before I even came to this earth. Plans that, at the time, I didn't always agree with and it wasn't till years later I saw how important every step was that I took to get me to the place I'm in now.
 For example:
Anyone that knows me well knows how passionate I am about music. I spent my entire school career preparing for the big world to make it as a broadway star. I trained, practiced and worked my way into a very prestigious musical theatre school called the American Musical and Dramatic Academy (a.k.a. AMDA) in Manhattan. I remember receiving my acceptance letter and feeling on top of the world and so excited to finally be starting my journey to my dream. Nothing could have possibly stopped me right?!
Wrong.
When it was time for me to go to AMDA in October 2008, I went with baggage. At this point it doesn't matter what that baggage consisted of, but I spent my first semester at my dream school missing what I left behind in my hometown instead of taking advantage of all the city and AMDA had to offer me. This led to me dropping out after my first semester and then eventually leaving NYC altogether and moving back home.
I abandoned my school, my life in the city but most importantly, I abandoned my dream over something so silly. Does this make me sad to think about what I threw away? Absolutely. Regrets? No way.
His plan overruled the one that I had for my life.
It's all lead me to where I am now. It has all been part of Gods plan for me. He knew everything was going to happen exactly the way it did. He knew the trials and heartache I would soon face that year and summer of 2009 would bring me to North Carolina where I met and married the love of my life. The pain of not being able to conceive for two years was all part of His plan when we finally were able to get pregnant and had our beautiful daughter. He has always come through and why wouldn't He?! My God is an amazing God.
Trials and seasons are a way to build us up; make us stronger.
It's not easy but I am learning to trust my life into Gods hands more and more. That He wants ONLY good things for my life. And that I need to let go and let His plan for me continuously fall into place.
I am so thankful for where I am now and as for my passion? He will bring me back to it when the time is right. Lately I've been feeling that He is about to bring me into a new season and I've been wanting to get back into my music more and more. So I decided to try out for my church's worship band! Whether it happens or not, it felt great just to have that sensation of auditioning for something again. It lit a spark in my heart again, just like He knew it would.
I'll give y'all an opportunity to hear it yourself in today's post!
If you're struggling with confusion, fear or even anger as to where you are in your life now, remember to trust! Trust that the God who gave you life, wants nothing more then to see you happy and successful. Put your faith in His plan.
As always my email is always available and so am I at aljanson819@gmail.com. I'll always pray with or for you and would love to hear of how God is working in your life! Hope you are all having a great start to the week.
Much love!


Here is the link to my audition video. Thank you much for reading watching!
Audition Song