Save-the-Dates

Well, this is our save-the-date!! I love it. Soooo excited :c)

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Thoughts :c)

"What day is it?

And it what month?

This clock never seemed so alive.

I can't keep up.

I can't back down.

I've been losing so much time...

Cuz it's you and me

and all of the people

with nothing to do, and nothing to lose.

It's you and me

and all of the people...

and I don't know why I can't keep my eyes of you."

~You and Me, Life House

Wow, I feel like the past few days have gone so quickly. A few days ago it was snowing, but this week it's been in the 60s and beautiful. Classes are picking up in intensity, so I'm swamped with projects and papers. But at the same time, I feel like things are coming to an end in some way. Next semester isn't so far away, and it's going to bring so many changes. Next semester I'll be taking more credits, working more with my Terra Firma group, and I'll be planning a wedding. My wedding.

And then, after that, everything will change. Now, I'm perfectly excited for everything that will come with our marriage. I couldn't be marrying a better person. He's wise, intelligent, funny, musically gifted, comforting, calm, and persistent. But at the same time, I am leaving behind a lot of time with my friends and family. I guess we all have to grow up sometime.

All I can do is try to follow God's will.

--Ash

Fall and Winter Come :c)

The days have slowly been getting colder and colder. As I bike across campus, my eyes burn from the nip of Jack Frost.

Today, the first flakes fell from the heavens.

The leaves have all died, and it's time for the earth to renew itself in the blessed winter season.

This is my favorite time of year.

Whenever I see snow or think about it, I get so lost in the glory of God. This is exactly what He does to us when we turn our sins over to Him. He snows on our hearts. Sometimes what we have to go through to overcome our sin hurts, and sometimes we never feel like we'll get out of it. But then one day, we look around and see the beauty in the white. We see the cleansing power of His blood.

Then spring dawns, and we grow more in Him than we ever imagined we could.

I know it's sad that we have to go through this cycle over and over for our entire lives, but I wouldn't want it any other way. I'm closer to Him when I'm buried in the snow than I am when the sun is shining on me. I become too complacent in the sunshine. The snow gives me no choice but to run to His arms.

--Ash

New Year, New Craziness

Hey everyone!

Wow, so it's been an insanely long time since I've updated. Things are crazy over here! I'll give you a little news about my summer and then move from there.

I babysat three days a week all summer and then cleaned the house for my parents most weeks, it was fun and I got to hang out with the best kids in the world. Unfortunately, it was my last summer with them. Now they're all grown up and Ashley-less.

Also, this summer, I got engaged to my best friend in the whole entire world. It was July 15, and I'm so thrilled to say that we'll be married on June 11, 2011. Crazy!!!

So, I'm marrying this guy

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Anyway, I came back to school early to take on a leadership position. I'm "in charge" of a group of 13 freshmen, basically just leading them through the school year. We spent about a week together at the beginning of the year, and now we meet once a week to do a service project together. It's awesome, and they're completely incredible. They will for sure be some of my best friends.

So, now that school is underway, I'm doing the leadership thing [it's called being a sherpa], and taking 15 credits (New Testament History and Literature, Advanced Grammar, Developmental Psychology, Computers and Technology in Education, Creativity and Innovations, and School Observation Practicum). I also babysit an average of 12 hours every weekend. So, basically I'm really busy.

And on top of everything, I'm attempting to write a novel. It's not going so well. Ahhh well, it'll come together. Anyway, I'll put up some pictures of our apartment and then go back to my homework. Hopefully I'll update soon!

Dining Room!

This is our living room, we have a lot more furniture now, though :c)

From the living room into the dining room!

There's the kitchen!

We also have 2 bedrooms [four girls], and a bathroom. It's really nice!! :c)

Love,

Ash

Break!!

