Yes, it's only been two FULL days back on project as student staff and I'm exhausted!
This has been one heck of an adventure already! It's been so great to be able to have such an amazing team. We're already family and I love it. So, our first couple of days have gone like this
Day 1: Check-in, dinner, dessert, go home, get to know my roommates, sleep.
Day 2: Wake up, meeting at 8:30- 3:00. Another meeting at 4:15, grocery shopping, reading applications, studying materials, personality tests, more getting to know my super fantastic staff team, bed.
Day 3: Wake up, run, meetings 9-3:30 with a break for lunch, 3:30-5:30 planning and preparing and shopping for super secret project stuff, 5:30-6:30 dinner, 6:30-8:30 evangelism and debriefing, and now- I'm blogging.
Yep. Soon to be playing volleyball and swimming and then probably studying up on our materials again.
Then bed.
Then waking up for a 9-5 work day tomorrow. Meaning a 9-5 meeting with Dr. Phil deciphering our personality tests. This is whole different kind of experience. And I like it.
More information to come. Life is too hectic right now for an actual blog post, so this will have to do. I apologize for the lack of flow and competence. It's been a long couple of days.
Time for VOLLEYBALL!
Friday, May 25, 2012
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Hospitality
Howdy folks!
I made it back down to Florida and just finished up my first week back at Disney (in Frontierland if you couldn't guess)!
This post isn't going to be about Disney though. Okay... maybe it will be indirectly. So, I have this amazing friend, Jess. She has this fiance, Jimmy. They're great. Probably two of the most generous, most hospitable people I know. Here's a picture.
Back to the point. They have willingly opened their house to me this past week, a week over Christmas break, and Thanksgiving break. AND they're letting me move in after project for five weeks AND they have offered me a possible place to live if I move down to the good old sunshine state after I graduate. They have been such blessings in my life and I don't think they know it.
They have been so selfless and through their selflessness, I have realized my selfishness. In a lot of things. In my relationships, in my work ethic, in my thoughts, in my money, in my entire life. Conviction. God calls us to be selfless as these two have been. He calls us to give to others who are in need and to serve everyone around us (see Mark 10:44-45, Philippians 2:1-11, 1 Peter 4:10-11, Acts 20:35, etc.). Basically- serving others is a very prominent theme in the Bible.
I realized today at work (while I was doing it I might add) how selfish I had become. I was working drinks and someone got themselves a cup of gatorade while I was working on an order. On the outside I was calm... quiet, but calm. On the inside, I was getting really angry. Not to mention thinking all of these horrible things about this person being so selfish and not caring about anyone except for themselves. And then it was like I was responding to myself in my own head and simply said, "Oh really now? Who's the selfish one?" Immediate guilt, but no change in my attitude.
I feel like God is slapping me on the hand. Showing me how a servant is supposed to be. I'm not the perfect roommate. And the only time that Jess and I ever get to see each other is when I'm down here asking her to let me sleep at her house.
God is teaching me how to be a servant by allowing me to be served. Talk about grace.
I made it back down to Florida and just finished up my first week back at Disney (in Frontierland if you couldn't guess)!
This post isn't going to be about Disney though. Okay... maybe it will be indirectly. So, I have this amazing friend, Jess. She has this fiance, Jimmy. They're great. Probably two of the most generous, most hospitable people I know. Here's a picture.
Back to the point. They have willingly opened their house to me this past week, a week over Christmas break, and Thanksgiving break. AND they're letting me move in after project for five weeks AND they have offered me a possible place to live if I move down to the good old sunshine state after I graduate. They have been such blessings in my life and I don't think they know it.
They have been so selfless and through their selflessness, I have realized my selfishness. In a lot of things. In my relationships, in my work ethic, in my thoughts, in my money, in my entire life. Conviction. God calls us to be selfless as these two have been. He calls us to give to others who are in need and to serve everyone around us (see Mark 10:44-45, Philippians 2:1-11, 1 Peter 4:10-11, Acts 20:35, etc.). Basically- serving others is a very prominent theme in the Bible.
