Abandon.

This past weekend, I had the privilege of being a leader on Seek and Echo's Fall Retreat: Abandon. The message was all about abandoning aspects of your life that hinder your relationship with God and your ability to truly follow Him. It was so amazing to see the work God was doing in each person, from their words to their actions. From image, to pride, to reputation, to foul language, to relationship struggles... each person had something different that they wanted to let go of for good--starting with this weekend. I saw relationships forming in what seemed to be the most unlikely places, and I saw more unity in this youth group than I think I've ever seen before. From the seniors letting little Zeke sit with them at lunch, to tiny 6th grade Brady being lifted on the shoulders of a bunch of high school boys after scoring a goal in their soccer game, I just could not help but beam with joy :) I am so blessed to have been a part of this experience, and I do not know where I would be if it were not for these youth and crazy leaders. I love them all so incredibly much! Each one of them has made an amazing impact my life :)

God is good, all the time :)

ROUGH

I should NOT be awake right now. The assignments I had to do tonight were not anything that should have taken me this long, and I'm pretty frustrated with myself for procrastinating this bad. It is after 3:30 AM, meaning that I'll be getting less than 5 hours of sleep. Part of my distraction was going over to Taylor's to bake a cake for Hannah (IT'S HER BIRTHDAY OFFICIALLY!) and we also ended up watching Burlesque. So, you can guess how productive I was during that time frame (keeping in mind I didn't get back to my dorm until 1. And once I got back here....

Yes, I did skype Steph... for almost an hour. Hey, I don't regret it. Sometimes Steph squared just needs to talk, ya know? But anyways, I finally just finished my writing assignment for oceanography. I don't care if it's awful at this point. It technically might not even get graded if I don't want it to (it's complicated). But yeah, other than my slacker-status, today was good! Tonight was "Hangout on the Quad" night for SAO recruitment, and I had so much fun! And I love that I got to get to know some of the potential candidates more :) Woop woop! I can't wait until Wednesday when I can go to the next event!

I think it's time for me to call it a night. Peace out, loves!

P.S.- I will be posting about Seek & Echo Retreat: Abandon soon, I promise! Love you all!

It's only a day away!

(Technically it's today... but just roll with me here.)

Today was pretty darn good! My social work classes were good, nothing too crazy. I had lunch with Bonnie Jean, and that was nice. I don't think we had ever hung out one-on-one, so it was nice to just talk to her and see how life was going. I got to see three of my sisters (Jenna, Steph, and Court) on the quad for a bit in between classes. I also saw Kristina and Erin! Sweet Erin, she was having a very stressful day, and that made me sad because she is the biggest sweetheart ever! But I tried to encourage her by saying basically what I titled this post as. Tomorrow is only a day away! (She's going home this weekend, and she is very much looking forward to it.) I am also looking forward to this weekend! But I'll come back to that. I had a coffee date with Courtney, which ended up turning into an adventure. Instead of walking back to her house, we decided to take the bus. Well, we missed our stop, got off at the next one, and consequently had to backtrack. Moral of the story: we should have just walked from campus. It's okay though, it was pretty funny :) After packing/moving my car, the two of us further extended our rendez-vous by getting dinner together, which we enjoyed from the comfort of her car :) I do love Courtney; she makes me very happy :) My Justice Team meeting went pretty smoothly, minus the fact that I failed to read the email from last week all the way through, and had failed to email my sisters.... Dang it. They understood, though. And the contacting is being taken care of! And other than that, tonight consisted of procrastinating and anthro reading that I did not start until after 11. Oh well!

So, about this weekend... IT'S SEEK & ECHO FALL RETREAT: ABANDON!!! Holla! I am so excited! Not only do I get to be a boxcar leader, but I get to be a bus captain with Kathryn! I don't know if I was supposed to disclose that information, but I think the only person going who actually reads my blog is Kaitlyn... (Hey Kaitlyn! Haha. Let's keep this on the down low :) Thank you, darling!) But yes, I am so incredibly stoked to have been blessed with this opportunity! I cannot wait to see how God works in everyone's hearts this weekend, and I cannot wait to be reunited with all of my beloved youth! This is going to be so great! Eeeeeeep! Goodnight all :)

Today was WONDERFUL!

I got with class at 11 as usual, after which I went to Starbucks and treated myself, Hannah, and Erin to some drinks :) They ventured off to lunch while I sat outside and soaked up the beautiful weather. While I was sitting there, a boy stops, addresses me by name, and says hi to me. He's in ROTC get-up, and the name on his uniform says Cox... I have no idea who he is. He was super understanding, and proceeded to tell me that we went to middle school together. SO CRAZY! I have not seen this person in over five years, and he recognized me. It was cool though! We talked for about two minutes, just seeing how each other enjoyed their summer and whatnot. Some might consider that creepy, but it made me smile :) I got to grab some lunch with my darling Stephanie, which is always wonderful :) Once she left to go to class, I eventually wandered up to the clubhouse to help make the SAO banner for recruitment week (NEXT WEEK!) that will be hung in TDU. I was pretty impressed with my ability to free draw/cut out the greek symbol "omega," and I got to put my cursive skills to use! Oh, and we got to use glitter..... :) I do love glitter. Haha. (Ke$ha-related love? Maybe!) And the best part of the whole endeavor was getting to spend time with Hannah, Kirsten, Brittany, and Jenn :) From there, it was time for dinner/workshop sesh with Justice Team. This event looks like it's going to be legit! I'm stoked to see everything come together :) The name of the event is H2O, and the slogan is Dig Deep (cause we're building a well!). I cannot wait to see the official design of the shirts and water bottles/mugs! Eeep!