Hey everyone!!
Wow, it's been a really long time. I've been on break since December 16th, and we don't officially start back until the 25th!! I'm really pumped for what this semester is looking like. Here's my schedule:
Monday, Wednesday, Friday:
8:45-9:45 Old Testament Literature
11-12 Math 110
1:30-2:30 Contemporary Literature
2:45-3:45 Intro to Literature

Then on Tuesdays I have a 3 hour Philosophy in Education class. That's my entire week! I have absolutely nothing on Thursdays...I'm either going to pick up a job or find some other way to keep myself busy. :c)

Last semester went really well...I met my goal, which was to make the Dean's List! :c) I ended up getting about a 3.8...so, I'm pretty content. Although I want to push myself harder this semester. :c)

Anyway! Break was awesome. I had an awesome break...lots of visiting friends and I've gotten a lot of reading done. I also knitted a 6'10" by 4' blanket...so yep!

Love you all!
Until Next Time!

Vacation is here!

I suppose it's time for a pretty detailed update, as I've been lagging on a lot of college information. I'm officially on break. My dad and I are spending the night in a hotel, and we'll leave tomorrow morning to head back to Wisconsin. I must admit, I'm excited to be going home. This last week has been very VERY long. I had three exams--one Monday, one Tuesday, and one this morning. Monday's was easy enough, and this morning's was an essay exam (which I love to have), but yesterday's was a pain. Biology, as much as I love science, was painful! The exam was multiple choice (which wasn't too bad) but the short-answer questions required a lot of detail. It never seems to matter how much I've studied for biology, it's always really tough. This morning's exam was Philosophy...it was actually pretty fun. Just a lot of questions about worldviews and whatnot.

Aside from the constant studying that has entirely overwhelmed my life for the last week, I've had an amazing time at school. This semester, although it has gone quickly, was a truly wonderful experience. It's been great to try out my independence, and it's been wonderful to meet so many new people. I understand more and more why they say that college is the best time of your life.

But, for now, it's farewell to Cornerstone for the next 38 days. :c)

Until Next Time!!

Why yes, I am avoiding homework!!

Hey everyone!!

So, this weekend was really great! I went over to Calvin and saw a soccer game and the movie Up...then on Sunday John, his grandmother, and I went to church, and as soon as the service was over, we took off to go to Warsaw. John's 12-year-old brother, Ben, was Amahl in Amahl and the night visitors, which is, essentially, a 45-minute opera. He sang all these insanely high notes, and did an AMAZING job. Before we went to the opera, though, we had dinner with his family and helped decorate for Christmas (in other words, Mrs. Meulink and I--who are both under 5'5"--put the lights on the 10 foot tree and decorated other little things around the house), it was REALLY fun. After the opera we sat around and visited and then watched the Vikings play the Cardinals. Who is pumped for a Viking loss??? I AM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:cD

Anyway, I figure I won't be updating for the next week and a half or so...this week is going to be project filled, and next week is final exam week (EWWWWWWWW!). However, next Wednesday at 9:45 AM I will officially be done with my finals, and by noon on Thursday, I will be headed home--Dad is coming to get John and I for an entire week...it should be an amazing time!!!

Until Next Time!!

Sorry it's been so long!!

Happy HAPPY Friday!!!!!!! Just one more friday after today, and then Final exams. I'm not going to lie, it will be a relief to be done with this semester. It's been long and tedious, so far. And ha! I'm only 1/8 of the way through my college career. How encouraging. *sigh*

Anyway, today is a good day. Why, you may ask? Because there's snow on the ground!!! Not just a little bit of snow. There was a good two inches when I first got up, four inches after my first class, and now it's probably close to 6 inches. They're saying that by tonight we'll have 6-15 inches. I just love snow. I can't tell you how much. Well...actually I can. and I'm going to.

This is my reasoning behind snow, and this is why I've loved it ever since I was a little kid, but my understanding of it all has deepened.

So, you've all heard the saying "white as snow". Jesus has washed us all white as snow. So, naturally, I see snow and think "Jesus washed me as white as snow"! But, like I said, my understanding of this has deepened. Let me give you a little background Christian preaching for a second. My pastor has preached in the past that God's love is so overwhelming that it pours into us, and then overflows into other people. So, let me give you a little analogy.

