This evening I found myself looking back at many of the old pictures that I've taken during my four years here at IWU. The final projects are starting to be completed, the final presentations are prepped and ready to go, and then there's silent moments where I catch myself going "wait...how did I get here?" I know it sounds cliche to say that time has passed so quickly, but it has! I mean, when I started college there were so many people, places, and experiences that I never dreamed would come into my path! My precious nieces weren't born, I didn't have these amazing IWU friendships that I now have, I didn't know what Arbonne was, I would have never dreamed that would've led me to the Bahamas, and never thought that God would bless my passion for L.A. and he went WAY beyond what I dreamed!
I have to admit that there were some expectations I thought God would bless, and one of those is again a cliche...I really thought God would send my prince charming to IWU, we'd meet, and I'd be engaged by now. I really really really thought that going into my freshman year, and TRUST me my poor friends had to suffer through many extremely painful moments where they knocked me in the head and said, "ALISHA! Your life is not a movie...this is reality!" It sounds harsh, but trust me...I deserved it FULLY! And this is isn't a post about how I'm angry, depressed, or look out every guy out there...Alisha hates you and is now Miss Independent! haha No...it's more of a realization that God knew what I needed before I asked for it. I needed to fall completely in love with my savior, and tonight, as I was passing memory lane...my heart is filled with so much joy because throughout my time here at IWU, I've fallen completely, madly, and hopelessly in love with my Savior! My eyes are fully of hope, life, and joy even when life isn't exactly like the movie playing in my head.
I've moved from a hopeless romantic to a sarcastic-if-you-want-the-key-to-my-heart-buy-me-coffee! haha Speaking of coffee...didn't like that at ALL when I started college...oh. how. things. change! This is just a little example of how life has a simplicity about it when your first love is Jesus, and for the first time I'm starting to see what true freedom looks like in Christ. I've said all this Christian jargon my entire life, but through all the experiences I've had these past 3 1/2 years...I've had to make a choice to say it or live it. Living out the foundations of Christ are not easy, not always pretty, but always hopeful. With Christ, my life's movie is full of purpose, meaning, and drive. He is that dominant force, which propels all the other actions that take place in my story.
My hope and prayer is that you too will be challenged to be faced with this choice to say the Christian jargon, or actually live it too because when you choose to love your Savior completely...life becomes a beautiful place with hope in places you never expected. I don't know what the future holds, but something tells me that it'll be an adventure that I'm so ready to embrace! So here's to all the people, places, and experiences that have past--and those to come...CHEERS!
Blessings!
Alisha Stevens
Saturday, December 3, 2011
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Reflections: The Aftermath
Hi friends!
So, I wasn't the best blogger during my internship, and now I'm semi-regretting it, but I think the entire journey got completely overwhelming, and I had to journal it all out before putting it on the public internet! lol If you couldn't tell, when I write...I open up almost completely about my thoughts. I love to share stories, hear stories, and be involved in other people's lives! Anyways, I was revisiting my little 3 post blog, and decided to attempt re-blogging if you would. So here it goes...
I look back on my time in L.A., and if you know me at all, you probably know that I can barely finish a sentence sometimes without saying, "When I was in L.A..." haha! I know it can be a little annoying, but I can't help it! God went WAY beyond my wildest dreams or expectations! I think the reason why I didn't blog or even journal as much as I usually do, is because I simply lived. I lived in the moment that felt like something I would pray for...but it was happening right before me! When my friend Jimmy from WB and I were touring all the different sets on the lot, or when he would invite me on "The Mentalist" set, or would do an editing session with me, or when my internship asked me if I would want to go and observe on the "Chuck" set where I talked to Zachary Levi for 15 min, and the directors, grips, and even the 80-year-old security man who told me every story in the Hollywood history book! Or when a lady said she just "liked me" and wanted to give me a tour of Fox Studios, or when or when or when...get the point?! It hands down changed my life.
Even though these events look like awww wowie! moments....the ones that I still hold so dear to me is the people who changed my life. Jimmy was and is such an encouragement to me and all my dreams. I mean I went into this wanting to do editing, and then producing, and then script development? I was allll over the map! But he really helped me, and most importantly, he was a friend throughout the entire experience. Ya know, the one that stops you from running out in front of Zach Levi's car as it leaves the lot because then maybe you'd need CPR...haha!! I'm 100% being sarcastic, but I still laugh about that to this day. Obviously, I didn't do it! lol
Hands down, best moment was my last day at my internship. It was 6:30pm and I was running one last little errand for one of the assistants. I came inside to gather all of my things, and I had to say goodbye to Breean, Jeff, and D.J. the three that I worked with the most. They all said such nice things, and sincerely wanted to help me when I returned to L.A. They all wrote me little notes, and I can't explain all the details, but as I walked out of the door for the last time...I just got teary eyed! I sat in my little parking spot, and as I pulled away for the last time...I just cried. Obviously I'm an emotional person, but it takes a lot for me to shed some tears! But it's like everything hit me all at once. In that moment I saw a piece of God's plan happen start to finish. He asked me to give up everything, trust, and simply go. I was so scared, insecure, and vulnerable, but watching it all kinda flash before my eyes in like playback mode...it came together just like he promised.
I didn't get my dream career, I didn't get the Hollywood discovery, but I just feel like I got more than that Earthly stuff. God brought me closer to him, closer to finding out who I am as a person, and closer to people. Yes, I would love a job there and write stories for the rest of my life, but man would I love for other people to experience this life in Christ! It's so distorted in today's society, and God allowed me to connect with people for his glory...and for the first time I felt humbled that he would choose me to go. Ok, now I sound cocky, but I don't know how else to explain it! You take your biggest dream, and if God gave you the door to walk through to do it for his glory...you may understand the "WHAT?! Me?! Surely there's someone greater than me...REALLY? You want me?!" that I'm talking about.
