I have no idea how these last 6 months have passed so fast. It's been a whirlwind of craziness with no time to process. When I've tried to give people a quick update on my life many get very confused about where I was/am/will be and when and what I'm doing. Well, here's the summary: I spent the month of May at home, the month of June in Thailand serving with the Feed My Lambs Foundation, the month of July in Central America living with a pastor and his family and serving their church, I had a week of recuperation and preparation back at home, and then, somehow, I found myself heading back here to Judson University a week early for Resident Assistant training, moving into the freshman girls dorm of Ohio Hall, and then going to classes and assuming my RA duties. For my practicum class this year I am, along with another Judson Christian Ministries student, running a ministry to under-resourced children living in an apartment complex 10 minutes from campus. Every Thursday night we have a time of worship, teaching from the Bible, small groups, snacks, homework help, and reading and math practice. For another class, I am creating a hypothetical ministry. This includes writing a theology, philosophy, staff recruitment and training plans, creating programs and events, and putting together a year-long calendar, to name just a few. To put it another way I went from ministry abroad to living in ministry, creating ministry, learning about ministry, and running a ministry. On top of all this I'm trying to have friends and do well in all my classes. Now that it's getting down to finals, I feel like it's all pressing in on me, and it's a bit overwhelming. Prayers for all these ministries I have been so blessed to be a part of and for school in general would be wonderful (good grades would be nice). I hope to get some blogging done over Christmas break so I can share some more specific and awesome God stories from all these ministries! I am tired, a bit anxious, overwhelmed, and feel like I'm going a little insane, BUT I am also growing, learning, being stretched, seeing God in new ways, discovering things about myself, and being so incredibly and undeservedly blessed by all I am involved in. I realize that this is a very unique time in my life, and, despite the difficulties, I am enjoying everything I'm doing and thankful for every crazy part of it!
I also want to thank everyone again who supported me over the summer, has kept up with my updates, has encouraged me, and has remembered me in their prayers. This means the world to me, and, God knows, without you all in my life, none of what I'm doing would be possible. So, thank you for being part of every ministry, every life change, every time of growth, every miracle, ... Thank you for being the hands, feet, and words of the Lord for me.
God bless!
"I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now" -Philippians 1:3-4
