A Change of Plans

This whole college thing is hard! My whole thing about not going to Huntington was because I didn't know anyone. I cant use that excuse anymore. I was really set on Messiah, but God is really beginning to show His plans for me. It is so amazing how God works, and how I am so impatient. If I would have waited about 2 more weeks, I would have been able to see how God was going to provide. Now that Craig is moving out to Ft. Wayne, I cannot use the excuse of having no one in Huntington. I haven't talked to my parents about this much. Mainly, I need to talk to my dad about it and I do not think that that is going to go very well. I do not think that my mom is totally okay with it, but she is doing a little better with it. Definetely need prayers for this, because I am not sure on how they are going to take it. I am nervous, but at the same time somewhat excited. I am excited about how God has worked. I am finally at peace about the decision in a way that I have never been before. I finally may be able to go where I have always wanted to go.

Break Is Over

Okay so it really wasn't that long of a break, but it definetely was nice. I am kind of wanting to go back to school tomorrow...but I don't feel like doing any work. I had to go to work tonight and it was dead so I only worked for like 2 hours. I am so tired I think that I am ready for bed already. Last night Becky and I went to the movies and saw "Horton Heard a Who." It was really good, and it about had me crying! I know, its a little kid movie but it had a good meaning behind it. Good ole Dr. Seus! I hadn't seen Becky for a long time so it was really good to be able to hang out with her. She had classes this morning though so she had to leave really early this morning. I was reading through a devotional this morning and a certain part of it really hit me. We may think that we are doing everything okay, basically coasting through our walk, but why stand still when we could run forward? Part of it was about really letting Christ be shown through you. This one really had me thinking. Can all of my friends tell that I am a christian by the way that I act. Not that I am going out and doing all these crazy things, but is Christ a part of my everyday connversation? Am I sharing Him with my friends who do not know Him, or am I choosing to hide Him? All of this made me realize that I am on coast mode, when I need to be more on gasing it up! Just something to think about for all of us...

4-Day Weekend!

Time for a much needed break! School has been crazy with all of the projects going on at once! Not only with that, but work has been crazy too! Do teachers not know that by this time I don't want to do any work!? It is really nice to have this four day weekend, but I am going to end up working on homework the whole time that I am home. I work all weekend (what's new) and I have a project that is due next Friday. Actually, 2 projects that are due next Friday. NO! Make that 3! Ahhhh! I just love school so much! April is going to be even busier with the Latin field trip and Latin festival. Also with 20 thousand other things going on! My friend is coming home from college tomorrow (Inidian Weslyan) and I think that we are going to try and hang out or something which is really exciting. I've realized that because I have been so busy, I have had little time to spend with God. Anytime that I am home I am too tired to read and just want to lay in bed or I want to fall asleep. I've really got to get this whole time management thing down. I am horrible at this right now. Parents are really getting on me about grades...I have one C and like the rest are high A's...like thats so bad! I keep getting emails that say "Jen, stop slacking!" lol! Got to love the parents!! Well, its party time! I don't have to get up for school!

My Best Friend

So we all have those friends who we become really close to for maybe 6 months and then they are old news, right? I have had them before...and I even had one that lasted for about a year and a half. But, there is someone who has been my "best friend" since the 6th grade. That is when we first met, and really hit it off. A lot of the girls around me were trying to get me to come to church with them, but I found them to be pushy. Laura was the only one who just sat back and let God work through her. For Christmas she would get me gifts that would teach me about Christ, but in a way that I would listen. When I then received Christ, she was so excited to find out. I emailed her that summer and just told her everything. This year I have really noticed how close I am to her. We are both going to be extremely far away from one another when we are in college. She is going out to BYU and I will be here in Pennsylvania. Very far away from one another. I have even began to cry about it haha! At school, we are inseparable, and I really can't imagine life without her right now. What makes things better is that I have two amazing best friends that I know will never leave me. Sorry Laura, but I think Christ is ahead of you on my best friend list hon haha! She has been there for me, but He has ultimately been there for me through everything! Laura, I am going to miss you very much come this fall when we aren't going to be walking to the first day of classes together. Remember, you are going to sing at my wedding AND be my maid of honor!

A 4-Day Week To Come!

