By. Faith. She. Lives.

Well, I am finally in the windy city! I was the first person to arrive this morning, so I had plenty of time to get all settled in. Which also meant plenty of time for awkward encounters, like the following. So my roommate Amy and I are headed down to the “Walmart shuttle” on the elevator, when a guy our age, gets onto the elevator. There are 68 students here, so I of course ask him if he is on project. Thats where things went sour, he looked at me like I was insane, and clearly had no idea what I was talking about. Well thankfully we got to the lobby and I could walk away and awkwardly say, “see you later!”

Only $443 left to raise! God is so good! #PTL

“OBJECTS IN MIRROR ARE CLOSER THAN THEY APPEAR”

Chicago Summer Project is 31 hours away, and I have been waiting since November for it to get here. It is so close, yet it still seems so far away. I don’t feel like I should be half way packed, I don’t feel like I should be scrounging around to finish raising support, I also don’t feel like I will be meeting 80 new people in a short while. However, I do feel like I am going to be stretched further than I am now, I do feel like the Lord has a plan for what is happening, I do feel like all my support will come in, I also feel like I am going to have the time of my life.

With that said I have decided a few things about this summer.

#1 I will not be spending money on stuff, and I will not be spending much money on making memories (i.e. baseball game). I will NOT be eating out, buying lattes, shopping, or spending money in places it isn’t needed. I WILL be carrying small amounts of food to give to homeless, using the money I make to pay off loans and give to ministries, and I will also be going home to meet my new niece when the time comes.

#2 I will make great new friends, and keep the old. I have three of the best friends a girl could ask for, and I love them dearly. No one will be able to take their place, but I know that while I am in Chicago I will need to find people to be vulnerable with, and walk along side me.

#3 I will blog at least twice a week, and journal daily (in one of my sweet bike journals).

#4 I will take at least once picture a day.

#5 I will watch the sunrise at least 5 times.

#6 I will not get my hopes up, and I will listen to the Lord.

I will do many more things, and I am so excited for what lies ahead!

Thankful I never spent the money in my change jar! #$85closertocsp12 @gosummerproject (Taken with instagram)

Our tents tonight. Looking directly at the Mackinac Bridge. #puremichigan #roadtripwithdad (Taken with Instagram at Straits State Park Headquarters)

The best and worst year of my life is over.

Worst

Since I was a junior the Mechanical Engineering department decided they wanted classes to be difficult. I realized I was spending more time studying than I had ever thought was possible. I was always doing something for a class. I had homework due nearly every day, and having friends made it nearly impossible to ever work ahead. I dealt with things I thought I would never have to, in college. With guys, girls, family, best friends, myself, and so much more. Needless to say the Lord really challenged me this year, and taught me so much. Which I think is what made this year the best.

BEST

I went into the year kind of newly single and basically having no friends. I quickly found friends for life in my friends Tren, Turk, and Sand. Throughout the fall semester we spent endless amounts of time together. During the fall we created a foundation for a lasting friendship that was centered around the one who created us. During the rest of the year we created many more memories such as the ones at Indy CC, our vow of singleness, a trip to Zeeland, hours of Just Dance, a trip to Panama City Beach, and the countless hours in each others rooms. These girls taught me to be vulnerable, to admit my faults and grow from them, laugh at the dumbest things, be myself, Love and seek the Lord, never give up, and so much more. This semester I was also given a position to be a resident assistant for the upcoming school year. The position has been something I have wanted since coming to Michigan State, and I am so excited for the relationships that will come from it, and the opportunities to share Christ’s love. I have also learned that Mechanical Engineering is where the Lord wants me. During the fall semester there was a class that I should have failed hands down, and not only did I pass but I got a 3.0 which got me into the College of Engineering. He also made it pretty clear when my schedule worked out perfectly to graduate in 2 years. I still don’t know what I will do with my degree, but I am where I should be.

It is pretty obvious that this year has been great, and I am excited for what the Lord has in store for me on summer project in Chicago.

If I liked balloons I would totally love to do this!

Air Mail (by Boy Wonder)

(via jillypaige)

“Therefore I am now going to allure her; I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her.” Hosea 2:14

The Lord sure has a strange way of bringing us back to him, but it works. I am so thankful for the deserts I have been in, and the tender words he has spoken to me.

Complete in Him: Your Plight Is Also Your Redemption

Desire takes form through our dreams. For Joseph, dreaming literally plunged him into his plight. Telling his brothers that he saw them bowing down to him in a dream fueled their conspiracy to sell him into slavery.

But later, Joseph’s dreaming reversed the shattering of his shalom. He was…

Support.

Going into the support process for summer project I looked at it as purely getting the money and prayers I needed. When I got the $3,400 I needed, it was over and I would move on as if nothing had really happened. It wouldn’t be trying, emotional, encouraging, or humbling. It would just be something to get me to Chicago.

Although the year is only four months and twelve days in, I think it is safe to say that I made the understatement of the year. I was accepted to project on January 29, and on the morning of February fourth I decided that I would not spend any money for the whole month (read prior posts). After one day of consciously not spending money I lay in bed and realize that I only have seven envelopes and ten stamps. If I were to only send 7 letters, those seven would have to support me with about $500. In hindsight I know that the Lord could have done it, but I also wanted people to know what I was doing, and allow them to be part of my team.

The next morning I was getting ready to head to class and I voiced this concern with my roommate Kelsey. I told her I knew the Lord would provide and the conversation proceeded elsewhere. After a long day of classes, on a Friday none the less, we were in our room just chatting about the day when she tells me she wants to support me by helping pay for support expenses. My eyes teared, while hugs and thanks were given. The Lord had provided that! Now only $3,400 to go.

Since then I have sent out over 60 letters, all of which were sealed with love. When I put all of them in the mailbox I thought that all I would learn was patience, but the Lord has taught me so much more! Over the last two and a half months I have been humbled, encouraged, and very emotional!

Each day when I check my mailbox and it is empty, I am humbled by the fact that the three people I was sure would support me have not, yet. I am humbled by the fact that I cannot choose who supports me. Which leads me to how I have been extremely encouraged. This year I have been learning a lot about what it looks like to be a sacrificial follower of Jesus, and multiple times through support I have seen that. I have seen people give sacrificially, meaning they may not be able to go on that shopping trip or even have a full refrigerator. This has led me to being very emotional. It seems like every time I open an envelope I start crying like a baby out of pure joy.

I am at about 40% of my support and I am so thankful for every single penny I have received. It has been such a blessing process, and I am so thankful that I get to go through this process. The Lord has so much to teach me, and I am so ready to learn!

In conclusion I want to say thank you! Whether you have given financially or not, it has taught me something extremely important. If you haven’t given financially, and don’t feel led to give, I love notes of encouragement, and I would love to know how I can be praying for you or your family. I not only want you to be part of my life, but I want to be part of yours!

I love you dearly, and I am thankful for your presence in my life.

“and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” - 2 Timothy 2:2

ChapStickChappedLips&ThingsLikeChemistry: Lee Younger reblog: On Waiting For The Right Guy

unkaglen:

leeyounger:

Anonymous asked:

So, I don’t want to settle for the wrong relationship and get hurt, but it’s so hard waiting and watching all my friends being in these really great relationships when nothing ever seems to happen for me. Sometimes, it doesn’t seem fair….