Imagine yourself to be a cloud--good old water vapor, dust, and cold air. You're a dirty, nasty little cloud. All of the sudden, the water below you starts evaporating up. It's so cold where you are that it gets inside of you and freezes. Then, it begins to fall to the earth. All of the sudden, you notice that your normal gray color is beginning to diminish. In fact, you're starting to almost turn a brilliant shade of white. You're shocked at what the evaporating water has done to you. All of the sudden, you look below you and see the ugly ugly earth that is normally there. It's often polluted, dirty, and messed up. But when you look down this time, you notice something strange. It, too, is turning white. You're shocked. The evaporated water used you to create purity below. How incredible!!

And that's just how it is when Jesus comes into our lives. He soaks up all of our grime and gunk, and turns it into something pure. He takes our flaws and lets us use them to minister to other people. The ex-convict who has become a pastor can go into the jails and directly relate. The father who had an illegitimate child can teach his children with his experiences to back it up.

It's incredible what Jesus does when He comes in.

Until Next Time!!!

p.s. enjoy the snow while it's here...I'll post some pictures of campus later. :c)

Pranking Begins!

Well, the pranking has finally begun for the year. It's been really interesting so far. It started last Thursday when I came back to my room to find post-its and pictures all over the walls, along with twine all the way across my bed so that I couldn't get into it.

Then, earlier today Lauren went into Tess' room and hid all of her food in various places around the room.

So, when Lauren went up to Tess' room this evening, I took a ball of yarn and strung it all the way across her room. Then I took toilet paper and threw the toilet paper across the yarn. again. and again.

and again.

Oh college. :c)

Just Another Weekend!

Hey everyone!

So, it's Friday night on campus again. A friend from Wisconsin got here about an hour ago, and we're now sitting in the corum (the social "place to be") on campus, getting ready to watch a Sr. Guitar Recital. Aka a rock concert. It should be preeeeetty awesome. I love that right before the concert starts, they open in a word of prayer. That's the way things should be! :c)

Anyway, this week wasn't as bad as I thought it would be academically, but spiritually and emotionally it was very trying. I finished the 66-day challenge this evening--reading those last chapters of Revelation was much what I imagine running across a finish line for a marathon would feel like. It was really hard to stay reading 36 pages of my Bible every night--doesn't seem like that should be difficult, especially not for an English Major, but it was REALLY hard. Somehow, though, God brought my through.

I won't get into why this week was trying emotionally. It just was. Things happen, and God holds everything together in the end. Sometimes we just have to let Him guide us as we wander blindly through life. In fact, that's probably the way it should be...us being led blindly through everything.

This weekend I have a LOT of plans. Tomorrow I'm going to the mall with John and Tyler--we're going to people watch and just chill together. Then we'll come back to the high school and go see an art show in the library. After that I'll make dinner for them and my friend Lauren, and we'll go see a Midsummer Night's Dream. Then maybe we'll come back to my dorm and watch movies, or something. It should be a good time. :c)

Sunday will be a lot of "chill" time and homework, then around 9 will be Evensong (which is the all-music worship service on campus. I love it!!). Then classes start again--another week of exams, papers, and speeches. But hey, the week after that is only 2 days long, and then I'll be back in Indiana for Thanksgiving. THAT will be nice!!!! To top it off, after Thanksgiving, there will only be 3 more weeks of classes until I get home...and technically it will only be two more weeks, because that last week will be final exams. Awesome stuff!!!

Alright, that's about it for now!!

Until Next Time!!

<3

Hellloooo!

Well, this week is going to be AWFUL, so I thought I'd post on my most relaxed day of the week.

