The following post is written by my friend, Faren Kirkland.
Life in the Last Frontier
A year ago, I stepped into a new journey of solo living. In my 30 years of life, this was the first time I lived completely on my own. I spent the past 6 years post-grad, living in Alaska with roommates.
Though life with them was so much fun, heading towards year 7 in the Last Frontier I felt a nudge for change. A new adventure calling my name. I found my adorable duplex apartment on a random marketplace add. Just two days after my walk-in viewing, I signed a lease! I was not sure what I had just done but amidst all my feelings at the time, there was peace. I was taking a huge leap in the right direction, unbeknownst to me, heading down a path of transformation.
This season, living alone produced tremendous self-growth. I learned many new things such as:
- how to process disappointment and grief in healthy ways
- cut negative coping skills from my life (emotional eating and shopping to name a few)
- develop a more disciplined prayer life
- shop thriftily to create a home, determine my décor style (lots of Pinterest, reassurance from my interior designer sister)
Some of these lessons were fun while others more challenging. However, there was one invaluable lesson God taught me this past year which far surpassed the others. That lesson was this: We are always invited into and graced with the mentality of living life without perceived lack.
Learning to Live in Psalm 23
This reality comes from Psalm 23. The first verse says, “The Lord is my Shepherd. I have no lack.” In its most simplistic form, this means that God will always provide for and attend to needs. But it is more complex than that. The truth is, that God provides for us everything we need in every moment of every day. So, if we perceive we are missing something, the hard truth is that we do not really need it. If we did, God would have provided it.
“The Lord is my Shepherd. I have no lack.”
Psalm 23
Now, if we know that God can meet our every need then we must start choosing to believe it! Attitudes must shift when we perceive a lack. Our daily mindset should be “I have no lack.” This was my mantra for the year.
- When I had to save money to buy furniture for my place and watch movies in a sleeping bag on the floor, “I have no lack.”
- When I wanted to move to pursue career opportunities, I did not think I had here, “I have no lack.”
- When I cried many times in my singleness feeling lonely, “I have no lack.”
- When I surrendered a career dream I have had for a long time because God asked me to, “I have no lack.”
There were countless other times I felt a lack in this past year, but this was the reality that God continually brought me back to. He has sustained me. He has and does provide, and He gives the most precious of gifts.
This year has been a blessing despite the hardships. If learning this lesson was the only reason, I had to endure this year…well, then it was worth it. Because it is true. We truly lack nothing when our soul is secure in Jesus.
Faren Kirkland
@farenk1
Meet Faren!
Career:
I’m a registered nurse, 7 years now. Most of my career has been in adolescent/pediatric mental health. Currently working as a case manager in a pediatric neurology clinic. I finished grad school in May 2019, with my master’s in Healthcare Administration with a concentration on organizational leadership. I have no idea where this will lead me but my dream job would entail international healthcare consulting.
Hobbies:
- Reading (love books on spiritual life, self-development/enneagram, and mysteries)
- Traveling (I’ve been traveling for a solid decade & have been to 13 countries)
- Baking/cooking/hosting
- Foodie & wine snob
- Plants (new thing)
Passions:
- Discipleship & mentorship
- Young Life ministry
- Mental health & spiritual care
- Teaching & study of the Bible
Style:
It’s all over the place but boho is a consistent style theme for me — I love dresses, heeled boots/booties, felt hats, long sweaters, kimonos. Every day looks change with seasons but I’m usually a ripped jeans with booties kinda gal!
