I'm Exactly Where I Prayed to Be

I've officially lived in Miami over three weeks! A true milestone! Some moments in the past three weeks have flown by, and at other moments, it has felt like forever.

When my mom and I first got to my new house located in the Cutler Bay neighborhood of Miami, we were welcomed by the YAMM (Young Adult Missional Movement) director, Martine, and the associate pastor of Miami First UMC, Pastor Kipp. We were all surprised to find the Miami house in a drab condition, as it had been lived in for several years without much renovation, and now sat a month without anyone in it. So to say the least, the house needed a good deep clean and a lot of love!

So for the next few days, DeeDee Autry (Mom, super mover, and cleaning and organizing expert), was on the job. Thanks to my mom, I was able to have a great start to living in Miami. I really could not have done it without her. I'm so glad she was able to come with me that first week.

Once I said my tearful good-bye to my mom, Diamond arrived a few days later. Diamond and I hit it off from the very beginning. This is when the true "adulting" began.

Like I said, my mom got us started, but there was still a lot of projects to get done. The first thing was to figure out trash days. We were able to meet our very kind and welcoming neighbors who let us know what days to put the trash cans out on the street. We called the city to request a new trash can lid. I made contact with our landlord about getting some repairs done on the house - new dishwasher, downstairs toilet and sink, and a few other small things. We learned where our mailbox was located. We picked up new furniture pieces from Facebook Marketplace. Made our first trip to IKEA. Ran lots of errands. Did some shopping at Goodwill for decor. A few DIYs with some spray paint. A long, stressful week with the repair man, a day without water.... lots of funny stories, annoying phone calls, failed attempts, and too many memories, our house in Miami is now our home!

Like I said, Diamond and I quickly became friends. All the "adulting" activities really bonded us. We had to work together from the beginning, and I think that's made a huge impact on our friendship. We both communicate really well, and we are committed to creating a safe space to come home to at the end of the day. Also, Diamond is just a great person. She works so hard. She is beautiful inside and out. God is going to do so many amazing things through her in the next year. I am sure of it. We have loved cooking and walking together. I join her for church and bible studies, and she talks up Fill the Table to her connections. She already feels like family, and I am so grateful that God has called us both to be in this place at this time together. We also had our first beach day together, and it was a blast! I'm looking forward to many more to come.

The new world of COVID has brought us all into the world of working from home. My job with the Florida Annual Conference of the UMC and the Fill the Table Initiative is going really well. We have been prepping for the launch of the initiative and the virtual Florida Annual Conference on September 19. My days are spent in leggings, moving around the house trying to get comfortable with my laptop - participating in Zoom meetings, Team messages, emails, research, and social media posts. Thankfully, Diamond is also working from home right now, so we take breaks together, go on walks, and collaborate from time to time. If you haven't already, please go find @FilltheTable on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok! We have a lot of exciting events coming up - all virtual.

Here's my current work setup in my room!

The most amazing part about this job and this opportunity to serve in Miami through Global Ministries and YAMM is that I am doing a job that I'm extremely passionate about. This job allows me to be creative through social media. It pushes me to meet new people and stay connected to all of you. I get to learn alongside and educate others on topics that are current and so important right now in our current times. I'm finding my voice more and more each and every day. I am growing into the person God has called me to be. So many of my prayers have been answered lately. I keep looking around and saying as new and exciting things happen each day, "Wow, I prayed for this. Thank you, God!"

I want to leave you with this reminder today. Don't tell yourself that you are not worthy of great things. You are! Don't take your life for granted. Be grateful! Don't give up on your dream. Dig deep each and everyday to be the person God has called you to be. Do something today that YOU love. Don't worry about everyone else. What is God calling you to do today? Now, go do it!

So much love,

Emily Autry

Advance #3022615

https://advance.umcmission.org/p-2037-autry-emily.aspx