Today is the day

Well it has finally come...school. dun dun...dun.

Today I move out of the house I am currently living at into the dorms. Yes I still have more packing to do, but this is called procrastination. It feels so odd to think that I won't have to cook for myself, or have a shower to myself for the next 9 months. I ended up enjoying the cooking despite what I thought. I found that if I cook for myself I can eat a lot healthier. My weakness is pasta. I am so thankful to have had a place to stay this summer that didn't require rent and was only five minutes from work. God provided every step of the way this summer. He surprised me in mighty ways and has made me a little more like the woman He knows I will be.

All this does not mean that I love transition, because frankly I can't stand times like these. Yesterday I was in Charleston and got to visit with my friends Trisha and Emily for a couple of hours. Finally left at 9pm after having dinner with the folks. I hopped in my car and as I drove down 26 I was listening to familiar praise songs. A sure reminder that God doesn't change with my environment. This morning I beat the rooster to work and as I drove back to this house from work more familiar praise songs filled my ears. Once again a sure reminder that God doesn't change with my environment. Sometimes I find that my "safe" place is my car because that is the only environment that seems to never change (at least for not however-many miles). It isn't my car though, it is God. God meets me where I am. He goes before me and sets up a guard so that I might be under His protection.

As I start my second year of college I have many memories of what God did in my heart this summer. However my God does not change just because I am in a new setting. You see God has done and shown me so many amazing things that I feel as if I am a new person going to an "old" environment when I think of going back to school. That mere fact sometimes gets butterflies swarming in my stomach. There are going to be challenges this year, some I am already facing, others I have no clue about but He remains constant.

I am very lucky to have such amazing gals in my life that are going to pray for me today around 4pm. God says to be continually in prayer and to pray for one another. And to lift up one another's burdens. Something I need to make a habit of. Here are some ways you can be praying for me:

Balancing school, social time, and work

Having consistent God time each day

Sleep---I have been having a rough time again

For God to create around me a healthy community and that I would engage that community

Opportunities to serve others and my coworkers

Kimberly (my roommate) and my relationship

Thanks for following through out the summer. I love sitting down and updating you on what is going on here in Columbia. It is such a blessing to have you read.

With love,

The College Girl

He speaks and...

It seems that so much has been going on lately. I don't really know where to begin to update you.

God has given me a complete change of perception. It is amazing! Life takes us down roads that we never dreamed of going down. Some of those places are great surprises and others are great tragedies. God does not create the bad things in our life, however He can allow them to happen. Part of the fact that we live in a fallen world means that there is going to be pain and hurt. So about a week or two ago I asked God why? Why was it that He allowed something bad happen to me. The conversation started with me taking some of my thoughts to him...lies that I had come to believe about myself and He replaced those lies with words of truth. He spoke so boldly and caring. That the answer to my question "why" came as a slight shock. His answer:

"Because I love you."

"What God? I don't understand."

"I'm going to show you."

I felt such a peace wash over me. Sure enough He did show me. He showed me that He didn't rejoice in my time of hurt, but that He allowed it so that I would come to know Him more intimately. My pain was a gift from God. It sounds almost absurd, but that sentence has brought so much healing in my life. My perception of healing and my hurt took a 180 degree turn. If this was a "gift" then why do I continuously dig my heels in the dirt and say that I don't want to go there and resist what God is wanting to do in my life? If this pain is a gift, then my attitude is "okay God lets go".

Healing is a process, but it is not that the prize is life and freedom. We have been given freedom through Christ's death and this is life that we live. Don't get caught up in the healing "process", just live life, listening to God.

Can I trust God enough to be my protector that I can allow Him to rip out my man-made protection? Yes! Because if He allows pain so that I might know His love more, then it is worth it. Because the love far out weighs the pain.

This new bit of truth has energized me and fueled my passion for ministry. I want to share my story because I don't think I can keep inside what Christ has done! This week God has been continuously breaking my heart for the lost. And breaking my heart over the church. I am fed up with the game of church. Scripture says in Revelation if you are lukewarm God would like it better if you were hot or cold, but because you are lukewarm He spits you out of His mouth. So many of our churches are being shot out of the mouth of God. And you know what that does for the Body's witness...it destroys it! I was talking to a guy just yesterday and He said that the church is fake and that He sees no difference in those who attend church and those who don't. I'm not talking about watch what you say and watch what you do...no, I am talking about being real, and on fire for God so much so that it is not just a religious thing, but it is a relationship. Satan is masquerading in our churches, He dances on our stages, and rejoices in our lukewarmness. It is time that we rise up and fight and take up the calling that Christ has given us...His ambassadors!

School Days

I have a week until I move back in the dorms. I cannot believe it. Kimberly and I went in this past week and put up our loft and moved in our couch and some of my stuff. It is a pretty awesome set up. I will have to post some pictures when we finally get settled in.

I am looking forward to school starting back up, but at the same time feeling a little weird about it. I can see God's fingerprints all over this summer. The transition into summer was not a comfortable one for me, but now I am 100% delighted that God told me to stay in Columbia. I am reminded of a verse as I think of what this summer was to me.
"Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak tenderly to her." Hosea 2:14

God is faithful and I know He will remain the same through out the school year. Transition is upon me again but I am praying that I let God lead and that my heels do not sink in the dirt.

Thanks for reading,

The college girl