let's talk about nashville.

a lot of times, i find myself having this conversation where i'm telling the other person about how i want to move to nashville. they never ask, but i always end up talking about it. probably because i want something more than what i have, something bigger. i'm a dreamer and i want to share that with people.

without fail, the other person always responds by asking me what's in nashville or why i want to move there. i usually reply by giving the short answer, for the sake of time and small talk. i want to go into artist management and i like the music scene in nashville. which easily translates into: i want to work in the music industry and nashville is music city.

the long answer involves a little less logic and a little more faith. and it's a story.

you see, i was a junior in college and i thought i knew what i wanted, finally. i thought i wanted to go to the university of hartford. i thought i wanted to be in their creative writing program. i thought i wanted to graduate with my bachelor's degree in english and then move to new york city or los angeles and have some fancy job. but three weeks in to my fall semester, i realized i had NO IDEA what i wanted. i was scared and upset and, most of all, miserable.

so i did the only thing i could do. i dropped my classes and tried this new thing called praying and actually waiting for God's direction. it was an entirely new concept to me, despite the fact that i grew up hearing all about how He has a plan for me. apparently, i took it upon myself to learn first hand what jeremiah 29:11 clearly states.

'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.'

and so, what ended up happening was this really neat thing. i stopped wanting what i thought i wanted and started wanting what He wanted for me. suddenly (which is a term i use very loosely because, let me tell you, it was a PROCESS), i had this new dream that's perfect and everything i never knew i wanted.

it was amazing and, to be honest, quite shocking. especially the part about nashville. because, really? nashville? i wanted to live in new york! or la! and yet, when i was given three location options that are the best for a career in the music industry (new york, la, and nashville), i suddenly felt like i wanted to live in nashville. NASHVILLE.

i actually spent some time praying the "are You sure?" prayer because i wasnt totally convinced. it was a city i had never been to or even thought twice about. how could it be my future? of course, i never did get an answer. but then again, when does God ever need to say, of course I'm sure?

so i want to move to nashville. but it's not just my dream. it's His dream.