Jesus has a way of rocking your world...

Sorry it has been so long since I have blogged! The past month seems to have been a whirlwind! My days and weeks all seem to run together. I write this today to give you an update on my life. It won't be me telling you everything is amazing cause that simply is not real. God has turned my life upside down! Luckily as he breaks us he also holds us and molds us. Where should I start?
First of all, I came into this year wanting so much to balance Chris, my friends and the girls on my floor. I was extremely purposeful with my time with them and honestly did a pretty good job balancing the three. However, a couple weeks into school realized that I had left out one extremely huge part... SCHOOL!!! Now that I went through some extremely stressful and tough weeks I finally feel like I have a handle on things again. It is difficult because I am used to being able to get ahead in all of my work and as an R.A. that just simply isn't realistic. I just did my Bible Study today for my Preaching and Teaching class which went very well (glad that is over). I love my major because not only am I getting an education, I am getting challenged spiritually. I really could not ask for more.
My relationship with Chirs is going great! He is a constant in my life and I could not thank him enough. We challenge each other constantly, urging one another to grow and to gravitate towards Christ. He is truly a blessing and some days I don't feel that I would be able to get out of bed if it were not for him.
Things at Vanguard are incredibly difficult right now. Because of financial trouble that has been building up for almost ten years our school has had to lay off a number of people. We just found out yesterday that three of our beloved staff members in Student Life are being let go. This may not seem like a big deal but one of them is our Dean of Students, Linda Hartzell. She is the most amazing people I have ever met. When you look at her you see Christ and she has a love for people that can only flow out of her love for Christ. The impact that she has has on this community cannot be summed up in words. Our department (student life), our Catalina R.A. staff, and our community are all taking a very hard hit with her leaving. Needless to say, we are all heartbroken. We feel as though a piece of the heart of Vanguard is being taken out. We know God still is holding us in his hands and I am trying to rest in that but we are broken as a school right now.
Life has been extremely challenging but I came into this year knowing that it would be. I have prayed for growth and to become more like Christ and that is never an easy experience. In order to be more like him, he has to break us! Please continue to pray for me, my friends, my school, and the girls on my floor. May God be glorified in all that we do! Blessings!

My world has been turned upside down...

It has been over a month since I have blogged anything with good reason! I am back in Cali with a whole new life. All my preparation for R.A. has brought me to this floor of 36 beautiful women who I have the great privelege of pouring into this next year. When I first came back I left the next day for a retreat with all of the leadership of Vanguard (about 100 students). It was awesome! The weather was a little... or a lot too hot, there were flies EVERYWHERE but other than that it was amazing! We really got to bond with our staff and learn a lot about one another. I am an R.A. in Catalina, which is the sophomore girls dorm. I work alongside 7 other amazing women who already have taught me so much. My boss Bethany is incredible and I cannot wait to be mentored by her!

When we got back from leadership retreat my parents were here with all of my stuff!! God bless them! They are seriously just amazing! How blessed I am! They helped me get my room situated and my floor put together. I could not have done it without them! Thanks Mom and Dad:) That following Monday was my birthday along with the beginning of a pretty intense week of R.A. training. My birthday was great and my friends really blessed me! (My internet isn't working in my room right now so I can't put pictures on... sorry... they will be coming soon!)

My floor is all set up and I absolutely love it! The theme is The Gallery: Beauty Defined. God really placed this theme on my heart and I know it is what these girls need this year. Please join me in praying that we will learn to define our beauty in Christ. My girls arrived this past monday and it has been so fun getting to know them. I know I am where I am supposed to be. God has placed me in this position of leadership and I look forward to seeing what He has in store.

Hope life is treating you all well! Pictures will come soon!

One of those weeks...

Do you ever have "one of those days?" Well it has been one of those weeks... I do not know what the deal has been but it seems as though nothing can go right lately. I mean everything from trying to plan things with friends, missing phone calls of people I really want to talk to, dropping things, banging my elbow on the counter really hard...

Last night I spent an entire hour talking to Gary from Qwest trying to get our password for our wireless. AN HOUR!!! And guess what?! We got absolutely nothing accomplished. NOTHING! Still don't know the password... still can't connect to our wirleness network on my new computer. Then today I tried to figure out all of the mail in rebate stuff to send in to MAC. Our computer would not download the form that I needed to send with all of the UPC codes and such to get the rebate. I worked on it for an hour in a half and yet again got nothing accomplished. Needless to say my life over the past few days has been one giant struggle. Oh well... What can ya do?! :)

Walking Step by Step...

I am in disbelief and God's amazing provision in my life. This summer has been quite the adventure and it has taken yet again another surprising turn. As you know from my last blog, I just finished a job at my mom's work making benefit packets. I thought I was done with work for the summer. However, God had different plans. I got a call today from someone that works with Dr. Susan Mason (Julia's mom... the girl I hung out with at the very beginning of the summer for three weeks). The work in a doctor's office and one of the ladies that works there has been sick and can't return to work for a while. So, Dr. Mason suggested me. I was able to tell them whatever hours I was able to work and I'm getting $11 per hour!!! I just can't believe it. God has brought me step by step this summer as I walk in faith. He is such a faithful God! What a lesson of trust this summer has been!