This weekend, I went to Chicago with my friends Rebekah and Hope--it was pretty much the best thing ever. We stayed up late, laughed a lot, ate AMAZING Greek food (because we stayed with Hope's family, and they are very Greek), and, most importantly, we were away from school and thus all of our stress dissipated. It was just a really relaxing God-filled weekend. I guess we didn't really do anything specifically fun--it was just overall wonderful.

But, getting back to campus was a little tough. I mean, I loooooooooooooove it here so much, but I know how hard this week is going to be. I have to start working on a ten page paper for bio, work on a paper about the morality of war with a focus on the laws of war based on a movie entitled "The Fog of War" and with 10 supporting sources (oi!), and I have an exam in Biology and an exam in Philosophy. To top things off, I have to give a speech in about an hour.

Ohhhhh college.

But, if I've learned anything at CU, I've learned that if I buckle down and trust in God, He'll ultimately carry me through. Duh, I have to work on it, but He'll give me the strength to do so.

Finally, I read most of the Corinthians last night, and I'd encourage all of you to read them...they're really upsetting to me in some ways, because Paul is very opposing to a lot of the ideas that have been instilled in me (namely my feminism vs. his view of women not being able to speak out in churches), and it's really hard for me to analyze what's wrong and right. But I'm sure, after time has passed, I'll come to terms with it all. :c)

God is good.

Until Next Time!

Paul, Silas, Joy

So, if I haven't mentioned this previously, on September 9th I took up a challenge presented by one of the leaders of Spiritual Formation at our school. This challenge was to read the Bible in a mere 66 days. If everything goes according to plan, I will have completed this task next Friday. How does this pertain to tonight's entry? Well, tonight, I was reading Acts 16. It's a story I'm sure you're very familiar with--Paul and Silas get thrown in prison; they praise God; there's an earthquake but they don't run away; the jailer becomes saved; everything's good.

But that's not all there is. Let's review the days of Paul and Silas leading up to prison, okay? So, we start out hearing that there's a slave girl who has a spirit inside of her that enables her to predict the future. This girl follows Paul and Silas around, shouting, "These men are servants of the Most HIgh God, who are telling you the way to be saved". Not only that, but Acts 16: 18 says "She kept this up for many days".

Wow.

She's following them around for DAYS, yelling. I'm going to be frank for a moment: I'm the kind of person who gets annoyed when someone is yelling for a few minutes. Paul and Silas put up with this for days!! But Acts goes on to say "Finally Paul became so troubled that he turned around and said to the spirit, "In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!" At that moment the spirit left her". There's power for you.

Alright, back on track. So. Paul and Silas probably have headaches, because this chick has been following them around, yelling for days. But THEN the owners of this slave girl realize that now their source of income (oh yeah, they used her "demonic" prophetic skills to make money) has been destroyed. The owners decide they're going to drag Paul and Silas to the authorities for a trial. Then, because they're in a marketplace, the CROWD decides Paul and Silas are jerks, and they "joined in the attack against [them], and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten"!!!

Quick review: Yelling girl, casting out of demon, trial, attacked by crowd, and now flogged.

After all this the jailer throws them in the prison and fastens their feet in stocks. This means they're literally sitting on the floor with their feet stuck in these wooden holes (for picture, google "Paul and Silas stocks" under Google Images). My Bible has a note that says, "used not only for extra security but also for torture".

Yeah, so, at this point, I probably would have just laid down on my back, cried a bit, and gone to sleep. Oh no. Not these two. It says, "about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God". Midnight. They were probably thrown into prison hours and HOURS before midnight. Remember, they'd also been flogged. And they were praying. and singing hymns. Not only THAT, but the other prisoners were listening. Now, these two were in the inner cell singing. The other prisoners could hear them. This means they were singing fairly loud.

Okay, Ash, we get it, this sucked. A lot. So what's your point?

Here's my point: It sucked. ANd they were singing. They were joyful, and happy, even when they didn't sense God. So what if they weren't overwhelmed with His presence? So what if everyone around them was cranky with them? They were joyful. They were still SEARCHING for Him. It's not as if this was a once in a while occurrence, either. There are multiple stories of them being in awful situations and still rejoicing in God.

