Ten Weeks

            It has been ten weeks since the day I arrived at school in a minivan loaded with odds and ends. It has been far longer since the last blog post. Sometimes life happens too fast to take the time to share and you can only hold on for the ride. The lessons I am learning are never ending. God's grace in never ceasing.

Some lessons I've learned over the past weeks:

- I am so blessed to live in community with God's people. Blessed to love and be loved by people who are beautiful in spirit and striving for heaven.

-Rest is important. You cannot go on forever with no sleep, even though homework load may demand it (real talk right here people).

Found on Pinterest.

- You need to take time for you. This quote sums it up better than I ever could. >>>>>>>

- Use coconut oil for your hair. Use baking soda for everything else. It doesn't get any better than that.

-Be brave. I've stepped outside of my comfort zone more this semester than ever and I have gained so much from it. Have courage. Step out. Even in the smallest of things.

-It is okay to cry in front of people. They will hold you. Admit that you're not always okay.

- Good food can cure any ailment.

-Taking a break from social media can be so freeing. I was without a phone for a few weeks and it really helped me to feel present.

- If your love language is quality time (like mine), car rides are the best. I'm just learning to put this together. Driving the half an hour to church and back every Sunday with a friend is so refreshing.

- A clean room equals a clear mind.

-Things change. This year is not the same as last year. And change can be good.



Song of the post: Close of Autumn- Caedmon's Call

The rather large lessons.

I have two weeks left of school. This year has been a wonderful experience, full of highs and lows, very big God moments, and a lot of learning. It seems that God is continually placing people in my path that can offer me something to me and at the same way placing people in my path that need something from me. As I turn another year older (my birthday is tomorrow, yay!) I feel that I am maybe a smidge wiser. Maybe. And just the smallest of smidgens.

The biggest lessons that I believe that God is trying to teach me this year:

Love Yourself.
This is pretty self-explanatory. I'm always continually learning to love myself, the person God made me to be. Sometimes it takes a lot of work. Sometimes it doesn't.
 I am special, beautiful, and loved in God's eyes. Simple as that.

Do Not Fear.
If you know anything about me, you know that sometimes I have these fears, completely without reason, that hold me back. Like this year, I had this fear that I was just going to completely fail college. For no reason. And I didn't. I'm still here (and doing pretty well).
I'm learning that perfect love drives out fear.
"God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: in this world we are like Jesus. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love." -1 John 4:16-18

Practice Hospitality.
This keeps popping up everywhere. In class, in chapel, and in everyday conversations. When I first moved into the dorm, I was so thankful for the way that the girls reached out to make me comfortable. And now I'm doing my best to do the same for others.
"Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality." NIV or Holman version, "Share with the saints in their needs; pursue hospitality." -Romans 12:13

So yeah. Those are some big things that I'm learning. There are lots and lots of small things as well but it would take me a year to go through them all :)

Song of the post: Love Song for a Savior (from the Closer EP)- Jars of Clay.