I got a text from my mom the other week telling me it's "about time to put up another blog".
As usual, she's right.
After I got back from India, I got some sweet and highly desired time at home. It wasn't long enough, but I was thankful for the time I had. It was great to see my family and catch up on sleep/get over jet lag in my own bed. Nothing beats it.
I now love Indian food and miss eating it for low prices, but it was nice to come back and have a home cooked southern meal. (Thanks mom!)
I also got to log time with some of my favorite people, which is always a perk of going home.
(only a few of many pictured here)
A new experience: Panther fan fest.
My dad was beside himself excited, and it was admittedly pretty cool.
And all too soon it was time to head back to Tiger Town.
I got back a week or so before classes actually started because I needed time to move in to a new apartment before the leadership retreat. Once I got everything somewhat organized in the new place, I took some time to hit the lake, kayak, pray, think, read, etc.
It was around this same time last year that I went on a solo kayak ride because I was in a pretty broken place. During that time the Lord revealed a ton of sin in my heart that was causing the brokenness.
It was sweet to reflect on how much has changed in my life, and how gracious God has been in the midst of it all. In a lot of ways, He has helped me be okay with change, and even welcome it.
I had a strong sense that, for some reason (or reasons) junior year was going to be different, but I didn't really know why. Some things I knew, others I could only hope to predict. Either way, I was, dare I say it, almost excited for the change to come. Because even though I didn't know what lay ahead, I know and trust a God Who did. And as long as He's got this, I'm perfectly content with just being along for the ride. So I walked into junior year with a "bring it on" state of mind.
With that, here's what junior year has held for me so far. This blog is kind of sporadic and unorganized, but that's what my college life looks like for the most part, so.
Disclaimer: an unexpected change did end up coming my way...so stay tuned.
I tend to spend the first week (or month) back at school catching up with loved faces across a table of food...or coffee...or both! Here are just a couple I was able to capture.
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| Shoutout to Jenna and Daniel for taking me to Paws for the first time! |
I went on the College Leadership Retreat. It's the perfect chance to catch up with some of my closest friends and spend a day on the lake, which is one of my top 3 ideal ways to spend a day.
We also got to FaceTime Marie! Even though it caused my eyes to produce some water, it was good for my soul to see her face and talk to her alongside sisters who she has also deeply impacted.
College looks oh so different without her here. Some days are better than others.
Initially it was really hard, but as more days pass and life gets busier it's a little easier.
After the retreat we moved in some Freshmen!
We hit up Sam's for Starting Point, a Sunday where Crosspoint feeds hundreds of college students.
This year I'm living with some of my closest friends, which has been such a blessing.
It's nice to be guaranteed to see them during the week since we're sharing a roof.
Living with them is wonderfully sanctifying.
I ran a 5k with some of my favorite families from Crosspoint in order to raise money for unadopted kids.
The international ministry team has been having game nights every Monday night at a local coffee shop downtown. I haven't been able to go every Monday, but I've really enjoyed the times I have been able to attend. I love meeting and getting to know international students!
A lot of them make me really miss India.
I got to catch up with this answer to prayer of a friend. I love having her here in Clemson, and now I have a guaranteed time to see her every week because we're leading a small group together!
Here is our lovely group during our first meeting. Olivia is also leading it with us, which is sweet.
We had over 20 girls during our first meeting!
I love love love these two girls. Babysitting them is one of my favorite things to do.
I babysat them earlier in the semester, and we were jumping on their new trampoline. I suggested we play popcorn, a personal childhood favorite trampoline game. Leah, the older girl had a loose tooth that she wouldn't let me pull, but when we played popcorn her knee bumped her mouth....
...and I ended up pulling her tooth out! Definitely a babysitter first for me.
One random Thursday Daniel got a group of people together to go out on a rope swing over the lake.
It was so much fun and really beautiful. There were some people that I hadn't spent a ton of time with, namely Victor, Ned, and Matt, and I really enjoyed the overall group dynamic. After swimming some we all went to Zaxby's and then played cards at my apartment. It was a fun evening!
Olivia and I brought Kinder eggs back from India. They're chocolate with toys inside.
So here's the roomies + boyfriends post opening Kinder eggs and assembling/playing with the toys.