Okay, but let me tell you two highlights from my day:
1) I GOT A JOB! Dining services contacted me about working in Market One on campus! I'm not like starting tomorrow or anything, but they're going to be calling me in the next few days or so to discuss a shift schedule. Yay!!! I am so in need of an income! This is such a blessing! Even if it is only a smidgen above minimum wage.
2) I got the email with all of the retreat info for this weekend! My boxcar is literally the bomb dot com! Not only that, but I get to do some potential fun crazy shenanigans with Kathryn! (Or I mean it could be super chill, but let's be honest... It's me and Kathryn. Haha!) (And yes, I realize that was improper grammar.) I am just so grateful for this opportunity to be a leader for something like this, and I cannot wait to be reunited with so many amazing individuals that I love so dearly! Look at my little youth loves! This. Is. RETREAT!!!!

Goodnight loves!

Bullet points.

• I love that my Social Work classes don't really feel like classes.
• Venting can be a healthy thing, so long as those emotions are redirected to a more Christ-like state of mind.
• We all struggle, whether or not we are willing to admit or talk about it.
• I do not remember a single thing we learned in Oceanography today, but I did find out that I know someone in my class!
• I wanted a quesadilla for dinner, but I didn't have the patience to wait for it. So I got a burrito instead. (This sounds like something that should be tweeted under #firstworldproblems.)
• I don't mind eating by myself as long as I have Words With Friends to keep me occupied.
• Metered parking is not okay with me, especially since it's on campus.
• Starbucks ran out of soy... Thus rendering me unable to get Hannah a surprise drink. Womp womp.
• I love my SAO sisters :) They just make me really happy.
• I'm so glad I have sisters who are willing to let me throw laundry in with their load. It saves me from paying $3.25, and it ensures that I have SAO gear to wear each day for this week and next! (Yay, Recruitment!)
• If you get a chance to watch the movie Unstoppable, do it. It's intense and based on true events!
• The 90s Nickelodeon shows were so legit! Hannah and I cannot handle them :)
• Walking back on campus from the parking lot at 1 AM is scary. An ambulance turned its siren on when it was right behind me and I nearly had a heart attack.
• I'm really happy Brianna's a heavy sleeper, because otherwise she would have been woken up a few times in the past hour...
• This post is choppy, and I prefer it not be. However, I am very tired and am waking up in less than 7 hours. That being said, goodnight loves!

Pictures, as promised.

Here's a glimpse of what went down on SAO Fall Retreat:

These are just a few :) All photos were stolen from Hannah Harrison :)

And here are a few pictures representing my time at small group tonight...

Yep, the Powdered Babies were living up to our name! Haha. So crazy, yet so fun :)

I truly am blessed by the best! And I am so grateful :)

"You're my sister! You're my friend!"

"You're my beginning and my end!" (Yes, we changed the lyrics to this song for our sorority. Haha. We sing just the chorus, and have motions to go along with it :) It's wonderful.)

This weekend was SAO retreat, and I had such a lovely time of fellowship with my amazing sisters at Lake Anna :) Relaxing on the dock, taking silly pictures, Catch Phrase, singing terribly and loudly, painting nails, dying hair, Bible studies (and accompanying activities), worship sessions, heart to hearts, and staying up until 4 AM talking with each other... It's all so marvelous to me :) My sisters embody so many aspects of Christ that I need in my personal walk, and I really want to use this year as an opportunity to really learn from them and apply those strengths to my life. The grace with which they love, the scripture-deriven manner with which they speak, and the understanding with which they express in communication are just a few ways I see God working in them. I am beyond blessed to have them in my life!

Bible passages from this weekend:
"¹ There is a time for everything, 
   and a season for every activity under the heavens:

 ² a time to be born and a time to die,
   a time to plant and a time to uproot,
 ³ a time to kill and a time to heal,
   a time to tear down and a time to build,
 ⁴ a time to weep and a time to laugh,
   a time to mourn and a time to dance,
 ⁵ a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
   a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
 ⁶ a time to search and a time to give up,
   a time to keep and a time to throw away,
 ⁷ a time to tear and a time to mend,
   a time to be silent and a time to speak,
 ⁸ a time to love and a time to hate,
   a time for war and a time for peace."

{Ecclesiastes 3:1-8}

^"12 Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. ¹³ For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. ¹⁴ Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.
 ¹⁵ Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. ¹⁶ And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. ¹⁷ If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? ¹⁸ But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. ¹⁹ If they were all one part, where would the body be? ²⁰ As it is, there are many parts, but one body.
 ²¹ The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” ²² On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, ²³ and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, ²⁴ while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, ²⁵ so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. ²⁶ If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.
 ²⁷ Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. ²⁸ And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues.²⁹ Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? ³⁰ Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? ³¹ Now eagerly desire the greater gifts."
{1 Corinthians 12:12-31}



Our worship set:


I hope to post some pictures later :) I'm waiting for Hannah to upload hers so that I can steal them... I'll be giving her full credit, of course :)

We got back to JMU this afternoon, and this evening there was a candle lighting/memorial ceremony on the quad in honor of our nation and everyone who lost their lives/loved ones on September 11, 2001--just 10 years ago. Despite the dark clouds, wind, and rainfall, hundreds of students gathered together for this time of rememberance. It was truly something to see.

{Photo cred: Matt Merritt}

And on the Festival lawn, there were flags placed in front of the spirit rock, one for every person whose life was taken on that day. We have not forgotten.

{Photo credit: Sara Wigglesworth}

Goodnight my loves. Sleep well.