2018 was an unforgettable year with the two words sustaining our journey: Grace and Growth. It was a year of full surrender and sanctification. It was a year of discovering our true calling that the Lord had over our lives. It held that moment of realization of our destinies and what our lives have been building up to on the ride of our last 3o something years. It was that moment of welcomed awareness, that our prior pain and struggles are to be used as our pedestal to change this world. It was a year full of choosing faith over fear and trusting in His plan and not our own. It was a year of commitment and leaping forward with full intention and building our foundations the right way. It was the year we first called Tennessee home and best of all, it was the year we became the McLeods.

Someone I cherish and look up to told me last New Year that 2018 was going to be my year, I just had no idea the prophetic words that were spoken into that, and I don’t think they did either. Growth is an understatement for 2018. The stretching and tugging weren’t always the most comfortable feeling, but that’s the beauty of the process. That’s where the revolution truly happens. We didn’t want to shrink back into something that was comfortable this year, we wanted to step forward in Faith, and we both knew that God was calling us out further than we had ever been before. We learned that growth lives in the uneasiness. The in between. The unfinished sentences. And 2018 was that. Full of the great unknown, shining with intense joy, and leaping with both feet planted in Faith. We are seasons of becoming, and I can whole heartedly say that in 2018, we embraced that feeling of becoming, not on our own accord, but of God’s ever faithful promises.

2018 Highlights: 

(Click on underlined dates to get the link to the blog)

 

