It's a wrap!

Well, I’m home and summer feels like so long ago. I definitely miss being with everyone and being in Joplin, but I’m trying to look forward to the opportunities that lie ahead of me this school year. I realize that God doesn’t want this summer to be something that came and went but he wants me to use it as a catalyst for the upcoming months.

One of the biggest lessons I learned this summer is that we each are gifted in different ways and it takes all of us coming together to put on an event like MOVE. Romans 12 became my heartbeat of the summer- loving others and finding the gifts others have. God blessed me with some incredible people to keep me going and put a smile on my face. At the beginning of the summer I told God I couldn’t do the getting to know people and becoming friends just to say goodbye thing, but God had different plans. He really softened my heart and allowed me to make some great friends. I would never have been able to be what God wanted me to be this summer without them. He isn’t calling us to what is easy or to what we want; He wants us to get to know others and invest in others and I have realized that I had the wrong mindset going into the summer. It’s amazing the friendships that can be built in working/living with people for 3 months.

I already miss everyone! Goodbyes are not my thing. I hate pretty much telling someone you don’t know when you’ll see them again. I like to think of goodbyes more like see you later. We have to go back home for a while, but we will meet up soon. With technology now we can stay in touch as much as we want. Plus, knowing people from different places just means more great places to visit! And catching up with someone after being apart for a while means more to talk about.

It’s been a little hard to transition, but it has given me time to process some things and come up with some goals for the year ahead of me. I have unpacked from summer and repacked for school. I’m ready to begin the next chapter. Being home just feels like an intermission almost. I’m not here long enough to really settle in, but a few days here gives me a chance to catch up with some people, relax, and enjoy having a house and my own room!

I’m really excited for the upcoming year. I’ll move in this Saturday get unpacked and go to a leadership retreat. Everyone else will move in the next weekend and then school starts the 31^st.

I have grown so much this summer just through all of the things I’ve been able to experience and the people I’ve worked with. It’d be wrong to go into this year not having different goals and challenges for myself. This summer we encouraged high schoolers to leave and find ways to be a kingdom worker in their homes, schools, and churches- this goes for me as well. God has taught me to step out of my comfort zone. He has really shown me that He is in control of my life- it’s not about what anyone else wants for my life it’s me listening to Him and God directing me. I have always known he was in control, but it has become more apparent to me these past few months. I’ve also seen how much more I am capable of when my focus is on Christ and not the approval of others.

As much as I hated to see this summer end, it marks the beginning of “something bigger” and the continuation of all God’s doing in my life.

Stay posted to hear updates on some of my goals for this year!