The past few weeks.

After my surgery in December, I began feeling like the old Amy. I had energy, I wasn't constantly nauseated, my positive polly self was back.

I was truly excited for 2013.

And then boom, I was hit with one of the severest blows I've known in my adult life: I lost my job. I have no clue why I ever felt like I was exempt from this, but I did. The circumstances were awful, and without detailing what happened, just know it all revolved around an acquisition.

I felt strongly that it was coming and had plenty of verses protecting and guarding my weary and scared heart. I knew as I walked into the room that God was with me, and had already gone ahead and was standing behind, orchestrating the next phase of great things for my life. But that doesn't discredit how difficult those five minutes were.

I chose (and am choosing) to walk forward with grace, knowing that my sovereign God has me in the palms of his hands and is doing things beyond my small mind. I'm thankful for the circumstances, for I was able to leave my coworkers with this:

I didn't really get the opportunity to hug most of your necks Friday, and I'm sorry....but I did want to leave you with a word from me (I know some of you have asked others how I am doing)....

And for those of you who have called, texted, emailed, etc., thank you. If I have been delayed in my response, please know that my phone was on silent all weekend, and I spent a large part of it away from it.

If there is anything I would want to say/leave/have left at Ramey, it is a desire for all to know the importance and value of my faith in Jesus. What some would view as a severe blow, I am choosing to view as a sovereign God who is ready to take me to a new place, to meet new people, to succeed in new ways.

I say that to you to let you know not to worry about me. My God "makes perfect and protects all that concerns me." Psalm 138:8, he "goes before and comes behind, and has his hand upon me." Psalm 139:5, and ultimately means all suffering/trials/etc, for his glory and good (James 1). I am choosing to be the woman "who laughs at her future" Proverbs 31, rather than choosing to be filled with extreme fear. For with Christ, his perfect love cast fear aside.

I will miss you, sweet friends. It's been a fun ten years, full of laughter, fun, stress and at times tears. Don't forget about me, for I will most definitely not forget about you.

I've prayed for this for awhile....knowing my purpose while at my job. Seems God gave me my answer in not the way I was expecting. And I was able to speak of his goodness, even in the most trying of times.

Please pray for me as I move forward and seek what I am to do next. My heart is at rest, and I am truly thankful for all of my precious friends who are standing in the gap for me as I wrestle with this.

Love you all.
A

Happily Ever After....

Greatest thing about writing for a local magazine.....accountability. Happy 2013!

I feel like I am dying.

If you know me, you know I love to go. But I equally love to stay -- a nice balance of the two is a perfect Amy world. A little travel followed by some great couch time - YUM.

As much as I have been blessed to do so the past few years, last year I got to do it for a long period of time, to one of my favorite places. And somewhere along the way I started feeling bad. Last May to be exact.

Something hurt. It ached. The only way to make it feel better was to eat. Ice cream and milk were the best. I ignored it until mid-September, prepared to head to Napa Valley, and could barely stand up straight. I found myself in the doctor's office with an "ulcer." Sweet doctor told me to go see my GI doctor in Jackson, and gave me some drugs to take care of it.

I was terrified of what was really going on, so did I go to the doctor? NO. So in September of this past year, my dad took me to lunch and told me that I never felt well, and that if something was really wrong with me he would have a hard time forgiving me for not taking care of it. I told him  that I was certain that I was going to die before him. (Rash, absolutely. But I felt that bad.)

Wanna make me move fast, sick my daddy on me. There's just something about that daddy voice. Even as a a grown woman.

So thus started the process of poking, prodding, scoping, biopsying, etc. Multiple times. With lots of needles. And test. And worry. And then, like that, my doctor had an AH-HA moment. It was my gallbladder.

My eyes had yellowed, my pain had severely intensified, I was miserable. With a week of diagnosis, that puppy was out, and I was on the road to becoming Amy again.

It's amazing to feel like yourself after feeling so bad for so long. Just really thankful it wasn't anything terribly serious. So I'm back. And better than ever....here's to 2013.