Now, granted, Paul and Silas aren't perfect. But I found myself envious of their faith and trust in God tonight. When I get cranky, I don't feel like talking to God. So, generally, I don't talk to Him, and if I do magically talk to God, it's not praising Him. I guess, what it comes down to is that as tough as it is, we need to be joyful as much as we can. To top it off, when we're in a tough spot, we need to let others now. Paul and Silas had each other--we need to realize that other people around us are there for us and possibly even going through the same thing.

Anyway...enough from me :c)

Until Next Time!!

Happy Friday!

I never understood what college students meant when they said that the last minute of class on Friday is filled with relief. I also never comprehended how they had so much energy at the end of a long week. Now I understand. After so much stress, finally being relieved from it all is like have a 50 lb weight being taken off your back and knowing you can skip without it. Also, the knowledge that you can literally sleep all day on Saturday helps. Just a bit.

In any case, I am now waiting for my last class to start. And it's Friday. It's virtually guaranteed that in approximately 56 minutes I will be bounding off the walls. It's also guaranteed that I will be giving someone from Dodgeville a tour in 56 minutes.

Also, this has been a very LONG week. It was the end of midterms, and thus the focus of lots of papers and speeches and things. I've been up late, trying to stay on top of work and keep connected with my friends (such as Lauren, Hope, and Leah), and my poor roommate has been up until all hours of the night, as she is the assistant stage manager for Midsummer Night's Dream. I feel so awful for her. :c(

The Swine Flu has also invaded Cornerstone. Or, at least, Pickett, which is the community style dorms (they share a bathroom on each floor. yuck!). However, the school has been really good about sending people home who show signs of the flu. They've been about as good with that as I have been with taking medicine every day and night to avoid getting sick. I just don't have time for it.

Tonight I'm going to be in the library, trying to get most of my homework done. Tomorrow I will be going out with my friend Lauren, in the evening I'll be going out with John and his friends, and I'll go to church with him on Sunday. Then I'll come back to CU, continue with my homework, and go to evensong (which is the Sunday night music service).

In brief summary: I really love it here. I love the fast-paced college environment, I love learning, I love the community. This is the place for me!!

Until Next Time!!!

WOW!

Wow! It's been a really long time since I updated. I'll briefly go over the things that have been happening. Basically, school is really tough, but I'm plowing through. I decided that I'm not doing Midsummer Night's Dream (after a long talk with the director), because I need to be more focused on my schoolwork. Midterms were this week, which means a lack in homework. The two midterms I had weren't too bad at all. I need to start working on my Biology homework (it's all due on test day), and I need to read a book for Terra Firma.

Tonight, however, I'm hanging out with a group of girls and watching chick flicks. We ordered pizza, which cost about $5 a person, so that was pretty awesome. Basically, things have just been really busy. However, I feel myself growing and changing--in Christ, educationally, and in maturity. College really truly does a number on you!!

Until Next Time!

Homecoming :c)

Well, it hasn't been that long since my last post, but I thought I'd fill you in a bit on homecoming.
Basically, it's pure insanity. In high school, if you didn't participate in the dressing up and whatnot, you were virtually shunned. Not so, in college. No one really cares if you dress up; if you do, that's awesome. If you don't, all the power to you. I haven't been dressing up, because I didn't bring any crazy decadesish clothes with me, and I'm not buying any clothing for an entire school year. Weeeee!

Aside from the dressing up, there have been activities every night. Picnics, midnight madness (basketball tournaments), mudbowl (football IN the mud), late night movies, and tomorrow night there is even a dance! :co Tonight some friends and I went to see the latest theater production: Something's Afoot. It was AMAZING!!!

Outside of homecoming, life is CRAZY. I spend sooooo much time with friends...it's insane. I'm also studying all the time. I have two exams next week (one Tuesday; one Wednesday), a speech to give (wednesday), and next Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday nights I have Midsummer Night's Dream rehearsals. Life is going to get INSANE!