Work...

Let's talk about work... So I have been incredibly blessed this summer with jobs. I could not ask for more. However! This last one was quite interesting and extremely tiring. My job was to stuff benefit packets for the Human Resources department at Rockbottom Restaurants where my mom works in the corporate office. No big deal right? Easy job... easy money... no prob bob! So I agree to do this "lovely" job. I walk into this room to see boxes of supplies lining the hallway and all over the room. There are 3,000... count them THREE THOUSAND envelopes to be stuffed. AWESOME! So, I meet this fabulous lady JuNelle who I am pretty sure after the last week is one of my best friends despite her being much much older than me. Anyways, back to my ranting. JuNelle and I start to figure out the best and yes most efficient way of doing this. Each hour our technique improved and at some point we decided that we could even start a business going into large companies and doing their tedious work for them that no one else wants to do. (Now mind you that was at the very beginning of the week when we were nice and fresh.)


Let me set this up a little bit more for you... So there is a table right smack dab in the middle of the room where the stuffing commences. There are two different types of packets that need to be made for a couple hundred stores. Each employee receives some papers (in a specific order), a tube of chapstick and a toothbrush. (Random we know)! So we stand around this table stuffing envelopes for TEN hours a day... TEN!!! After each store we box them up and put them in the room next to ours to be sent off. Let me just say it again... we are doing tedious, monotonous, mindless work while standing on our feet hunched over a table for TEN HOURS PER DAY! Thank you Lord for this job right?!

By the third day JuNelle and I figured out the absolute best technique and we were on a roll. The end was in sight. I was using both hands at one time to grab the papers... we were basically envelope stuffing superwomen. We were going to finish these packets early, be the heroes of the company and get to go home early! Until... our boss came in and informed us that after we were done she had a few piles of filing that have been stacking up for a few months for us to do. WHAT?!?! I did not sign up for filing. I specifically wanted to stand over that stupid table in order to cause myself a tremendous amount of back pain thank you very much. JuNelle and I completely lost it! We were laughing... crying... basically having an emotional breakdown. SEE WHY?!?!

In the end I laughed a lot with my new found friend, did some random yoga throughout the week and made some money. I guess I can't complain too much!

Joanna came to town...

This last weekend was filled with lots of fun and tons of laughter! My wonderful friend and roommate last year Joanna came to Colorado and stayed with me. Joanna is from Seattle (where I went earlier this summer to visit her). It is a little difficult when she comes to Colorado because both her best friend and her boyfriend live here... hard to coordinate schedules and balance time with both people. But while she was at my house we did all sorts of things. She is such a huge blessing in my life... the type of friend I have prayed for since I was in elementary school! I love you Joanna!!!!

We went to Seven Falls...

And the Cave of the Winds...

And the Garden of the Gods...

It was so much fun!! We laugh constantly:) I don't get to see her all next semester because she will be in Europe on Vanguard's study abroad program :(

I take so many things for granted... Family, friends, the house I live in, the opportunity to go to college... the list goes on and on; not to mention my relationship with God. I look around me and I am blown away by all the many blessings that are in my life. My family for instance... how often does a child see their parents last 25 years in a marriage and still be very much in love? My parents have loved one another, me and my sister unconditionally for our entire lives. They care so much about my life and the choices I make. Their impact on my life cannot be summed up in words.

I have an amazing relationship with both of my parents. They are two of my closest friends and I love spending time with them. Who's parents would surprise their daughter for their 25th wedding anniversary?!?! I know... CRAZY! My parents did this past April and we had one of the best weekends of my life! How do all of the memorable and special moments get clouded by the bad? How do I let myself get annoyed? Why when my parents ask me to do a favor for them a do it with bad intentions sometimes instead of jumping up to help them out of my abundant love and appreciation for them? I take them for granted...

Or how about my amazing boyfriend?!?! He tells me daily how much he loves me and cares about me. He would drop anything at any given moment if I needed him by my side. He loves selflessly and gives humbly. Chris is one of the most giving, caring people I know who is always serving those around him. His passionate love for God is inspiring. I have prayed all my life for a man like Chris and now that he is in my life I take him for granted...

As many of you know I didn't really have many friends growing up. My whole life I prayed for people... or at least one person that would pour into me as I pour into them. I wanted someone to count on, someone who would be there for me. Now I have so many incredible friends I don't know what to do with myself. Robyn, Joanna, Cortney, Ashley, Mikaela, Anne, Chris, Kyle, Sharae, Rachael, Jen, Jenn... the list goes on and on. I'm sorry friends for the times that I have not been there for you. The times when I should have called, should have given you more time, should have made you more of a priority. I am sorry for the times I have taken you for granted!!
By the way... it wouldn't let me title this one!

You would think I would learn...