• January 21, 2018 John and I made the 7 and ½ hour trek to a little town called Woodbury, TN. An emotional one at that. This journey is one that hadn’t just begun, but was a continuation on the very plan that he had set out in front of us. I dropped him off and headed back to my little costal town filled with so many emotions. I knew that living so far apart wouldn’t be easy, but I knew it was what was best. I heard that little whisper “You have NO idea what I’ve prepared for you. Stop trying to plan and stop worrying. Just give it to me and trust.” I’ve learned in life that trusting him is my only and best option. We’ve learned that more often than not- God equips the called, he doesn’t call the equipped. John reminds me so much of the story of Peter. Jesus called Peter a “rock” long before Peter was stable and mature. He leads us by calling out what he sees, not by calling out our pasts. And there has been a calling on John’s life, his whole life. 2018 happened to be that year that we figured out what that was, and I don’t think there is any greater feeling than that. John will tell you today, 2 years ago and never in his wildest dreams, would he have ever known he’d been working in ministry today, getting guys off the street and helping families overcome this season of life in such an epidemic. 
• January 31, 2018, I headed across the Atlantic Ocean to step foot on a land that was foreign to my existence, and I immediately fell in love with it. The Azores, an archipelago of Portugal. It was a time in my life where I needed to be still. Where I needed simplicity and beauty and just to be. I exited my 20’s and entered into my 30’s over there. I still can’t believe I’m officially in my 30’s. I spent a lot of time reminiscing on my past 30 and dreaming of my next, praying for what was to come. I had the realization that my life today is nothing to what I had dreamed of as that little green-eyed girl chasing lighting bugs on those Carolina nights. I had a heart full of naive hope that a girl with great dreams and good intentions would get where she wanted to go. I went with my full heart and am still running strong.  My life looks completely different than that of others my age but I, as a person, am close to what I had dreamed of and strived to be. Along with many of the things that I have achieved thus far, there are still so many things that I had dreamed of that have yet to come into fruition and what I’ve learned is- that’s ok. Life has graciously given me the opportunity to so many added blessings that my wildest imagination could have never dreamt up myself. Everything in moderation, right? Sometimes the paths we envision for ourselves aren’t what God had in mind, they are better! And sometimes looking back, the darkest days turned into some of the most beautiful chapters. Life at 30 isn’t where I had envisioned it would be, but I can smile and thank God for exactly where it is.
• March 2, 2018, It was a big weekend prepared with family and friends, but I had NO idea how big it was really about to be. Our cups were already overflowing with the weekend’s events so far. My sweet John and I, and a group of very special people to us walked the North Carolina farm where we plan to build our home one day. John asked if he and I could go find the stakes and as we walked back into the corner of the land that we had planned on putting the house one day, everyone stood back and waited. We searched and searched and finally he said “Chels, turn around.” And as I did, I see him not with the stake, but down on one knee. For the next few minutes and what seems to be such a blur as he asked me to be his wife and to do forever with him in the most treasured and beloved way, tears streamed down both of our faces as our hands and hearts were shaking. As he slid his grandmother’s diamond onto my ring finger, all I could do was shake my head yes with true tears of joy. He wrapped me up as everyone was clapping and shouting. To this day, the most precious surprise of my 30 years. He is my greatest adventure. Meeting each other at the right time and place in the universe is a miracle I still believe in.
• March 5, 2018 Ogeechee River walked over Rainbow Bridge. As John spent the last morning with him on the river. It held a knowledge that they were finally both ok and were going to be ok. I truly believe that Geechee waited on John to know that he could do life without him before he was willing to go, and as he laid in John’s lap watching the sunrise, they said their final goodbyes. We still miss him so dearly and often times hear him panting as he walks by and think of him when we are down at the river. As if it’s that little reminder. He was such a special boy with tales around this world that will live on forever.
• March 11, 2018, John got baptized at Pleasant View Baptist church. It was the Holy Spirit and a little dove. A story we both love to tell!
• July 5, 2018, We officially said yes to settling in Tennessee. This was an area that came with much confusion. Where were we supposed to put roots down? Where did God want us? I had a huge profitable business that I had spent years building in Savannah but God was doing huge things in TN with John. I had wanted to make a change for along time, Colorado it was at one time, then we met and life stood still for  a little while. We had talked about moving a lot and settling down to raise a family somewhere different. We didn’t know what was best. Sitting down at lunch with our pastor and his family one day after church, he looked me dead in the eye and said “Chelsea, what is holding you back? Why aren’t you in TN yet?” So, John and I made a fleece with God that afternoon: “God when you are ready, and if this is what you want, give us a house and let us know it’s from you.” And we began to wait and pray. In a place where the rental market is par to none, we knew it would have to be bold. It wasn’t 2 weeks later when John was driving one of the students back and he said, “What are your plans for the future after you get married?” And John simply replied, “I don’t know, we are praying about what’s next.” And the student replied, “I have the perfect house for you guys if you guys want to call TN home, it’s on Lake Normandy on 75 acres with a big fenced in yard.” And the kicker was the price- it was more than we could have dreamed for us starting over. And the best part and knowing that our fleece had been answered: Our top three has always been land, water, and a fenced yard for our furry children. We knew in that moment that God had answered our prayers and even more so, we knew exactly where he wanted us to be.
• September 13, 2018 Welcome to our world Ocoee River. With three dogs already at home it was a phone call that our minds immediately said no to, but one that our hearts fought with. A very special person to us had a puppy from a litter and he was told that that puppy was supposed to be ours. After putting Geechee down in March, this little man was supposed to grace our lives. After sitting on it for 3 days, we ended up chasing our hearts and welcoming him into our family. He’s been one of the biggest blessings and has filled our home with so much joy. All four of our dogs, and those black labs are blessings from above, thanks to two special people who know who you are. 
• September 17, 2018 John had his first speaking event and what a powerful night it was. It was a tent revival in South Carthage filled to the rim with hungry people while the most beautiful sunset painted the sky. He stood up there bravely and shared his testimony with hundreds of people watching and listening. He shared the dark days and the days of sunshine that are now beaming through. And he gave hope to more people than we even knew were struggling that night. You know, our testimonies are the strongest tools that we have. We weren’t given our journeys to not share them and give back the hope that was given to us.