I realized today at work (while I was doing it I might add) how selfish I had become. I was working drinks and someone got themselves a cup of gatorade while I was working on an order. On the outside I was calm... quiet, but calm. On the inside, I was getting really angry. Not to mention thinking all of these horrible things about this person being so selfish and not caring about anyone except for themselves. And then it was like I was responding to myself in my own head and simply said, "Oh really now? Who's the selfish one?" Immediate guilt, but no change in my attitude.
I feel like God is slapping me on the hand. Showing me how a servant is supposed to be. I'm not the perfect roommate. And the only time that Jess and I ever get to see each other is when I'm down here asking her to let me sleep at her house.
God is teaching me how to be a servant by allowing me to be served. Talk about grace.
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
SO CLOSE!
THIS is the face of a very happy girl who just hit 75% supported! God has been moving these past couple of days! Only $368 to go! Relying on God to provide the rest! So blessed. So astounded. So dumbfounded.
So humbled.
Monday, May 14, 2012
On The Road
Being on the road definitely isn't a foreign concept to me. Every summer I find myself being a bit of a gypsy. On the road to and from Florida, visiting my dad in Alabama, and visiting friends in different states. Not to mention going home for about a week at a time. I always seem to be on the move and never stay in one place for too long.
God has definitely blessed me with an adventurous life full of surprises. Some of these surprises aren't necessarily desired because of the nature of my lifestyle. All of this traveling means always relying on the grace of my friends or family friends to stay with them.
Thankfully, I have been blessed with places to stay everywhere I go. For instance:
Right now: I get to stay in Alabama with my dad for a couple of days so I can continue to raise support and call the girls that are going on project so that I don't have to do that while I'm on the road or busy with work in Florida.
Thursday- first day of project: My friend, Jess, has opened her home to me (just as she has several times before). Her fiancee's family is even in town and she is still willing to let me crash on her couch (even her floor would suffice). I can't even begin to explain how thankful I am for this woman in my life. She has always been so generous and loving towards me and has never asked for anything in return. True friend ladies and gents. True friend.
Then, from May 23rd-July 7th I will be living with the Walt Disney World Summer Project at the Mike Ditka Resort! This is going to flashback central. These condos are some of the best housing that summer project has to offer its students and I couldn't be more grateful for the living arrangements there.
July 8th- August 8th: This is what I need prayer for. I still haven't made concrete plans for this month. Hopefully my friend, Jackson, who I became friends with last summer and his roommates will lovingly and graciously accept me into their apartment and allow me to rest my head on their floor, but it's not for sure.
Being on the road. My adventurous life. Never thought I would be here as a 20 year old. Traveling back and forth to Florida by myself twice, maybe three times a year. Making a drive to Alabama seem like a puddle jump. So great.
I absolutely love my life.
God has definitely blessed me with an adventurous life full of surprises. Some of these surprises aren't necessarily desired because of the nature of my lifestyle. All of this traveling means always relying on the grace of my friends or family friends to stay with them.
Thankfully, I have been blessed with places to stay everywhere I go. For instance:
Right now: I get to stay in Alabama with my dad for a couple of days so I can continue to raise support and call the girls that are going on project so that I don't have to do that while I'm on the road or busy with work in Florida.
Thursday- first day of project: My friend, Jess, has opened her home to me (just as she has several times before). Her fiancee's family is even in town and she is still willing to let me crash on her couch (even her floor would suffice). I can't even begin to explain how thankful I am for this woman in my life. She has always been so generous and loving towards me and has never asked for anything in return. True friend ladies and gents. True friend.
Then, from May 23rd-July 7th I will be living with the Walt Disney World Summer Project at the Mike Ditka Resort! This is going to flashback central. These condos are some of the best housing that summer project has to offer its students and I couldn't be more grateful for the living arrangements there.
