Why?

Why set up a blog?

Well, I'm getting ready to graduate from Longwood University and although I will be returning to Farmville, a lot of my friends who are graduating will not. Also, because I will still be in Farmville, this will be an easy way for people at home to keep up with what I'll be doing next year. Also, because I will be in a non-traditional job, I want to keep this blog more for myself than anyone else. This non-traditional job will be a great learning experience for me and I want to remember the things God is going to teach me though it.

Said non-traditional job is titled "Campus Missionary Associate." I will be serving alongside my campus pastors for Chi Alpha Campus Missions to reach out to the students of Longwood University, to show them the love of Christ and to help them develop a deeper relationship with Him. This organization helped me so much during my 4 years at Longwood and this is the best opportunity for me to give a year back to them.

God has been teaching me a lot over the last year. I remember last summer, while I was working at a daycare, wanting to work there so bad after I graduated, but there were no benefits (insurance, etc.) available. I remember laying in bed one night just praying that God would show me what He wanted me to do. I also remember getting this response from Him "I have you right where I want you." Thinking about it then, I took it to mean that I was supposed to work at that daycare after I graduated. But now, looking back, I realize that God meant I was right where He needed me to be to grow me and mold me for His wonderful purposes.

Over the next few months, I began to realize that maybe I wasn't supposed to teach immediately after graduation. I talked with a very trusted and wise friend and she encouraged me to pray about it and instead of asking God "What should I do?", ask "What do you want me to do?" I prayed this many, many times, sometimes wondering if I was ever going to get a response from Him. Then one night, after falling asleep in prayer, I awoke to a voice saying "Missions." I knew this was an answer from God about my future, but this still required a lot of prayer. Where do You want me to go? Who do You want me to serve with? While I was still praying about this, an opportunity was mentioned to me: Staying at Longwood for an extra year and helping my campus pastors with Chi Alpha. Since Chi Alpha has been such a huge part of my life since coming to Longwood, I eagerly began to pray about and research this opportunity. After much prayer and talking with my parents, I felt this is what I was supposed to do for the next year of my life. Of course, I had (and at times still have) some reservations and concerns for this job. There are times (and I'm sure will be times over the next year) that I wonder "What have I gotten myself into?" and "How am I going to get all this stuff done?" But I also know that God is awesome and He will supply all the needs I have. He won't leave me wanting for any needs and He has taken care of me thus far.

So, since this is a bit longer than I originally planned, I'm going to leave it at that. To all of those that have helped me in anyway over the last 4 years, thank you so much. I couldn't have made it through college without ya'll.