So yeah...that's basically life. I'm going home NEXT weekend...I'm really excited. It will be good to see friends and my parents. :c)

Until Next Time!
Ash

Busy busy :c)

Alright! So nothing too exciting has happened. This past week has basically been your average college week--awful food--lots of homework--too many late nights--not enough sleep--and TONS of socializing. It seems like I'm with people all the time, which I really enjoy. Strangely. Chapels are absolutely wonderful--I love them. My classes are great, my teachers are awesome, and the community here is so loving and optimistic. It's great to be surrounded by friends and now that they're praying for you and supporting you always. College is awesome!

I've also discovered that I'm intensely partial to my school--CU is the best. There aren't any questions about it. Honestly, I didn't think that would happen. Buuuut it has. So, I've signed up to be a host for prospective students. That should be a LOT of fun.

For now, I'll leave you all with my theme verse for this spring:
"How long must I wrestle with my thoughts, and every day have sorrow in my heart? But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, for he has been good to me."--Psalm 13:2a, 5, 6

Until Next Time!

Crazy Week!

This week has been pure insanity!! But we'll start with discussing the bog trip. On Tuesday afternoon, my biology lab class went on a trip to a bog. We waded through mud, jumped INTO mud pits, and saw the coolest of critters and plants. It was really crazy awesome! You'd think that jumping into a mud pit would be gross, but it was actually a really liberating experience. :c)

This is the bog from a distance:

This is the mud pit:

This is two of my friends and me after the experience:

So the rest of the week has just been good! I had my first exam this morning, and it really wasn't that bad...I thought the questions were fairly simple. I'm going to do homework all evening, and I'm planning on going over to Calvin to see John tomorrow. Then tomorrow night I'm going to a concert with some friends, and Sunday is normal church/homework/evensong! It should be a pretty awesome weekend!!!

Until Next Time!

Well, I think it's time I update all of you on the social aspects of Cornerstone University. Mainly because I think that's why I haven't been sleeping too well. At Cornerstone, there is a tradition. This tradition is called a candlelight, and it only occurs when a couple gets engaged. All of the girls meet in one of the dorm lobbies on campus, and all of the boys meet at the bell tower. Then all of the girls light a candle and pray and talk about the guy, and all of the boys sit around and talk about the girl. Here comes the fun part. When the guys finish they yell "CHIVALRY! CHIVALRY!!" over and over again, until the girls come out. The girls make a tunnel with their arms, and the engaged girl runs through to the bell tower. Then her fiance climbs the pole in the bell tower, rings the bell, comes down, kisses his fiance, and then is carried to the lake. Where he is thrown in. Now, I don't distinctly remember hearing any of this, but I DO know that every night there has been a candlelight, I haven't slept well. Woohoo!

Other social aspects of the campus are awesome! For instance, I have an 8:45 class every MWF morning. So, when I walk to class at 8:30, there aren't too many people around. And I would assume that those who ARE around are pretty cranky. Oh no. The majority of the people smile, and quite a few say hello. It's so awesome! :c) Also, tonight there is free laser tagging in the gym. Now, I don't know about laser tagging. I've never GONE laser tagging...but holy cow it sounds fun!!!! :c)

Anyway...classes are good, the homework is leveling out a bit. My first exam is this Friday and I'm REALLY nervous for it, but it'll be good. There's a study session next Wednesday to help us prepare, so it shouldn't be too bad!

Until Next Time!

Classes!

Wow, so, long week! My mind is simply wheeling with information. But we'll start with how my classes are and then I'll fill in the in-between things.

So, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday I have four classes.

