Sweet Home Santa Barbara

Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Where I Come From

Today, I'm linking up with all of the lovely ladies over at The Influence Network. I cannot wait to meet all of you in September at Influence Conference! Don't even get me started on how excited I am, cause I won't be able to stop!

So, onto today's topic: Where I Come From. 

I'm a born and bred California girl. I was raised in San Diego, where I spent the first 18 years of my life looking like this most of the time:


After high school, I picked up and moved to a little place called Santa Barbara for college. Been there ever since. 


For the record, the Santa Barbara Mission is really beautiful. Definitely a must visit if you make it out to this neck of the woods!

(Give me a shout out if you do!)


And fun fact, my parents were married there!

It's kind of funny (isn't God always funny?), but I never intended on staying in Santa Barbara after college. I planned to move closer to home, some where further south. I imagined myself in Los Angeles or back in San Diego, but never did I see myself staying here. So much so that when I was applying to jobs, I intentionally stalled on my applications for companies here in town. 

But God always has a bigger and better plan, huh? A company reached out to me and seemed very interested, and I think most people would agree that a new college grad will never turn down an interested prospect. Not in today's economy, am I right? 

So I went after the job and ended up having the most wonderful experience at my first full-time job. Here I am on job number 2 (only 2 years post college, ha! God has a thing with finding me jobs, and I won't object to that!), and still in Santa Barbara. 

If I had left town, I would have never found my incredible church. The church that taught me what it looks like to let the Spirit into your heart, to surrender your entire life, and showed me how to stand back and be amazed as God is constantly changing my heart.  

If I had left Santa Barbara, I never would have found this incredible community of brothers and sisters that inspire me, challenge me, pray for me and point me closer to Jesus on a daily basis. 

And I feel pretty darn blessed that in addition to those incredible blessings, I still get to enjoy this:



I come from So Cal, where do you come from?

11 comments:

. said...

Your parents got married at the Mission? Ooh lucky! How blessed!

Thank you Amy for sharing your life with us. it is amazing! Lol, I can see how it is funny that God kept you there in Santa Barbara.

God bless you always! :)

Alyssa said...

My family went to Coronado one year on a family vacation... so gorgeous!!!

I liked seeing this little glimpse into your life :)

Unknown said...

i've never been to cali - but i think i need to add socal to my list of places to visit! ;

it is crazy how things happen - i never planned on being in my hometown after college and especially once married! and here i am, still there!

Kiki said...

I loved reading this, girl! I love getting to know other bloggers and reading more about their childhood and upbringing. And I loved reading how God's worked (and is working) in your life and how He's placed you in Santa Barbara. And I have to say, with warm weather + beach access, it sounds like an awesome place to be! :)

Rach said...

Oh girl, I would so love to live in California. It is so beautiful there! If only it weren't SO far from everyone in our families, haha!

Hannah said...

It looks really beautiful there. Going to California is on my wishlist. :) Y'all have everything - beach, mountains, wonderful weather, and the ability to grow things that don't grow in other States. Wheee! I'm glad you have a wonderful community there, that definitely helps wherever you live!

Brittany @ Brittany's Joy Blog said...

How funny! I grew up in the Bay Area, but I relocated to Santa Barbara for college and couldn't leave it either!! I will say, we're pretty dang spoiled, except for the rain today WHAT the heck??!
It's fun to "meet" a fellow SB local on the blogosphere!

Lauren {at} Life.Love.Lauren said...

Beautiful! I wanna visit soon!

Kerrie Williams said...

Sometimes I wish I still lived so close to the beach! Also, I can't wait to see you in September, roomie!

Nadine said...

I wanna come sit on the beach with you forever! :)

Julie said...

I come from Brussels, Belgium but i left my heart in SoCAL 5 years ago Just dying to be back, for good!

Glad i've found your blog :)

Xo
J.