Semester done already?

I finally reached the light at the end of this tunnel at least this semester. Tomorrow is the first day of final exams for the fall semester of my second sophomore year. Where has time gone?

My semester probably could be summed up into one word: redemptive.

Last semester, I lost a really close friend not by death but by allowing my friendship to take the place of my relationship with God. After all the drama occurred I ran to God only in hopes of getting her back. I never really had that thought they she could see though it or I needed to really turn to God. He is the giver of all good things, so He gave me her at that time but now needed to take her away because of the way I sort of held her as an idol in my life. I ran to her for everything, she was who I went to for advice, who I vented to, studied with, ate with, shopped with and hung out with. It was harding losing someone who occupied your whole life. The worst part was she lived under the same roof with me, and rarely spoke to me. A letter was written to me by her, that really made me look at myself in the mirror but for all the wrong reasons. We went our separate ways in May. I spoke to her maybe a few times before this fall regarding things of mine that she still had. Out of no where one night, I got a Facebook message from her apologizing for all the pain she caused me. I had already forgiven her a while back which made this whole situation a little easier. That relationship is not fixed like I would have liked but I am able to ask her questions regarding her health and things like that, because I still care about her and pray for her daily. I have learned this semester that things don't always go your way that I have to let go and let God. If I worry about it all it does is pull me down and bring my focus away from where it really needs to be.

That same week, I had been praying about forgiving people in my life that had hurt me in some ways or others, and also asking them for their forgiveness as well. I figured I might as well get it over with. I sent a girl a Facebook message just apologizing for everything that had happen in our friendship, and asking her to forgive me for everything that I have done against her. A little while after I sent the message she came over and hugged me and told me she forgave me, and asked if I would forgive her. That night changed our friendship, no we aren't best friends but we are able to talk civilly. It has made this semester a lot better, considering we share many of the same friends.

I have also this semester to become closer to some people. I have been able to learn not to allow one person to consume my life. Christ is my rock and corner stone which allows for me to not worry about not having someone, He is always there.

Also during this semester, I had an unexpected blessing. Something I never saw coming and would have never done on my own. I was able to become close to someone who I had met at Carowinds over the summer. I had an injury to my ankle and had to spend some quality time in First Aid. Over the end of the summer, this person and I were able to talk very easily, which amazes me still to this day how that worked out. After I had already left for the summer, this person added me on Facebook. I was excited to see that this person was also a Christian like I was. At Carowinds christianity is something not mentioned a lot at carowinds so you never know. It was amazing to have found that somewhere I had been for years. This person and I decided we would meet up for lunch one afternoon before they headed back to school. We ended up talking for about 4 hours that afternoon. Time just flew by not really knowing what time it was. We went our separate ways that afternoon. This person let me know that they had safely arrived in Boston. We did not talk much after that until maybe a week later, when this person texted me to tell me something. From that day on we talked on IMed constantly, which then lead to us talking on the phone. Our friendship had grown a lot which led to more feelings. We both prayed about this relationship, because it had already brought together by God so we needed to allow Him to work in this relationship. We are now dating. We can both now see how God worked things together for us to be together as well as past relationship have caused us both to want to glorify God in this relationship. We tend to be on the same page about everything, which is very much a God thing. God has truly blessed me with someone so amazing to currently spend my life with, to encourage me and care for me the way He would have. I have no idea where this will go, all I can do is pray about and lay it at His feet and It will all work together for good.

Another exciting thing about this semester I have become pretty close to one of my roommates, which has made this semester a lot more fun and exciting.

I am going to stop for tonight, but it truly has been a redemptive semester especially with my relationships not just with friend, but also with God.

Second Year Sophmore...

Wow! I forgot this blog even existed, which may explain why there was only one post ever done. :( I am currently a second year sophomore, I did not do well my first time around in my classes my sophomore year so I added on a whole extra year of school to be able to complete the athletic training program. I have struggled with accepting that this is all in God's plan! This first semester of my second sophomore year has been better than I ever imagined!

The first week of classes, I went and talked with Heather about ways to stay involved in the athletic training program, and we both agreed I would do study hall once a week with her. I have enjoyed doing that so far, I have gotten to know her much better. Ashley, the program director, left last year to go to emery for PA school so Heather has come as our new program director. Heather has a desire to see me do the best that I can in my classes. I also went and spoke with Matthea. I am not really sure what I went looking for when I went and talked to Matthea, but whatever I wanted Matthea and God had other plans for that conversation. I went into her office sat down, and do not rememeber much from the conversation but that I cried and that she pretty much kept telling me that there was a purpose for this semester with it being joining a Bible Study, meeting new friends, or just something God is preparing you for. She made the comment that I may not figure out what His purpose is for this semester now or in the next few years but that I needed to be patient because He is holding me in His hands protecting me and teaching me what I need to be taught to be a follower of Him.

Now on to Mags, I was voted into an executive position in the athletic training program. They were making a new amendment regarding if you were not in good academic standing in the program that you could not hold a position, I could have kept my position but after praying about it I felt that God did not want me to hold that position. After I decided this, I had texted maggie and was like hey do you have a chance to talk before I go talk to KJ and tell him my decision. I went over to her dorm, and well Mags and I barely ever have short conversations. I walked in and we began to talk and explain some things as we were talking she goes hold on. She went to youtube and showed me a video by John Waller "While I'm Waiting".
"While I'm waiting...I will serve you, worship you." Those words spoke volumes to me and was exactly what I needed to begin my semster off on the right path. God knew what I needed to hear and how I would listen so He used mags to help make me listen!

Over the Summer, I had began to attend a Bible Study at church called Forward for young adults between 18-23. I really enjoyed the fellowship, the worship, the fun, and awesome messages that were be spoken in the time that I needed it. I have decided to continue to go to Forward on monday nights and drive back home and then back here all in the same night. I only have one class on tuesday so it is not too bad. I have grown closer to Chirst by attending this, and has shown me many ways to continue to follow Chirst and to put Him first in my life.

I am only taking 16 hours this semster with no athletic training but instead I have work study with athletic training so I can stay busy and around it. I have worked every other weekend as well at Carowinds, so I can continue to help the family pay for school and expenses while I am here. I pretty much think that is the catch up to how my last two years have gone. God has given and taken away people in my life, and I still can relay and depend on Him in every situation He has the best plans for me. :) I will update again probably later today, and may continue to do so from now on...maybe.

1st weekend

I moved in to GWU yesterday Friday 17th. I had already met my room mate and well things seemed ok or so i figured. Gardner-Webb is a christian school, and has christian values. I chose the school partially for that reason. Ashley is not a Christian and it seems like I keep getting smacked in the face all the time with comments about Christianity. I went to a worship service tonight by the Clock tower and loved it. I mean upperclassmen where there as well and felt pretty amazing to worship God with everyone. It felt absoulty amazing to sit there and lift Him up. Something that was said made we think really hard about loving God, Loving others and loving ourselfs. I need to first love God to love anything else so I plan on doing that. This board in my room will be filled with Bible verses and quotes constantly. My goals for this year have changed: I WANT TO DRAW NEAR TO GOD!