Had a crazy awesome Friday. The events of the night included the First Friday parade, soccer game, Abby's engagement party, FCA Library Bridge Shag, and swimming at the rowing docks.
I went to all of these things with Daniel, Jenna, Ned, and Matt, give or take people at each event.
And then the first game day was upon us and we crushed Wofford. Go Tigers.
There was a women's event at church called "Enough". The idea was centered around the idea of Christ's sufficiency. My dearest friend Emily spoke, and the Lord used her and she killed it.
I'll come back to Emily later, but that was part of the lately, so I included it.
Matt, Daniel, Jenna, and I played disc golf.
Later that same night, Crosspoint had a Trivia Night. We had our small group girls over to our apartment before the trivia night for dinner. We had some yummy tacos and I tatted some of our girls up after group. And by "tatted" I mean that I gave them henna.
At the trivia night, I had the privilege of watching these friends break it down on stage to fight for the 2nd place spot. They walked away victorious, and rightly so.
The family came down for game #2 of the season against Appalachian State.
It was great to have them, and the skies were perfectly overcast, which made for a great game day.
We also got surprised by the NGU guys who went to India with us! It was really good to see them and have a mini India team reunion.
So, here's the biggest "lately" that's happened, and the big change of the year...
After the App State game, we had friends over to play cards in our apartment. I had met Matt at the rope swing and gotten to know him over the course of two weeks or so. That night, after strategically waiting for our apartment to clear out, he asked if I would want to have lunch with him after church the next day, and I complied. So here is a picture from date #1.
To be continued...
Something I have really been wanting to do since I came to college was go apple picking at SkyTop Orchard...and it finally happened! It was such a fun time with these sweet girls.
I definitely hope to repeat this trip in the future!
The same night there was an international block party. I got to hang out with some old friends, met some new ones, and ate pizza. All around a really great time.
The next day I went on date #2 with Matt, and it was wonderful.
And to quickly fill in the rest of the gaps, the next Monday Matt and I sat by the lake and had an unexpected conversation that ended in us moving from dating as a verb to dating as a noun.
As I mentioned, I knew coming in to this year that something about junior year was going to be really different. I had hopes that it would be a guy, but tried with all of my might to suppress that idea. Turns out that was part of it after all! And I really couldn't be happier about it.
Matt, in the Lord's grace, came out of nowhere for me.
Neither one of us knows where this will lead, but are both trusting the Lord in it. I've been reminded by those who love and know me well to enjoy this exciting time, and by God's grace, I am!
The next weekend was beloved Fall Getaway. Dr. Jamie Dew from Southeastern came and talked to us about a Christian worldview, and what that practically looks like in our world today.
It was supposed to rain all weekend, and it didn't.
A ton of my small group girls were able to attend.
Matt led worship and did a really great job.
More college students attended than any Fall Getaway we've ever had.
All around, it was an incredibly great weekend!
I said I'd come back to her, and I try to stick to what I say.
The Sunday after we got back from Fall Getaway was also Emily's birthday. Celebrating her was probably one of my favorite parts of the week leading up to her birthday. There is just so much to celebrate about her. This blog is already pretty long, so I'll refrain...a little.
About halfway through freshman year, Emily started attending the same small group I was a part of. From that time forward, the Lord has continued to knit our hearts closer and closer together. She understands me like none other. She is the person I go to when I need the perfect balance of love, understanding, and hard truth. Which is almost always.
In this season especially, where someone close to both of us left Clemson, leaving a pretty significant gap in both of our hearts, God has used Emily in ways I never could have imagined, but I'm not at all surprised by.
So here's to her -- the sweetest, kindest, most loving and real friend and sister I couldn't even imagine ever having. Yet here she is, all smiley and beautiful, and I've never been more thankful.
While much has happened since then, there's almost everything through the end of September.
College life continues to grow and stretch me, and God continues to use everything to teach and mold me. Some times I'm more compliant and malleable than others.
Normally I have an overarching theme that I'm learning, but I don't this time. There are just a lot of little lessons that I learn as I try to live a life worthy of the gospel day in and day out. I often fail miserably, and fight to run to my Father Who takes away all shame and guilt.
Praise His wonderful name for that.