July 8th- August 8th: This is what I need prayer for. I still haven't made concrete plans for this month. Hopefully my friend, Jackson, who I became friends with last summer and his roommates will lovingly and graciously accept me into their apartment and allow me to rest my head on their floor, but it's not for sure.
Being on the road. My adventurous life. Never thought I would be here as a 20 year old. Traveling back and forth to Florida by myself twice, maybe three times a year. Making a drive to Alabama seem like a puddle jump. So great.
I absolutely love my life.
Thursday, May 10, 2012
I'm Almost There- Kind of like Tiana...
So, these past few weeks have been absolutely insane with the end of the school year, my birthday and coming home. Not to mention finishing up support raising AND getting ready for project! Let me tell you, God is at WORK!
So, school is school. It's stressful, but you just have to pull through it. Hell week for me was the epitome of hell weeks. I had 3 presentations, 2 finals, 3 papers, a quiz, a group project, and... I think that's it. ALL due in one week? Crazy talk. Got it done. Demolished. The end. Finals week- 2 finals, 3 shifts at work, and birthday celebrations. Talk about fun town. I have the best life in the world. That's all there is to it.
My birthday was phenomenal. So many amazing friends. I am so blessed by them.
Coming home has been a journey. I always have to prepare my heart for home. It's hard not being surrounded by such an amazing community like the one I have at school. I go from being poured into daily to not really being around Christians at all. It's a tough transition being talked down to because of my beliefs, but God always shows up. That has been so encouraging this week. God has given me so much joy in Him and only Him. He has humbled me and brought me to understand His truths and that He is who he says he is. And that's all I need. He's the great I AM. He's bigger than any situation, any sin, and any circumstance that I'm thrown into. He's SO BIG.
Support raising- still at about 50%. I need about $700 in order to be fully funded. I have been getting a lot of "maybes" and "we'll pray about its" and "yeah I'd love tos," but no follow throughs as of right now. Which is discouraging, but also encouraging. At least I know that my summer project to Walt Disney World is catching some attention. I sent in my support letter to the missions team at my home church and they have been great about sending it out the members of the church. And my church at school is supporting me. I know God is going to find a way to get me there. He's called me for a reason. If it's His will, I'll be there one way or another. Prayers would be greatly appreciated for this aspect of getting ready for project.
Getting ready for project... oh dear.
Packing- nonexistent at the moment. My room looks like a tornado ran through it. Looks like I have a couple of hours of packing to do tomorrow.
Preparing myself for the drive- I've done it a million times, but each time it gets a little harder to keep my sanity in tact. Be praying for that.
Leaving home- this is possibly the hardest time I've had saying goodbye to both my home home and my school home. Muncie holds my family. It holds the people that I love so much. I'm going to miss everyone so much over the summer. God is going to do great things through all of them wherever they are, I know it, but I'm still allowed to miss them right?
Calling my project girls- I have fallen in love with the women of WDWSP12 already. I can't believe it. They are incredible, godly women. I can already tell I'm going to be in tears leaving them after the summer is over. People. I just love them. End of story.
God has been absolutely wonderful. I have been completely overwhelmed by His love, grace, justice, kindness, sovereignty, strength, will, EVERYTHING!
One of the most powerful nights I've had lately was with a friend just talking about the gospel for a while over facebook chat. I was literally in tears. It's amazing how we think we have it all together for so long. We think that we finally are okay and that we fully understand and comprehend the gospel sometimes. And then someone speaks it into our lives- unedited, completely out of love, and it's so intense. It just hits, you know? You start to realize how broken and messed up and hurt you still are. And then there's grace and love and the goodness of God being spoken into your life. The amazing gospel of Jesus Christ. Right there. All of a sudden, you realize that you still need to hear the good news of Jesus taking the cross for you EVERY single day of your life. Every second, I need to be reminded of the gospel. Not only do I need it, but I want it. Every second of my life I want the gospel. It's too great not to desperately desire it. The love that is expressed in the ultimate fairy tale of the Creator of the universe coming down and dying for YOU quenches the soul like nothing else. It overcomes any hatred, it conquers every fear, and it can save any person if they welcome it to. Power like that, it's impossible for us to fathom. But it's true.