One of the most annoying parts of being a college student that attends a university out of state is constantly moving. It is this strange time of life where you constantly move from place to place. Once I finally get settled in one place it is time to move again. Along with that moving comes job finding. Interestingly enough, in all of the many jobs I have had I have only had to apply and interview at one of them (Newport Mesa Church Nursery). Even the job I had at Sport Clips for four years of my life... I didn't have to apply! There has never been any searching involved whatsoever. I have always just figured God knows what I need a lot better than I do. Not only does He know what I need but He knows the desires of my heart. I have walked in faith that God would provide an opportunity for a job when I was supposed to be working. God has always proven Himself faithful!

This summer I came home wondering what in the world I was going to do. As great as Sport Clips was I did not want to return for a fifth year as a receptionist there. Pretty soon I got a phone call being offered an incredible job hanging out with a fourteen year old, Julia! That only would last three weeks and I started to panic as to what I was going to do next. Right when the three weeks was over I was offered money to watch a friend's dog! So cool!!!! I am done watching Aggie on the 14th of this month. July 16th my mom's office wants me to come in and work that week putting together packets. Every job has started up right as the other one has ended. How amazing is that?! God perfectly orchestrates things if you allow Him to! You would think I would learn that He is in control!!!

Green Tea and 1:30 in the morning...

So, You are probably thinking I am a little obsessed about this whole blogging thing...
The truth is I have been trying to go to bed for the past two hours. Every time I lay my head on my pillow, a very comfy pillow I must say, my mind starts to go crazy. I laid here for several minutes thinking about a binder I should make for R.A. stuff... A BINDER!!!! After quite a long period of time I decided to turn my lamp back on and read more of Blue Like Jazz. A few chapters later the pillow was sounding quite nice since I have to get up for church in the morning. So, I lay head back down with the lights off to once again find my mind thinking about how I am going to decorate my room next year. It is really quite ridiculous. Then I remembered the venti green tea with melon sweetener sitting next to my bed... NO WONDER I AM STILL UP AND WIRED!!!!

Wanting to change the world...

Do you ever have something that compells you to dream?! Or that one thing that sparks a desire in you to have an impact on other people's lives? Last night as I wandered off to bed at the Sheltons' home (in their very comfy guest bed I might add) I read a chapter of the book Blue Like Jazz. About half way through the chapter I found myself with a tear streaming down my cheek. It was not that what I had just read was some sob story made to make it's readers cry. Rather it was the fact that what the author was writing about broke my heart in a way that made me want to change it.
In his story of attending a very secular college as a Christian, Donald Miller writes something that struck me to my very core; he wrote: "these people hated the very idea of God and yet they cared about people more than I did." Could it be that Christians today have gotten so caught up in the rules and rituals of our "religion" that we have forgotten the very reason that we believe what we believe? Could it be that our relationships with God and with other people have been completely pushed aside in order to "preserve" a "holy life?" This quote struck me so hard because I know the truth that is behind it. Christians are often the LAST people will come to for help. We never offer help just because we want to show Christ's love... instead we offer help in order to bring people to our programs, churches and events. We are extremely quick to judge someone for not wearing the right thing to church on Sunday morning or for having too many tattoos but we fail to reach out to them in Christ's love.

I am completely moved and challenged. I truly want to change the world. I don't want to be someone that "sells God." I want people to see that I have a loving relationship with Him and that they can have one too. I want to be less of a "Christian" and more like Christ!!

A good way to stay connected...

Hello Everyone!

I thought this would be a great way to stay connected to everyone. College is such an exciting but busy time of life. I really want you all to be a part of everything that is going on in my life. I really do feel like I am living in two completely different worlds... one at home surrounded by the people that know me best and surround me with their love constantly... they other 1000 miles away with very good friends and Disneyland just a hop, skip and a jump away.

Right now as most of you know I am home for the summer. I am finding fun and interesting ways to keep myself occupied. I just got done with a three week "job" in which I got paid to hang out with a fourteen year old... I'm not sure what could be better than that. I am working at ALCC, trying to take some things off Gareth's plate and loving every minute of it.

Sharae and I just got done planning and throwing my parents a party for their 25th wedding anniversary. They were so blessed and everyone had an amazing time!!! I have loved watching my parents and their love story. It has inspired me to never settle for less. Everything for the party turned out wonderful... aside from it being extremely hot!

I must say planning the party was one of my favorite things in the world to do. I could definitely plan parties as a hobby! SO FUN!

Now I am working on R.A. stuff for next year (I will have a floor of forty sophomore girls in my care...). I have a lot to do and not very much time to do it in. I would love all of the prayer I could get!

Aside from that I am working on Girls Institute for True Beauty which is the non-profit organization I am co-founding with Robyn. It is exciting to be a part of something so huge. Neither of us feel adequate enough for this amazing responsibility God has given us... Good thing we have Him on our side!!!

Well, I look forward to staying connected this way to all of you! (Thank you Rachael for the idea!) Have a wonderful and blessed week!