2017 Year in Review

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If I'm being honest, I really wasn't looking forward to 2017. What I saw was my closest friends moving away, leaving the home that I had known for the last 3 years, and navigating the waters of an uncertain future. I was sad that so many things were changing in such a short period of time. I felt alone and terrified of the unknown.

And yet throughout all of those feelings, God carried me to this point. Here, on the brink of a new year, I've found that my closest friends are still my closest friends despite being the farthest away, a new community that has cared very deeply for me, and many new blessings to be thankful for. Each day, I've come to see more of how the world is shattered and that in His love, God chooses to repair and redeem it back to Himself. I see more of my brokenness each day and appreciate so much that my identity isn't in my flaws, it's in being part of God's family. I understand that being a follower of Jesus is the most difficult thing that anyone can do -- to choose to put away your own desires in pursuit of a greater calling. And while I don't do this perfectly and never will, I'm thankful for a Savior that empowers me to do it and that it's a lifelong process of reconciliation.

In addition to this, I've grown in my love for photography and to see that God blesses us with small moments and interactions that pass in an instant, all of which I've graciously been able to capture. These are some of my favorite moments I've been blessed with and I'm very excited to see what the next year has in store.

Here's to 2018

Washington

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For Thanksgiving 2017, my buddies and I chose to spend a week together in our nation's capital. It only took about a trillion "Have you bought your flight yet?" texts before we were all united together again for the first time in almost a year. After lots of catching up (which according to Andrew is "like binge watching a show on Netflix, only better because it's real") we got to experience the city where our political system operates -- along with trying to find an open restaurant last minute on Turkey Day, playing House of Cards (that might've been just me...in my head), and walking around a city that has more history packed into in that you could imagine. It was a bit chilly, but I'm proud of how well I handled it as weak Southern California native. Also I saw legitimately the largest rat I think anyone has ever seen.

Ever.

All in all, it was a solid 11/10.

Joshua Tree

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For a long time I've heard about how people say the desert in enchanting. Amid the blazing heat, arid conditions, and distance from "civilization", there's truly something special about it. Plants fighting for survival, critters living in the shade of tower rocks, and zero cell service show you that even when you think nothing is happening, something really is. I guess I'm slowly getting why God had the Israelites wandering the desert for 40 years.

And yeah, I'm already scheming on the soonest I can get back to exploring this awesome place.