I phillio you!

The Lord is good! It has been a crazy last two months in my life, and I don't think I would have wanted it anyother way. TCX was awesome, learning about who the great I AM really is, and how my idea of Him is far to small. Wonderful to see old friends from NMB and my dear Sarah Beth! It is weird though getting together with project friends, cause it seems as if we have lost the desire to go deep with one another...maybe not the desire but I just didn't see conversations going past the surface. Maybe it's because I haven't stayed in contact with many people since leaving project, I am not sure. But regardless it was good to see everyong again and to see that the Lord is really working still in each of our lives.

Next stop NYC...was so much fun! This is one huge city....it took us 2 hours to get from the airport to our hotel through the subway. But many am I proud of us for doing it all by ourselves. Our hotel was fabulous: great location and absolutely huge rooms. We saw many things together including the back and underside of China town. I am really thankful for the time I got to spend with those ladies. I haven't really had an extended conversation with any of them for like 6 months so it was good to touch back with them, and hopefully open pathways to conversation for later.

Fast Break....ok so right on the beach, 70's all weekend, 400 some highschooler searching for purpose and direction in their lives! Amazing...yet so hard. I was completely out of my comfort zone: in Daytona Beach, knew no one but Michelle, had to switch groups of women...it was just hard. I battled the lie constantly that I didn't belong there and why did I come. The Lord answered those crys so immediately. I was able to hang out with a good friend of Rachel's, Katie Brown, which was so much fun getting to know her more. The group of women that I was paired up with second were a group of 4 freshmen girls. I was able to share the gospel with one of them...and yea for a new sister! was able to pray and talk with one who had lost her mom in November, and hopefully was able to shed some light in anothers life. Getting up there early with the staff team on Thursday night was so great because I was able to see what it looked like to be on staff with SV. It was a lot of fun getting to do the behind the scens stuff with everyone. It was a wonderful week, but definitely didn't push my heart in any direction as to what to do after school...

School is up next...yet it doesn't seem that I am really in school right now. My classes are so different from last semester and I am not working as a TA. I have so much down time and not to mention every Friday off! I'm enjoying most of my classes...I took a Physics test last week and I actually enjoyed taking the test....who says that?!?! Photography and Experiential Eduation are both like studio classes where I get to create and learn what I want to learn. My Education classes are going great too...except for the on that I have to try to stay awake in. It was extremely hard yesterday in one of my classes, when my teacher's son came in to speak to us about standardized testing. His view is that some students need to be passed on once they get to high school and aren't making the grade. That there isn't anyway to really help them. So hard to hear that from a teacher!!!!!! I really just wanted to stand up and yell....I was able to voice my opinion and slightly hold back the tears. I do have a passion for those student who don't make it, who need the extra help. I know I will burn myself out...but you have winter break and the summer to cry and rest. Dr. Kessler spoke much truth during the next period that there are ways to help, and yes you will get burt out, but those kids CAN succeed!

Last night I was able to catch up with a few amazing women in my life. Rachel is such a wonderful blessing to my life, and I really don't want to know where I would be right now if the Lord didn't have her venture up to 'Kato. Sarah Beth has such a deep heart that just spurs my desire to know the Lord more. I am so excited for Ann's last semester at ISU, and all the women that she has such a wonderful influence on. I phillio you women (love you in a good Christianly sister kind of way ;) ) But I do LOVE you girls very much.