Going Home...

(*sigh*) home...packing...finals...Spring Concert...it's all too good to be true. I have successfully completed a full year of Bible College at Northland International University. It has been hard...really hard, but God has been overly gracious and brought me through it. If you had asked me last September whether or not I actually wanted to attend College, leave my family, and lose many people/things that were precious to me, I would have said "no."

Last September, I was angry with God...angry with my parents, and angry at the situation I had gotten myself into by "wanting to come to college". I was spiritually immature, as well as mentally immature. I was scared, I was insecure, I was shy. I didn't want to make new friends, I wanted to go back home to where things were familiar...safe. I didn't want to explore the world...I thought the world was mean...crual...harsh, and uncaring. I was scared to spread my wings to fly...I was scared I was going to take off, and then crash land.

Now, on May 12th, 2010, I am more confident, each day, learning to trust God again, and learning (each day) that He WILL provide whatever you need...whether it's strength to get through a day, grace to get everything done, or something bigger...God provides every single little thing that we will ever need in this life. From the little things such as getting up when your alarm goes off, to the big things of handling a life or death situation. God has been there, will be there, and will continue to be there.

I have met so many absolutely AMAZING people this year...it's going to be extremely difficult to leave them. Aaron Goings, Erin Miles, Stephanie Nielsen, Lena Searcy, Michael Griffith, Eric Lesner, Alicia Ball, Julianna (Juli) Killoran, Thomas Swope, Jacob Ignacio, Evan Bonner, Andy Rote, Bob Rankin, Ruth (Ruthie) Rankin, Hillary Rankin, Cameron Ferguson, Kayla Curell, Cristina Driskell, Hannah Clemments, Corey Richards, Dan Kimmel, Luke Gerhart, Britney Hamilton, Suzie Henry, Joshua (Josh) Rottshafer, Charise Schofield, Paul Simpkins, among countless others.

Going home will be a big challenge as well as a big blessing...a big blessing because I am home with the people I love the most, and I get to sleep, a big challenge because I am going to be constantly serving...and this time it won't be just for the praise of men...it will be to further the kingdom of God.

Boxes lay all over the floor. Big ones, little ones, tall ones, short ones. Skinny ones, fat ones, but where ever you look there are clothes out, belongings lay on beds, and boxes on the floor stuffed with peoples belongings. My own three boxes are on the ground next to my bed. Clothes, bedding, food, accessories, and books are just some of the things in my boxes. It gets frustrating quite quickly when I start running out of space with my three very large boxes to store things in.

Tonight is our last "Campus Church" for this year, and I can't wait to learn what God has for me to learn. It is sad in a way, because Campus church came at the exact time I needed it...mid-week. It was always a spiritual pick-me-up from the stresses of life, and I will miss the strong Christian fellowship that I get every time I'm there.

Going home is not going to be easy...it is going to be a dry and barren land of passive Christians, and apathetic teenagers, along with a desert of worn out mature Christians. I can only pray that I can be the encouragement and blessing that they need. I pray that the passion for Christ that He has instilled in me will come flowing out of me, and bless those around me. I hope that the work that God has done in my life will be an overflow into the ministry around me.

I hope to keep in contact with my friends over the summer, and keep each other accountable. (*sigh*) God has been faithful, He is faithful, and He will CONTINUE to be faithful!