It's true.
So, school is school. It's stressful, but you just have to pull through it. Hell week for me was the epitome of hell weeks. I had 3 presentations, 2 finals, 3 papers, a quiz, a group project, and... I think that's it. ALL due in one week? Crazy talk. Got it done. Demolished. The end. Finals week- 2 finals, 3 shifts at work, and birthday celebrations. Talk about fun town. I have the best life in the world. That's all there is to it.
My birthday was phenomenal. So many amazing friends. I am so blessed by them.
Coming home has been a journey. I always have to prepare my heart for home. It's hard not being surrounded by such an amazing community like the one I have at school. I go from being poured into daily to not really being around Christians at all. It's a tough transition being talked down to because of my beliefs, but God always shows up. That has been so encouraging this week. God has given me so much joy in Him and only Him. He has humbled me and brought me to understand His truths and that He is who he says he is. And that's all I need. He's the great I AM. He's bigger than any situation, any sin, and any circumstance that I'm thrown into. He's SO BIG.
Support raising- still at about 50%. I need about $700 in order to be fully funded. I have been getting a lot of "maybes" and "we'll pray about its" and "yeah I'd love tos," but no follow throughs as of right now. Which is discouraging, but also encouraging. At least I know that my summer project to Walt Disney World is catching some attention. I sent in my support letter to the missions team at my home church and they have been great about sending it out the members of the church. And my church at school is supporting me. I know God is going to find a way to get me there. He's called me for a reason. If it's His will, I'll be there one way or another. Prayers would be greatly appreciated for this aspect of getting ready for project.
Getting ready for project... oh dear.
Packing- nonexistent at the moment. My room looks like a tornado ran through it. Looks like I have a couple of hours of packing to do tomorrow.
Preparing myself for the drive- I've done it a million times, but each time it gets a little harder to keep my sanity in tact. Be praying for that.
Leaving home- this is possibly the hardest time I've had saying goodbye to both my home home and my school home. Muncie holds my family. It holds the people that I love so much. I'm going to miss everyone so much over the summer. God is going to do great things through all of them wherever they are, I know it, but I'm still allowed to miss them right?
Calling my project girls- I have fallen in love with the women of WDWSP12 already. I can't believe it. They are incredible, godly women. I can already tell I'm going to be in tears leaving them after the summer is over. People. I just love them. End of story.
God has been absolutely wonderful. I have been completely overwhelmed by His love, grace, justice, kindness, sovereignty, strength, will, EVERYTHING!
One of the most powerful nights I've had lately was with a friend just talking about the gospel for a while over facebook chat. I was literally in tears. It's amazing how we think we have it all together for so long. We think that we finally are okay and that we fully understand and comprehend the gospel sometimes. And then someone speaks it into our lives- unedited, completely out of love, and it's so intense. It just hits, you know? You start to realize how broken and messed up and hurt you still are. And then there's grace and love and the goodness of God being spoken into your life. The amazing gospel of Jesus Christ. Right there. All of a sudden, you realize that you still need to hear the good news of Jesus taking the cross for you EVERY single day of your life. Every second, I need to be reminded of the gospel. Not only do I need it, but I want it. Every second of my life I want the gospel. It's too great not to desperately desire it. The love that is expressed in the ultimate fairy tale of the Creator of the universe coming down and dying for YOU quenches the soul like nothing else. It overcomes any hatred, it conquers every fear, and it can save any person if they welcome it to. Power like that, it's impossible for us to fathom. But it's true.
It's true.
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