Why share all of this with you, who may have made it through this semi-book! lol Because I know what it feels like to want more, pray for more, and then have God tell you to give him everything over and over again. It's SO scary, but I smile because through every single low (there were plenty) and every high...he never left my side. He never stopped surrounding me with his presence that was cheering me on when I had nothing left to give, or when things felt like they were falling apart, or when I missed my family so much I felt so alone...he was there. So...I challenge you to reflect on a moment that changed your life, and ask yourself what would happen if you opened up your availability to God to the maximum?! What would happen if you sincerely opened yourself up to all the crazy he could do through you?! Now that I'm home, on vacation, and in my little comfort zone it's easy to say sure God do what you want. But my heart knows it's going to have to do a repeat of fall 2010 all too soon. My face has a little bit of anxiety on it now! lol But I'm so so so excited for the journey!
"The opportunities you have are more important than the opportunities you wished you had."--from a reflection of Mordecai's life in the book of Esther.
Dream Big Today!
Alisha Stevens
So, I wasn't the best blogger during my internship, and now I'm semi-regretting it, but I think the entire journey got completely overwhelming, and I had to journal it all out before putting it on the public internet! lol If you couldn't tell, when I write...I open up almost completely about my thoughts. I love to share stories, hear stories, and be involved in other people's lives! Anyways, I was revisiting my little 3 post blog, and decided to attempt re-blogging if you would. So here it goes...
I look back on my time in L.A., and if you know me at all, you probably know that I can barely finish a sentence sometimes without saying, "When I was in L.A..." haha! I know it can be a little annoying, but I can't help it! God went WAY beyond my wildest dreams or expectations! I think the reason why I didn't blog or even journal as much as I usually do, is because I simply lived. I lived in the moment that felt like something I would pray for...but it was happening right before me! When my friend Jimmy from WB and I were touring all the different sets on the lot, or when he would invite me on "The Mentalist" set, or would do an editing session with me, or when my internship asked me if I would want to go and observe on the "Chuck" set where I talked to Zachary Levi for 15 min, and the directors, grips, and even the 80-year-old security man who told me every story in the Hollywood history book! Or when a lady said she just "liked me" and wanted to give me a tour of Fox Studios, or when or when or when...get the point?! It hands down changed my life.
Even though these events look like awww wowie! moments....the ones that I still hold so dear to me is the people who changed my life. Jimmy was and is such an encouragement to me and all my dreams. I mean I went into this wanting to do editing, and then producing, and then script development? I was allll over the map! But he really helped me, and most importantly, he was a friend throughout the entire experience. Ya know, the one that stops you from running out in front of Zach Levi's car as it leaves the lot because then maybe you'd need CPR...haha!! I'm 100% being sarcastic, but I still laugh about that to this day. Obviously, I didn't do it! lol
Hands down, best moment was my last day at my internship. It was 6:30pm and I was running one last little errand for one of the assistants. I came inside to gather all of my things, and I had to say goodbye to Breean, Jeff, and D.J. the three that I worked with the most. They all said such nice things, and sincerely wanted to help me when I returned to L.A. They all wrote me little notes, and I can't explain all the details, but as I walked out of the door for the last time...I just got teary eyed! I sat in my little parking spot, and as I pulled away for the last time...I just cried. Obviously I'm an emotional person, but it takes a lot for me to shed some tears! But it's like everything hit me all at once. In that moment I saw a piece of God's plan happen start to finish. He asked me to give up everything, trust, and simply go. I was so scared, insecure, and vulnerable, but watching it all kinda flash before my eyes in like playback mode...it came together just like he promised.
I didn't get my dream career, I didn't get the Hollywood discovery, but I just feel like I got more than that Earthly stuff. God brought me closer to him, closer to finding out who I am as a person, and closer to people. Yes, I would love a job there and write stories for the rest of my life, but man would I love for other people to experience this life in Christ! It's so distorted in today's society, and God allowed me to connect with people for his glory...and for the first time I felt humbled that he would choose me to go. Ok, now I sound cocky, but I don't know how else to explain it! You take your biggest dream, and if God gave you the door to walk through to do it for his glory...you may understand the "WHAT?! Me?! Surely there's someone greater than me...REALLY? You want me?!" that I'm talking about.
Why share all of this with you, who may have made it through this semi-book! lol Because I know what it feels like to want more, pray for more, and then have God tell you to give him everything over and over again. It's SO scary, but I smile because through every single low (there were plenty) and every high...he never left my side. He never stopped surrounding me with his presence that was cheering me on when I had nothing left to give, or when things felt like they were falling apart, or when I missed my family so much I felt so alone...he was there. So...I challenge you to reflect on a moment that changed your life, and ask yourself what would happen if you opened up your availability to God to the maximum?! What would happen if you sincerely opened yourself up to all the crazy he could do through you?! Now that I'm home, on vacation, and in my little comfort zone it's easy to say sure God do what you want. But my heart knows it's going to have to do a repeat of fall 2010 all too soon. My face has a little bit of anxiety on it now! lol But I'm so so so excited for the journey!
"The opportunities you have are more important than the opportunities you wished you had."--from a reflection of Mordecai's life in the book of Esther.
Dream Big Today!
Alisha Stevens
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