Hello!!!!
The semester is finally over and I feel like I have time to breathe!!!!  This semester flew by, it was very full, but I had enough time to have fun, and I have a new addition in my life, named Evan!  We met in November and started dating shortly after that.  He's from Indiana, so I have been busy driving down there on weekends, or having him visit me up here.  Last weekend he finally shaved off his beard for me.  It was good to spend some time with him, and meet some more of his family too.  He's really funny and makes me laugh, he also likes to take walks and help me cook!  He prays a lot, and is involved in his church, and tries to make Christ a priority in his life.  I like him. a lot! :-)

Other than that, my brother is getting married, so my family conversations usually revolve around their wedding plans, and I am excited I get to help my mom garden this weekend (one of our favorite past times!)

This summer I will be in Orlando for 4 weeks taking bible classes, so I am really excited to see some friends down there, but I have a LOT of reading to do ahead of time to prepare. yikes!!!!!  So my days are filled with those things, trying to keep busy and catch up on all the things I didn't get to during the semester, or last semester for that matter!

I'm excited because this summer I will have my friends from bible study to hang out with during the week when I have some free time, so I won't be as lonely, but have good community here in East Lansing.   That's all my thoughts for now!

Seasons

This season of my life has been comparably better than the past few. Last spring I was getting ready to lead a trip to the Middle East, and had a little bit of spiritual battle that really took a toll on me for part of the semester, but it really in the end helped me draw closer to friends here in Lansing, and develop some great relationships of people that really care for me, and support me.

Then the summer was great, kind of a blur traveling, leading, learning responsibilities, and just seeing and experiencing the world.

Coming back from the summer, I crashed, physically, emotionally, and spiritually drained. I was sleeping 11 hours a night for a couple weeks, and right as I was getting on my feet, it was back into the fall semester. I went in thinking I had lots of energy, and I was ready to tackle the new semester. Quickly I realized I wasn't. I got overwhelmed so quickly getting surrounded by activities and meeting new people. I think I was just hitting a hard season of my life. I felt like God had a lot of work he wanted to do in me. Help face things I have never actually dealt with, but instead just shoved down again and again. He needed me to be stripped of all the other things, and have me at a place where I was pretty raw before I would actually look at myself and see who I am, and what makes me me. I felt sort of like Job, and how Satan asked for permission to "sift" him. I felt like I was being sifted this fall, and was not found wanting. If anything, it proved to me how strong my faith is. That even in the midst of some of my lowest feeling times, I still grasped onto the Lord for dear life. well at least it felt like that. He is my lifeline, and I felt like he brought me through some things that were painful, some seemed out of the blue. Over and over and over again though he would use what was going on in my life, so I could help others dealing with the same things!!!

Yesterday I talked to a girl that told me how she was struggling with some things in her life, and even doubting her faith, even though logically she still knew it to be true. It was so cool to be able to sit with her, and encourage her. I feel like most people who claim they are Christians would probably have condemned her for doubting her faith, or tried to give her a pat answer. I was able to just speak truth to her, and let her know she's not alone. Others, even the strongest Christians doubt. 1 Peter 5 says how all over the world the family of God is facing similar things. I myself have doubted many times, but I am faced with John 6:66-69 - "Lord to whom shall we go? Only you have the words of Eternal life"

I am so thankful now for all the different seasons I've been through. It's helped me learn more about myself, what makes me tick, and really be able to relate to others in a way I never could have before.

It's so hard when you are in a difficult season. We are never promised it will be easy. But we are PROMISED hope. "(Christ speaking)I have told you these things so that you may have peace in me. In this would there will be many tribulations, but take heart I have overcome the world" John 16:33

I am now ready for the next season!!!! I currently have a boyfriend (new territory for me!) it's so weird to be in a relationship because I've always been the single friend for the past 9 years, and now suddenly I'm the one with a boyfriend. It's cool learning a LOT about relationships. Not just with him, but about how we relate to people in general. It's cool seeing God love me through him, and I am just enjoying the ride!

Thank you too for all your prayers for me. It's really been helpful for me the past few seasons, and has helped me pull through, even if you didn't know everything that was going on. I appreciate you and look forward to the continuation of the journey before me. bumps along the road and everything!

Catching up

The past few weeks have been awesome. After campus ended for the semester, I spent a week catching up on work stuff, and seeing people I hadn't gotten to see all semester.

This fall was super busy, and a bit rough. It had some rough patches, but by Thanksgiving I felt a lot more momentum, even though the semester was ending.

The week before Christmas I got to spend with my parents in Florida. It was a perfect ending to unwind from the semester. The weather was beautiful, and it was so nice to just relax and enjoy spending time with my parents.

The week after Christmas we had our yearly "Vision" conference with Bridges. Over 1000 students from all over the US filled 3 hotels, and represents about 60 nations!!! It was exciting, but also overwhelming. Each day was packed with conference speakers, seminars, small group discussion times, touring DC, and spiritual conversations. Students stayed up into the wee hours of the morning sharing the gospel with other students. Even though I got "enough" sleep, each day I could barely keep my eyes open past 8pm, because of all the activities. It was fun though. Two girls I had brought were not sure if they wanted to come. one was an American senior, and if she came with Bridges she'd mis

s out being with all her friends at another conference in Indianapolis. The other girl was Chinese, and likes sleeping, and is just starting to learn more about God, and would have preferred going somewhere warm. Well they both had an excellent time, learned a lot, had great conversations, and really got to draw closer to God and understand His heart for the world.

This week I am take a couple days to visit one of my best friends in Delaware, and just enjoy spending quality time with her and her husband. I'm getting to relax, but also get stuff done since they both have to work, but it's nice I can help them out, and just take a few days to rest before I head back to East Lansing.

I can't say I'm ready for the semester to start, and I have definitely enjoyed having much warmer weather, but I feel like I am expectant for this semester. That God will do a lot, keep me busy, and I am hoping I don't get drained.

Thanks for hanging in there despite the lack of updates since this summer! hopefully more to follow soon!