My 28th Birthday

There is only a few minutes left of my birthday and even though it is way past my bedtime I couldn't miss the opportunity to put my pen to paper and hold onto these sweet moments.  

For the first time in my adult life I am thrilled for what 28 will bring. I would describe this birthday as a moment in time where I feel comfortable in my own skin. I feel confident in who God is shaping and molding me to be and I'm ready for whatever adventures He has in store for me. (That includes a trip to Coleford, England in 31 days with my students from church!)

I have felt an overwhelming sense of love and grace from the people in my life. Not only in California but the amazing people and coworkers God has blessed me with here in Texas who have made this birthday one that I will remember for a very long time.

Today was one of those days you wish you could freeze frame and hold on to when life gets rough and your not sure what the next day will bring. But I know that the sweet presents, voicemails, texts and moments I had today will live on in my heart and in my memory.

Feeling very blessed by the people in my life - every single person who made this birthday special- you know who you are. Thank you for thinking of me, thank you for loving me, thank you for supporting me.


Fast forward 365 days and here's a quick thought for the me that will be closing in on the end of the decade called her twenties:

I truly hope you live this year with abandon - you love more, you give more, you hope more and you dream more. This life is truly yours for the taking and with God the sky is the limit. Don't be afraid to say what you feel, share with the people around you and love like you've never loved before. 

Continue to put God first and He will direct your path, remember that as you grow older you have the blessed opportunity to spend another day on this earth sharing the love and joy you have found in Christ. Don't be afraid to be the light- be who you are and everyone will love you for it. Don't take life too seriously because you never know what's around the corner that might derail the best of plans. Love your friends and family and extend grace whenever possible. 

But if you do nothing else in the next 365 days at least do this - LOVE those around you as much as you love yourself. The rest will fall into place. 

Blessings

It's hard to be sad or down or upset when you have too many things to be grateful for. So I made a list.

5 things tonight that I am grateful for:

1. The simple task of crawling into my bed at night - knowing that I am loved.

2. Knowing that the God of the universe has a plan for my life and know exactly what the future holds.

3. The ladies in my small group who challenge and grow me every week.

4. My sweet friend that sent me flowers today to kick off birthday month

5. My friends and family in California who despite the distance are still here for me everyday.

Doing life together

At first glance this picture to any passer by would be a simple glimpse of a group having dinner.

But to those of us in the picture it is so much more. This picture represents life, trust, family and friendships.

This world is crazy and full of chaos but on a Wednesday night for a small second the loudness of life quiets down. It's within those moments of quiet that we find the freedom and courage to be ourselves. To lay all of who we are on the table for those we trust to examine and help us grow.

Life is messy but done best with those you love. And on Wednesdays for a small moment of time God brings us together to listen and share and heal all the broken pieces. Everyone of us has a story, something to share, or something to say. And we get the blessed opportunity to gather around the table every week and do just that. Share, listen, laugh, pray and enjoy the blessings of this amazing thing we call small group.

England 2013

I feel blessed that since I've been in Texas God has provided me with the most amazing people to do life with at The Bridge Fellowship. Being a small group leader to a group of high schoolers has challenged me and my walk with God in ways I never thought possible.

And when I think my heart can't hold anymore joy or love, the opportunity of a lifetime presented itself. Lead a group of high school students on a mission trip to England to help share the love of Jesus Christ. I remember thinking me? You want me to help lead the next generation on a mission trip?

I love that when you think you aren't capable of doing something God equips you in ways you never thought possible. So here I am less then two months from the adventure of a lifetime - taking a group of high school students to share their story and the Gospel with our brothers and sisters in Coleford, England. We will stay in host homes and do life with them, the students will also participate in discussions in their classes about Christianity in America and what life looks like for us as believers.

Today I am asking for your support through finances and prayers. The total cost of the trip is $2800.00. As of today I have raised $1205.00 bringing my balance to $1595.00

You can give online:

https://public.serviceu.com/PaymentForm/11956/?OrgKey=2e86a7cc-3d0c-4d75-b382-297353d56465

You can mail a check to:

The Bridge Fellowship (note: “Marge Littleton-England")
802 Brooks Street

Sugar Land TX 77478

Or you can join us April 18th at Il Primo Pizza (99 and Mason in Richmond) where 10% of your purchase will go to support our team!

As we prepare for this journey please pray for the life change that these students and leaders will experience as we share the gospel, as well as open hearts for those we will be serving on this incredible trip. One final thought comes from a sermon I listened to at the end of 2012 that talks about the importance of going on missions and serving those around us. The scriptures shared were from 3 John 5-8:


5 Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers and sisters,[a] even though they are strangers to you. 6 They have told the church about your love. Please send them on their way in a manner that honors God. 7 It was for the sake of the Name that they went out, receiving no help from the pagans. 8 We ought therefore to show hospitality to such people so that we may work together for the truth.

