Tuesday, September 9, 2014

life update: this post will have many pictures. //summer 2014//

i live in a very beautiful place. 

and here we are again. more than a month has passed since my last blog post and another school year has approached. summer is basically over, minus the weather...but even the weather has shown itself to be changing earlier than normal. i'm not sad about that by any means.

(when i first started this post a couple weeks ago, 
the weather was showing some glorious signs of fall, 
but really it was just teasing us. we are back to hot. blech.)



this summer has been the best summer. as my friend, Cara, and i were reflecting, we classified this summer as being the one that most people hope to have while in high school. i am so very thankful to have had this summer during this time in my life, but also i now understand how great summer actually is- and i'm not talking about the weather, or the beach or ombre'd hair.



i'm talking about Jesus and friendships and the occasional caffeinated beverage.. that's ultimately what makes a good summer in my opinion.

so here's a recap/ life update for your reading pleasure:

the Lord has taught me so much this summer. I was given the opportunity to lead a bible study for some middle and high school girls, and in the midst of going through almost all of the book of Ruth with them, God taught me much about patience and waiting, and what do do while i'm waiting. He is also still working on me, as i am a continuous work in progress. i want to know so very much about what is going to happen, and where my life is going to go, but, as the saying goes, "patience is a virtue", and one that i am learning to use.






Ecclesiastes 3:11 has been my life verse.

this is how people usually remember this verse, but i love how the NASB puts it-
"He has made everything APPROPRIATE in its time."
emphasis added.
i was able to spend time with some stinking spectacular people. i have never been so happy, so pleased, and so very blessed with friendships as i have been this summer and this past year. but i know that these friendships are all from God, not of my own doing. i have these people in my life for a reason and i am so thankful. i have never had more fulfilling friendships. watch me say "friendships" one more time. i'm so happy to do life with these people!
reunited with our dear friends after almost a month of them being out of the country serving the Lord!





this isn't technically a summer picture, but these are three of my dearest friends and i love this picture so stinkin much.

God also called me in a slightly different direction (yet again) with my schooling. as you may remember if you have followed me long enough, last summer i jumped the gun, transferred schools, and changed my major. well, while i am still at the same school, i changed my major ONE MORE TIME.
psychology was NOT working at all. after three or four classes in my program, i saw that there was no growth, and i could not wrap my brain around concepts and theories from an area of study created by man.

 (please know that i am not dogging you should you choose to study/ are currently studying psychology. if you can understand it, more power to ya! you have a mental capacity that i lack. press on!)

i was frustrated. so very frustrated. i wanted very much to do well in school, but i didn't see it happening and, after a very bad semester, i basically went back to the drawing board in regards to where i wanted to put my focus. i knew that youth ministry was still a thing that was on my heart, but i knew the psychology route was not the way i needed to go.

back to youth camp i went (i still have yet to write a post for this year's flow, but it will happen eventually) to spend some hardcore, one-on-one time with the Lord.

back to the Lord i went, and shared my concerns and desires.

back to my people i went to get their opinion/ affirmation/ confirmation.

back to researching i went to read up on different options that still suited the area i was entering.

after much prayer and counsel, i went and changed my major. while i still have my focus/minor in christian counseling, i now am a student of religion! so far it has been very interesting and rewarding!




the youth group has started back full swing. i turned 22 a few days ago. life is good.

and now for a picture overload.









my dog ended up in the "cone of shame". even though it was pitiful, it was also kinda funny.
i decided that i would cut my hair some. so far it's been interesting.




















so. . . how was your summer?