Hijacked: Show us your life - Lizzie

This is Lizzie's older (and wiser) sister, Katie. I've hijacked Lizzie's blog so that I can "share her life" as part of Kelly's Korner's Show Us Your Life Singles.

Lizzie currently lives in Columbia, Mo., and works at her alma mater, Mizzou, as a visiting professional at the School of Journalism. Her career in print media has given her a wide range of experience, and she is currently enjoying her role sharing those experiences as an instructor and editor at the Missourian. Before coming back to Columbia, Lizzie spent time in Virginia and Georgia. She grew up in Signal Mountain, Tenn., with her favorite and not at all bossy older sister, and a younger brother and sister (who are twins).

Lizzie is a loyal friend, news junkie, technology guru and master maker of cake pops. In her latest role of Aunt Lizzie, she has showered my baby girl with thoughtful gifts and lots of attention. She loves country music and reading "real" books (she can't be convinced that a kindle is the way to go).

One of my favorite stories about Lizzie is the journey she has taken in the past few years learning to cook. To say Lizzie was a picky eater as a child is an understatement. I'm talking the kind of picky where we had to pick up McDonald's chicken nuggets for her to take out to dinner. When she moved to Virginia, Lizzie joined a farm co-op and made it her mission to eat (and learn to cook) what she received in her box each week. There were some tedious days with a lot of kale and root vegetables, but Lizzie stuck it out (you can ready about her experience on this very blog!) and is now one of the most adventurous eaters I know. And an excellent cook!

More importantly than her expanding palette, I have loved seeing Lizzie mature and blossom into a beautiful woman. Her life verse is Jeremiah 29:11 "'For I know the plans I have for you', declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'" Her life is a shining example of her faithfulness to God's plan and her secure knowledge that His path will be far better than what she could plan for herself. Her latest move to Columbia was bittersweet. She was ready for new challenges in her career, but was leaving a fantastic community in Virginia. Not to mention all that needed to fall into place to make a move in a short period of time halfway across the country -- most pressing of course, a place to live. I'm not sure I could have made the same leap of faith, but she is settled in Columbia (for now) in a beautiful house with job she is enjoying.

Lizzie has moved around a fair amount, and the first thing she does in a new place is look for a church. While she is certainly looking for a way to meet new people, her primary focus is to find a place to serve in a community of believers. Lizzie volunteers in the nursery, joins up with women from all different walks of life for Bible Studies and even served a stint as a Sunday School teacher for five-year-olds. It would be very easy as a young single woman to pick a church based on how it will serve her, but Lizzie first seeks out the place were she can serve with the full confidence that finding her place in the community will bless her beyond her expectations.

Aunt Lizzie with her niece.

Lizzie, left, with her new sister-in-law.

Obviously, I am very proud of my little sister and think the world of her. If you are interested in getting to know her, please leave a comment on this post!