These verses have stuck out to me since then and I feel honored and privileged to work together with my friends, family and these students as we share the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Our team (from left to right): Marshall Peterson, Brad Fisk, Madison Gould, Gabby Nguyen, Alex Baez, Tyler Baez, Marge Littleton & Joyce Abiodun. Not pictured: Joel Owens

Fun times with friends

I love having people come visit and I especially love it since I've moved to Texas. I love that they can see where I live and who I hang out with.

The best part is when that person is someone you've know for over 15 years. One of my bestest friends from high school moved to North Texas with her husband almost 8 years ago. Unless she came home to visit I didn't get to see her on a regular basis until I moved to Texas.

The first year and a half I was able to travel up to their neck of the woods often and we always had a blast. Their daughter was born almost two years and she has quickly become one of my favorite people.

We've grown closer over the last 2.5 years because we know what it feels like to be far from those we love. Attempting to make a life, a name, a family without those that know us better then anyone else. It's rediscovering who we are and what we stand for.

I'm thankful for these friends and for the bond we have. We laughed, we saw alligators, we built a fort in the living room- we just lived and it was perfect.

A bargain book

It's funny how when God wants you to know something, read something or get something He has a way of putting it out there so you can't miss it.

A few weeks ago after a birthday dinner with my best girl friends we stopped by a Christian bookstore so our friend could have some help picking out a bible. I wanted to go as well because I had a coupon for a book I wanted to get so I went straight for that section. On the way back across the store I was stopped by another book. First it was in the bargain book section, it was on sale for $4.95 (who doesn't love a deal?) and it had a picture of a plate of tofu with a red table and chair. The title you ask? Looking for God: An Unexpected Journey Through Tattoos, Tofu, and Pronouns. So I picked it up and figured for that cheap I could add it to my collection and see if it was worth the read and the price.

But you know how I mentioned that sometimes God has a message for you? Well this unexpected bargain book ended up being that message. Knowing I would have time on a short flight to West Texas last week for work I grabbed this book off my night stand. As soon as we took off I started reading and found myself in a chapter labeled Longings, Aches and Pains. I started reading and literally felt like my heart had been poured out onto these pages. Like this author knew every deep and dark place of who I was and I couldn't stop the tears. They flowed for most of the plane ride as I read and re-read this chapter. Here's where it gets really good:

I found that God met me in my sadness. I found that the deep ache and longing I had for California was also a reflection of being an alien in this world. Not fully belonging yet longing to. Being created for a perfect world but living in one that is imperfect. The spiritual layers became more available to me as I dug a little deeper and allowed the longings, aches, and pains to have their voice. 

And when I did, what slowly emerged was a growing phrase from God: You love California more than you love me. 

Well, maybe, but just a little bit. Is that a problem?

I began to understand what "idolatry of place" was. I found friends who weren't afraid to engage me in conversation, reflection and challenges about my own idolatry of place. I discovered that God was a strong place I could go to when the sense of loss felt overwhelming. Through this process, I realized that God is the one thing that doesn't change. And that understanding became the center of who I was. - Nancy Ortberg

After all these moments, all the tears, all the pain, the realization of what she had written hit me like a ton of bricks. I really had made California my idol. I had put it on a pedastel and made it into the best place that God ever created and I wrestled constantly with this idea that I loved California more then I loved God.

In the pages of this book all the pieces of my life that I didn't understand made sense. That when I had enough sense to give God everything, including my idols He changed my heart. 6 months ago after reading another book (Not a Fan) I decided to stop applying, stop looking and stop dreaming of a life or my former life back in California. The minute that decision was made, that God could really have everything and I was willing to give up everything I had ever known for who He was and is, the biggest sense of relief washed over me.

This book is just further proof that as Nancy said God was a strong place I could go to when the sense of loss felt overwhelming and I am so thankful for that.

Being Loved

I posted on Facebook last night how grateful I am for the people in my life who are open to adoption and how much my heart just soars with love. I'm getting teary eyed writing this post because being adopted I have a special place in my heart for those that are adopted and those that do the adopting.

My mom isn't on facebook so I texted her what I had posted on facebook and said thank you for adopting me. And what she wrote back caused the tears to stream down my face:

Thank you I was very blessed to get you. I'm sorry the road has been rocky at times.

Always know no matter what I love you with all my heart.

She's right. The road has been rough- filled with pot holes and bumps and sometimes man holes that we weren't expecting. But the beauty of life is that the road winds, it changes but it continues. There is no dead end for us. We've found our way out of some of the toughest places. There was so much grace felt in that text message because she was offering out the hope that tomorrow is always there, that no matter what happens she will always be there. Most days it's comforting to know that regardless of how rocky the road has been you have your mother in your corner cheering you on, loving you and supporting you.