• September 22, 2018. Moving into a 100-year-old farmhouse, it needed a lot of TLC. This is definitely my cup of tea, sided with a lot of Homegoods and a little labor- but with little time to work and a budget of merely moving to one income, we were trying to do this as inexpensively as possible. With our one weekend to work and the stomach flu gracing my body, I mustered up enough energy to get off of my blow-up mattress and meet the painter at the front door to give us a quote on painting the inside of the house. He asked us why we were moving from the coast and we started to share a little of our journey and that working for a Recovery Ministry was what was bringing us to the area. And for the next 45 minutes we sat on that front porch and talked. He shared his journey and experiences with his own personal story of addiction throughout his life and we were able to relate and grow together in that special moment with a complete stranger. One of those moments where we realize we are never alone. It’s the beauty of vulnerability, another area that has allowed for precious stories, relationships, and growth in 2018. He told us he would call us that week and give us the quote. In full disclosure, that following week held a full-on battle of spiritual warfare for me. Fear and anxiety of nothing more than leaving the finances that I was comfortably making there. The so called ease of the “Lifestyle” we were comfortable living. Were we making the right decision? How were we going to make it without that? Purely and ultimately not trusting HIM enough. Sitting around with my bible study ladies that night as they were throwing me a wedding shower, John reached out and told me that he had talked to Sam. Sam told John to go ahead and get all of our paint and he would be there at 9 on that next Saturday morning, when John asked him the quote that he had promised us, Sam’s reply was, “John the Holy Spirit laid it on my heart to paint this house for you guys.” John immediately told him no and fought with him on it and Sam told him “When the Holy Spirit lays something on my heart, you can’t take that away from me John.” After much back and forth, and finally agreeing to let him bless us, that weekend we all geared up, turned up some good ole’ David Crowder, and the three of us went to work, and began to make this house a home. It was that moment, in between spiritual warfare, fear, and joy that God said “Child, I told you, I’VE GOT THIS!!!”
• September 28, 2018- It’s moving day!!! Goodbye Georgia coast, Hello Tennessee mountains! Moving day was a bit eventful but never the less, the U-Haul was packed, and we drove through the night to make it to our new home in Tennessee. Leaving Georgia was overflowing with precious and bittersweet goodbyes. Hugs where the tears wouldn’t stop, not sad tears but tears of grateful blessings. I had going away parties and dinners and throughout it all, I was SO overwhelmed at the love that had permeated my life throughout my last 7 years of being there. That in those short years, you can grow the relationships that will last a lifetime. Moving to a town where I knew nobody, I left having a huge family that I got to do life with. These precious souls held my hands through some pretty tough days and have also walked with me in some of my brightest. They have supported me and believed in me and never left my side. So many divine appointments that I knew were directly from Him. I will forever be grateful. Pulling out of that driveway represented so much growth and moving into our next phase of life, one that I didn’t know that we’d be blessed enough to move into a year ago. It just shows that your heart and God will always lead, we need just follow.
• October 5, 2018 Chelsea Elizabeth’s Salon is officially open!! A leap of faith and an exciting one!
• October 13, 2018, It was the most perfect October night, on the property where I once ran as a little girl, a place still so sacred to me, we had our wedding shower surrounded by our closest family and friends. The sunset was perfect and so was the October night air. John and I were astounded by the pure sense of joy and love that permeated that October evening. After it was all said and done and everyone had left, him and I were reliving it all and couldn’t stop smiling, we didn’t want it to ever end. It’s one of those moments that make you tear up at the realization of how blessed we truly are and the support we have walking this journey.
• November 10, 2018 The day we became the McLeods. This day we add to our very own fairytale. An unforgettable day that will forever be the place that we continue to build our lives upon. The day we had dreamed of and prayed for. The day that, at moments, we thought we may never make it to. The path began through the woods just as our love story did, just as all love stories do, a journey to something more beautiful and wonderful without a clue of what the middle looks like, or what the ending holds. The middle may have some hills to climb and some twigs to step over but the views in the middle are what make the trail’s journey worthwhile. It’s sitting back once you get to the destination, having no idea where you were being called to, and being grateful for the hands and heart that carried you through. As I rounded the top of the trail that November day as Amazing Grace played through the trees, we arrived in that unknown place and precise moment that we fell into grace as we had over and over again. I saw John’s face at the end of the pine tree passageway, the man that stole my heart and changed my world, I knew that this would be a greatest and most powerful blessing. That this is where it truly begins. One of the most precious blessings to a human soul’s life. 
• November 11, 2018 Honeymoonin’ in Costa Rica!!! We’ve been blessed enough to have traveled to many different lands in our time together but this trip was something more. It was pure. It was welcomed. It was our honeymoon! It represented something bigger. A celebration of life and where it stood and for where it is headed and for where it had been. It was the slow down. it was the little whispers of the ocean waves and the winds through the rainforests that seemed to say the most this time. The blessing of having eyes that can see and ears That can hear. It’s remembering the importance of the beauty that’s right in front of us throughout every moment, if we only take the time to embrace it. So often we miss out on the special ordinary moments by chasing the extraordinary. God has those extraordinary already planned.
• John has had the grateful blessing of baptizing 6 people in the rivers of Tennessee this year. What a sweet, sweet sight! From a professional fisher to a fisher of men! 

 

So, for 2019, we will continue to fall in love with the process of becoming the very best version of ourselves. And we will remember that stars are not born without pressure and neither is the human life. It’s through the toughest nights that bring the brightest days. We will choose to exercise the muscle of faith, no matter how heavy the weight. 2018 was glorious and more than I could have ever dreamed in a million years. As one of my favorite quotes goes “Look around, this time next year, nothing will be the same.” We are a true testament of that. God far exceeded our wildest dreams on where he has placed our feet towards the path that we are on. Not our will, but his. So here is to 2019…. To building even more rock-solid footing, continuing to explore and discover more of this world together, to grow individually and together, and to adding to the pages of our book of life. Thank you, God, for an unforgettable 2018, and to think, the best is yet to come…