Hey guys! I hope this blog post finds you all happy, healthy, and enjoying life. The reason I haven’t written in awhile is because I have been so busy with homework, classes, and work—college is tough stuff. I haven’t even had time to do any of the fun stuff the college has to offer, like the water park or the roller rink. Maybe this weekend I will get a chance to do some of that stuff …or maybe not…Chemistry and Biology are ruling my life.

I have several close friends, and many friend friends who have made classes more interesting, meals more exciting, and dorm life a lot of fun. I am making so many life memories that I will keep with me forever.

Most of the teachers are pretty amazing, even giving students their cell numbers in case we need anything. Classes have been really tough and the teachers have assigned so much homework over the last few days. I’ve been scrambling like mad in order to finish it all on time. I did get a 100% on my first Chem and Bio quiz, so I was pretty happy about that!

God has been so good to me since I’ve been here, he never lets me down. Even in the times where I don’t want to do something, like work or homework, he always gives me enough endurance to finish whatever I’m working on. But it hasn’t been easy; I am struggling a lot. I was really homesick yesterday, and I was really down about everything. It felt like I was barely keeping my head above water with my classes and homework. I felt like no one cared. I felt stupid because I didn’t understand certain material the teachers were talking about. I was having a really miserable day and even got “written up” because I didn’t take out the trash in my dorm room. That really got me—getting written up for something as dumb as not emptying a half-empty trash can because I was worried about more important things like the two quizzes I was getting ready to face or the strict supervisor I was getting ready to go work for at 6:45 in the morning. I’m not bitter about the trash thing at all, can you tell? After the majority of that epically miserable day was over, I was forced to attend chapel. Now granted, as a Christian I should want to go learn more about my Savior, but here it’s so different. Back home I know the preacher is very sincere in his message, and I really feel like I’m singing to God with all of my heart during worship. Here it kinda feels like a production, and the only music we sing and are allowed to listen to are hymns. But I think that it is good for me…at least right now. The past several months I really have depended on my church, my Christian friends, and the fellowship we have together to motivate me or draw me closer to God. I don’t have that here, I just have a raw relationship…it’s me, God, and nothing else but my desire to know my Savior that keeps me close to him. I was broken last night, and drew close to God for comfort only because I know I wouldn’t be able to find it anywhere else. I cried out to him when I needed someone to be there, and he was ever-faithful and allowed me to sleep with a peace like no other and forget about the ridiculously horrible day. Last night before bed I read Isaiah 26:3-4 that says, “You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord, is the Rock eternal.”

I got up this morning praying things would go better than yesterday. I got up at 5:45, got all my stuff together, and went to work. In the mornings I clean a lobby and the entrance outside, so I work by myself. We are not supposed to sing while we work, but I didn’t care today. I belted out the tunes, singing real songs that praise my Savior and not dumb hymns that mean nothing to me as I worked my butt off. I had fun, and after I clocked out my super strict supervisor complimented my work and said I have been doing a great job. It was really nice to hear, because I really thought she didn’t like me, or at least didn’t appreciate all the effort I put into my job. I had two classes and chapel today, and those all went ok. This whole afternoon I have been trying to work on homework and finish all my reading assignments, but it hasn’t gone so well. I’m just having a really hard time understanding things and grasping concepts, so I’m hoping to work on that over the next couple of days because I have my first test on Monday.

Please continue praying for me guys…I would really appreciate it. Thanks for taking the time to read this, hopefully as times progresses I will be able to write more often. God bless :)

Wow College is Hard

Wow College is hard. I really don’t have a clue about what is going on, and I don’t really know what to do next. There is no easy button, and no one really to give you advice on anything unless you can find an upperclassman that knows everything and is willing to help you out. I didn’t expect it to be this tough, I really didn’t. I don’t understand how I can work, get all my classes set up, and do everything I need to do to make everyone happy. I don’t want you to misunderstand me—I am having a great time, I’m just a little lost. Tomorrow is going to be extremely tough for me….I have my first day of work in the morning, I have to take a couple of placement tests, meet with my advisor, register for classes, go to the first meeting with all the students for the year , and go back to work again tomorrow evening. It will be a very long day, so if you could be praying for me I would appreciate it so much!

Besides all the stresses of things going on, I have had a great time. I have a really amazing friend named Nicole, God totally set us up together for a purpose. I t was so random how we met, but we are so much alike and have been a big blessing to each other the past two days. She is in the room across the hall, but I have a feeling we will be together more than me and my roommates. Speaking of the roommate situation, it has been quite interesting. I only have one right now, and she is a very amusing person. She is extremely nice, but we are exact opposites and didn’t off to the greatest start. Her name is Jinn, she is Korean, and she screamed at me the first time she saw me in the room. We’ll have to see what happens in the future with our relationship, haha. We are still waiting on the arrival of our other two roommates, who will be here by tomorrow night. I hope they are chill and we get along ok, I really need some more friends to hang out with…or at least I feel like I do because I’ve only talked to a couple of people since I’ve been here.

I am on the 7th floor of my building, and the elevators haven’t been working very well since I got here. Needless to say, I have walked up and down those flights of stairs SEVERAL times…ugghhh. I thought I would get fat coming to college, but it looks like I may lose a few pounds…or twenty.

Other than that I have a squeaky bed, a bathroom to share with 7 other girls, and more things to do than I could even fit into an entire lifetime. God is good, college is hard, and Psalms 37:3-5 is a passage of scripture I need to read every day to keep me going. “Trust in the Lord and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. COMMIT THY WAY UNTO THE LORD; TRUST ALSO IN HIM AND HE SHALL BRING IT TO PASS.”

I need to look at every day as an opportunity to serve God… to glorify him by casting all my cares on him…I need to let go and let God lead as I enter this critical stage of my life. I may not like how things turn out, but God has a purpose and a plan for everything…I just need to remember that.

9-3-09

Bye

So saying goodbye is tough...definitely not my favorite thing to do. I'm sure tomorrow will contain many tearful goodbyes to amazing friends and family as well. My bible verse for the day? Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 "Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up. Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; but how can one be warm alone? Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken." Let's not forget to encourage and strengthen one another guys. I know right now I could definitely use your prayers as I prepare to leave for school. Just pray that I would make friends that would help me grow, that I would keep a great attitude, that God would use me, and that I wouldn't let anything hold me back--especially nerves. I appreciate everyone who has helped me, I really appreciate the prayers and the encouragement. Thanks guys!