From 8:45-9:45 I have Philosophy in Culture, which is really awesome. My professor is funny and really smart. The class will be challenging, but he's encouraged us to meet with him often. We haven't really started much course work, so there's not much to divulge. From 11-12 I have Communications in Culture. This class is really awesome. Our professor has helped create over 400 films, so he's really knowledgeable. Basically the class will consist of reading, tests, and speeches. It shouldn't be too difficult--we gave an introductory speech on Friday, and he said we were "the cream of the crop". From 12:15-1:15 I have Biblical Hermeneutics. To sum up--this class is the best of my day, by far. Hermeneutics is the art and science of interpretation, so we're virtually learning about interpreting the BIble. Then from 1:30-2:30 I have Writing in Culture which basically takes us back to the basics of writing papers. It's not thrilling, but it's English and I love it anyway.

Finally, on Tuesdays and Thursdays I have Biology. Biology is going to be really awesome, because our prof is hilarious and wants to do more fieldwork than lab research kind of stuff.

Anyway, I've spent half the weekend at Calvin--I stayed with John's friend Anna, and we've all been bumming around doing homework and just chilling. It's a nice campus, but I definitely would rather be at Cornerstone. I'm glad I'm there.

Until Next Time!!

CAMP!!! AAHHHH!!!

So, not gonna lie, camp was the most amazing thing ever. I wasn't all too excited for it at first, because I thought "a week without technology, stuck with people I don't know. Yeah right."

Then I got there. The first day we did a lot of trust activities, which were awesome. For instance, our group of 12 stands on two logs. 6 people are on one, 6 on the other. Everyone has to end up on the other log without stepping off the log. It was so hard!!! But it was REALLY awesome, and our group started to bond over it. Started to.

So, the end of the first day, I'm feeling okayish about camp. By the second morning, I was concerned that "these people don't get my sense of humor" [direct quote from my journal]. However, I thought my group was really nice. Then I read Genesis 1 and realized that Everything IS GOD'S! He makes it as HE wishes. "And it is so". Thus, I have no control. Agreed, this was nothing "new" for me, but it made me realize that our Terra Firma group was God's, and I had no control over the experience. I just had to shape up my attitude.

By the morning of the second day, I was on fire. Evensong (our praise team) had rocked our socks off, and I realized that I didn't remember the last time I felt so moved in a body of believers. In fact, I didn't even remember the last time I'd actually felt the Holy Spirit move in a room. And. It. Was. SO. COOL!! The speakers were amazing, and the music was wonderful. I was so happy. :c) By THAT night I was feeling tied into my group. I realized that I was comfortable with myself, and my Sherpa (definition: a member of a people who often serve as porters on mountain-climbing expeditions, and thus our "religious sherpa") and I really had an amazing conversation. I began to feel accepted and loved with WHO I was. Plus I began to learn that my sensitive side ISN'T a bad thing. It's good. In fact, because it's how GOD made me, it's a blessing!!

Day 3 started with my being upset and missing my family. I read my journal entry from the night before and thought "ha! I can't be that close to my group! Whatever!" and I was virtually a wreck. But, again, by that night I wrote "I'm so 'into' my group, too! I really feel like they're the siblings I have never had!".

Day 4 I wrote, "so I keep waking up and thinking 'there's no way I can be that close to my group. I bet they all really hate me'. But I know that when I'm with them later, it'll be like I'ma mental person. I love them all".

Day 5 we went to the dunes. Oh. my. stars. I kept thinking about how Jesus wandered in the wilderness and fasted, and he was just fine. Meanwhile, I wouldn't be able to be stranded in the desert. I would totally have fallen to Satan's temptations of food and water. *sigh* God is SO good!!! The speaker that night talked about service and the washing of feet. I realized that to serve with a pure heart, we have to be WILLING to be served! Then our Sherpa and our Cornerstone Faculty Advisor washed our feet, and we prayed over everyone in our group. It was so moving...I can't even begin to explain how it made me feel! :c) Also, this was the day that I realized I missed my roommate.

So, basically the summary of camp is that I am a broken mess, and the only one who can save me is Jesus. Amen!
Write more later!
Until Next Time!