Update Update Update

I'll try to make this as short as possible, but understand that it has been over a month since I last blogged and a lot has happened since then.
So where to begin? I guess where I last left. The National Student Conference was absolutely amazing. Our theme for the week was "Apprentice" and it was on being true disciples of Christ. My most memorable evening was when the speaker asked us to "wrestle" in a spiritual sense with each other. I feel as though our group handled this in a very mature, and helpful way. We basically used constructive criticism to either point out things that may be preventing us from being the best disciple we could be, or things that we COULD be using that we weren't. It was really great and helpful. We had a diverse group of people go, and if we didn't know each other well enough, we knew not to say anything.

Not only was this trip awesome in the spiritual sense, but Jaime Sandlin also met up with us and came home with us! It was wonderful to talk with her, and catch up, and express to her things that God had laid on my heart. She's a beautiful friend who I am so so blessed to know.
After our lovely trip to Indiana my fifth year of school began :). I'm not going to lie, it has been a battle for me to accept that I am in my fifth year and still not even graduating this year. But God has me here and that is how it is. I am taking sixteen hours this semester, which truly isn't a huge load. CCF has begun and it is wonderful. I feel as though I'm back to being fully involved and I love it. I missed being a part of a fellowship near by. I spent a lot of time last year distancing myself from the group of people who meant a lot to me, and this year I want to commit to not only being a part, but investing as well.
The Friday that school started THIS guy also started HIS first day of school :

My PRECIOUS nephew started his first day of Kindergarten and I was there to see him get out of school. He is getting so big so fast. He's so smart...and I'm not biased ;). Really though I'm so proud of him. I've talked to him a few days since he's been in school and for the most part he's stayed on Green which makes me super proud. We have a deal that he has to have good report cards and me and him will have a special day :) I can't wait for that first one. It's just hard to believe he's gone from this

 To This

So He's started school, I've started my fifth year, and things are great. Life is great. I'm enjoying living life. Christ has become my best friend. And I mean that. I have learned how to truly pour my heart out to the LORD the way I would to any person on the earth. 

Last week Connie, CCF's women's ministry assistant, and I sat down to lunch and talked about what it means to be like Christ. What does it truly mean to be like Christ. Not just to follow Him, or to make wise decisions, but to make a conscious decision to think of how Christ would react to things in today's time. So we challenged each other to go into the gospels and ask ourselves how WE would act to those situations, and how we could bring those situations to today. I have started reading Luke and it has been an adventure :)

But before I get to that, I want to tell about this past Labor Day weekend. 

After spending a summer away from Summershine I was able to relive it a little bit by going to Williamsburg for Labor Day to help. I wasn't as excited about it as I thought I would be, but it was truly rewarding. I loved being able to visit with one of my greatest friends, as well as see the Fout Family and help them. It was hard being there and I can't say it wasn't a spiritual battle for me at times through the five days I was there, but it was worth going. I had a great time =)

Back to Luke. I am learning a lot from the book of Luke. It's amazing to see the reminders of Christ being fully Man yet Fully God. I'm amazed of the instances I'm reminded of of all the things that could have been tempting to Him, etc. Christ was man. He lived a life like we live. He was tempted. He had to resist temptation. Yes He was God. But He was inquisitive. He desired to know MORE about God. He prayed. It's been a reminder to me of the walk I should walk. To be like Christ, who was completely Human yet completely sinless. 

Yes Sin has entered the world and that's why Christ entered into it...but to STRIVE for that is what we should do daily. 

Life is good. God is Great. I'm in love with life, and my savior =)