TWENTY / SIXTEEN

Yes.  It is true, that I had not posted a single thing in 2016.   What happened? Life.  I know you may have seen a lot of people post about how tough 2016 was for them.  And although it appeared that it was all sunshine for me in 2016 - if you follow me on Instagram or Facebook, but the reality is 2016 was so emotionally taxing that I could not even get my thoughts together to blog.  Work and Commute to D.C. was stressful in it's own way.  My child was entering the terrible twos. 

My sister was randomly taken to the ER (Thank GOD for her angel) My mother was in the hospital early January (but she is doing just fine now) My father suffered through his own seasonal sickness.  My little cousin was murdered on the campus of Morgan State University, while attending school.  Finding out at work was a bit taxing - and even though I took not one day off, because I was there I was still expected to do my job and in no way did I feel like dealing with criminals or coworkers- to be honest.  No one in my family had ever been killed, not even tragically. We all die of old age. It was a shock.  My child was officially diagnosed with Asthma (praying she outgrows it) I had started taking natural hair clients out of my home as a second source of income.  and thank you Jesus that I stayed booked!

My husband was in prayer constantly about his job which came with its own emotions at home. .... and now we live in Dallas, Texas! ----------

April 2016, in a sudden faith move, my husband came to me and said he felt strongly that he needed to go to the International Pastor's and Leaders Conference hosted by Bishop T.D. Jakes in Orlando.  I have been a part of my husband's life long enough to know that if he felt like God was calling him to go somewhere that I need not argue.  So in a last minute decision, we decided to go to Orlando with Gracie in tow. I got there a day after he did because I didn't have the leave to take off, but I made it just in time.  We went to the worship services and workshops and sat in the very back.  Much different then the previous year when we were there. Last year we were in the VIP section because my mother was a guest presenter.  This time, we went for us! We sat in the back because we didn't want Gracie to disturb anyone -- yes we were the only ones with our child with us, and usually always the only ones with our child, but we had no other place to take her. We just wanted to be in the room.  She was quiet and we got just what we needed.  While there, I went to a workshop called Girl Talk with my sisters in the ministry Sarah Jakes-Roberts,  Cora Jakes Coleman and First Lady Serita Jakes. 

 And while they were preaching about women and our struggles to have it all or have it at all, God spoke to me as clear as day and had a Word for my husband. (Side note: I know some may be asking as they read this how do you know that God is speaking - but lets just say if a thought overtakes you and it is confirmed through prayer and strangers then yep God said it. He will say it more then once.)  But in that moment, while sitting there listening to the sermon and reflecting about how God comes through even in the last minute, God told me that my husband would be offered a job exactly where he is now and that it would happen fast and that when it happens, I will have to be obedient and quit my job because it would be tied to my own destiny.  QUIT MY JOB!? My good government job.  Thank God for faith!  I shared this with my husband with a bit of hesitation because speaking prophetically is something that is a fortunate gift however, its something that comes with great trepidation. 

Well, just as God said - literally the very next day, he was offered a potential opportunity.  By the end of the next week he was offered an in person interview.  Within the first meeting he was hired.  Within two weeks, we packed out entire house into a POD and moved to Dallas, Texas because we KNEW this was what God said would happen. I gave 30 days notice and left my job in faith that I would be where I needed to be.  I informed all of my clients that I was moving and closed that chapter.  Back in January, before the conference, we were driving around Dallas, Texas (as we were secretly in town to be with my mom) we both said, "hmm, we could live here." Not knowing we were putting in the atmosphere the very thing that would happen within 6 months! My husbands last day at his old job was a Sunday and he was at his new job that Wednesday. He hit the ground running and has not stopped since. 

God truly took us from the back of that arena at the International Pastors and Leaders Conference, where we sowed in faith for a change, not knowing that within days my husband would now be a part of the music staff of The Potters House of Dallas.  Our lives have truly been in a whirlwind. I left my job and went to work for the AME Church General Conference which is a highly stressful week of production work. I produced a live television production.  Did I mention it was LIVE! Talk about STRESS!!!!!! Trying to keep people on time in a room that holds 10,000 people is hard!

In addition, I again ran Lead on a major Presidential candidate coming to visit the Conference, which requires details I can not really share. But I was able to work with such a great advance team from the Hilary Clinton campaign that it was one of the smoothest yet.

From there, it was job searching.  and job searching.  and job searching.  sigh. So, then my mother was in need of some extra help within her office with a number of projects. As much as I fought the idea of working for her because we truly do not believe in nepotism in the Murphy family, but you MUST earn your stripes, I took the job.  Needless to say, it has turned out to be the best thing for me and my family in this transitional season.  So for the last six months, we have been adjusting to  a new city a new house selling our house getting our daughter settled in a new school looking for yet another new school travelling for work (because my job takes me out of town every other week from Sept - Dec) and for play

shipping our cars trading in the hybrid getting a truck (because everyone in Dallas drives one) adjusting to multi-generational living aka living with my parents again joining a new church trying to find my place in ministry producing God's Leading Ladies at The Potters House (talk about a God move)

being a wife getting a year older

preaching, teaching

working on freelance projects taking family vacations

vision casting teaching workshops ordaining

praying and then some!
I have lived out of suitcases since I moved to Dallas  because there was some where I always had to be.
But I made it! and if you have read this far, so have you!
2016! its over.  and I have much more to share with you!
So guess who's bizzack!
2017! here we come!