I am so excited that this is a four day week! Life has been kind of bleh lately, and the two days off of school are going to be very nice. Right now, I cannot get to sleep. I wasn't going to work on my government homework, but then I realized that I wouldn't have anyones to copy because everyone else copies off of mine! I have to work 5 days this week, and I am definetely not looking forward to that. I am glad that I have this first period study hall now so that I can sleep and what not. This week I really want to focus on Christ and my relationship with Him. Today in church, they talked about whether we are like Judas or like the woman who poured the perfume over Christ. I thought about it, and in many ways I am betraying Christ in my life. Everytime I walk away from Him, I am betraying Him. Everytime I decide not to share Him with a friend, I am betraying Him. I don't want to be "Judas" anymore, but I want to be more in touch with the one who is head-over-heals in love with me. I am excited for what He has planned for my life, and how He loves me enough to guide me and never leave me! Jesus, I love you too!

Relaxing Times

Life has slowed down, and that is very exciting! I am starting to get caught up on things in school and seem to be doing a lot better. Tonight was my only night out this week pretty much, and that was to go to a Youth Advisory Board meeting. That went really well, and I had a blast with Amy and Amber. I pretty much love everyone in that group. They are really nice and fun to be with. Tomorrow is Kiersten's first day at Ship and I am really excited for her. I am hoping that she has a great day. I am taking her to United with me in the morning and she is lucky enough that I am speaking tomorrow. I am talking about how no matter what we have done or what has happened to us, God is going to use us and He has a plan for us. Inspired by an email that I got from Tana. I really think that it will be a great lesson and easy to understand. I actually am prepared for school tomorrow as well. Have most of my work done, so I am not really that stressed about it. Looking forward to having an easy day tomorrow and just kind of relaxing. I had a great experience in community service today. I got to work one on one with a kid who no one really wanted to work with in his class. He is sort of slow and doesn't pay attention well. It was exciting to help him work and to be able to motivate and to work with him. I am excited to work with him and the other kids more!

If Only There Was A Pause Button For Life

Life right now just needs to slow down. My day today was hectic. I went on a field trip to Washington DC, then I came home and I had to go into work. We didnt get home from DC until 7:30, and I was to be at work at 5. I never got off of work until about 11. I came home and just cried. I feel like I do not have time for me or anything anymore. I was supposed to go to a debate tomorrow night, but I don't think that I am even going to get to do that because I have so much other stuff that I need to do. I am so discouraged right now. I prayed all day that things would slow down and that I would just make it through this week. I am praying that God will work something out so that things will slow down. He let it happen last week, so I am hopeful that He will do it again. I am starting to wonder if college is even for me. If I can't handle all of this stuff, how am I going to manage with college? Oh, and the prayer request that I posted a couple of days ago, the boys were found and are doing fine! Thank you all for praying and praise God that they are okay! The snow storm they were supposed to get went right around them in a circle! God's hand was definetely in that. The way prayer works just keeps on amazing me time after time!

Urgent Prayer Request!

A friend of mine's brother went hiking yesterday with 2 of his friends in Arkansas. Nicole (my friend), lives here in Pennsylvania. Nicole's mom informed me this afternoon that Andrew (her son), and his friend, have not made it out of the mountains yet. It has been almost 24 hours and they have yet to be found. The weather there has been non stop thunderstorms and hardcore rain. The mother is in agony just waiting to hear something. If they do not hear anything by tomorrow, they are going to drive down. This is hard because it is a 12-13 hour drive from where there are in Michigan. Please pray that Andrew and his friend will be able to find their way out safely. In order to get out, they must cross two creaks that are more than likely flooded at this point. Pray that God will calm the weather as well as the nerves of their families. Andrew's one friend made it out, but Andrew and the other friend have yet to be heard from. Also pray that the two of them found one another and are working together to get through this. Please, I beg, pray for my friends family as they are going through torture because of this!

Who Am I in Christ?

This has been a question that I have been dwelling on for the past couple of hours while I have worked on my homework. Tonight at youth group we continued watching the "GOSPEL" journey and the pastor on the movie talked in depth about Christ' death. It took all I had to hold back my tears. It really brought up some guilt in me. Knowing that I sin made me feel so guilty because of what Christ went through for me. Someone would love me that much to go through all of that for me, and here I am knowing that I am stuck in a sin and not doing anything about it. If nothing else before would drive me to eliminate this sin from my life, this lesson really did. It also brought about the question of Who I am in Christ. Many of the questions in small groups were what do your friends think. I really need to start being a better witness to my friends. Half of the questions I really couldn't answer because they were things we never talked about...such as Jesus and His resurrection. Well...it was a good night to really think about things and I praise God for Him teaching me new things all the time! I'm heading to bed!