Witnessing to Others

Lately, I have had three good friends inform me that they dont believe in God. Two who have recently denounced Christianity and one who wasn't raised believing and never has. I feel as though God is giving me great opportunities to share my faith with others and save their lives. I have been preparing for this moment for years. I learned strategies at church camp, from friends, through scripture, etc. However, when it comes to the actual moment....I go blank. What did Andy Braner teach me at Kanakuk? What has God showing me in His words to us? Much like that moment when (after taking 3 years of spanish in high school) someone speaks to me in espanol and all I can say by to them is que?
I am also wondering where my....standards are? My friend who grew up not knowing Jesus was my friend for a good semester before I ever discovered she wasn't a Christian. We weren't just "friends" either. We hang out practically every day...and it took me several MONTHS to find out she didn't have the light of Jesus Christ inside her. How does that even happen? Where are my priorities?
One of my friends who recently denounced Christ from his life, is an old, old friend. I cried during our conversation because I was legitimately sad for him. I couldn't imagine go through trials, or joys for that matter, without having hope and faith. He said that he doesn't resent his upbringing in a Christian home because those standards have definitely shaped his moral as a person but he can't ask forgiveness from a higher power each day and allow that higher power to wipe his slate clean. He has decided that as long as he can go to bed each night and know that he is a good person, thats good enough for him.
If anyone has any advice to offer for either of these situations, please inform me. Also, pray for me as I struggle with these situations and that God will give me the guidance I need. Please pray for my friends as well, as they need it most!

Fall 2010: In a Nut Shell

Here goes nothing...
THIS SEMESTER HAS BEEN AWESOME.
What has made it this way, you ask??
1. A&M was actually good at football.


anndddd we beat tech! (& t.u!) WHOOP!









2. I have the GREATEST friends anyone could ever ask for!








3. I may or may not be a haas in powder puff football









4. We now hold the Guiness Book of World Records for the MOST STUDENTS in attendance at a single college football game...and we got to rush the field!




5. My neice and nephew







6. God has been teaching me to be content in my time as a single woman....to take this time in which I have no major distractions, to grow in Him and become the woman I am supposed to be.

7. I turned 21! Thanks heavens for legality!





8. O Phi A is awesomeeeee






and our beautiful new additions...meet my little, Tara!




9. First ever Astros game (even though I'm a Rangers fan...which by the way, RANGERS TO THE WORLD SERIES def added to my great semester!)






10. I actually enjoyed my classes! Though I have no clue what I want to be when I "grow up," I am thoroughly enjoying studying sports management and am even looking in to grad school.


I can't BELIEVE this semester is already coming to a close. My freshman year, I was miserable...9 hours away from home, not a single familiar soul down here, had to leave my dog at home, ridiculous roomates and missed my family like crazy. Sophomore year was a little better, still hadn't quite found my niche but I had atleast one sane/normal roomie, got to bring my dog and got over the homesickness. This year, however, has been amazing...I still miss my family but I don't have that aching sadness in my bones...I have my dog, I have made some amazing friends---girls who will someday be in my wedding, Im liking class, I have great roomates and...ahh! I just love A&M and am so thankful that I was put here, of all places.

Thanks and gig em.

Welcome to Aggieland.

First week & a half (almost!) of my junior year of college down. MY JUNIOR YEAR?! I still think of myself as that elementary school girl who was obsessed with sports and horses. It's crazy how much has changed (I'm living 9 hours from my parents....one of my bff's is married....one is pregnant...none of my closest girls are within HOURS of me...I'm an aunt....) and then again it's crazy how much HASNT changed. The last week before school started, I got to hang out with two of my beautiful hometown friends and we had a blast. I hadn't seen them in FOREVER but as soon as we sat down...it was like we hadn't missed a single beat. I love that about my girls. No matter how far away we are, no matter how long it's been...It's never awkward when we reunite..it's just us. Picking up exactly where we left off.

It's weird to think that I only have three semesters left here at A&M. I am not even close to ready to live this place...heck, I'm just now getting settled down and finding my niche here! However, I am looking forward to what is to come. The options are endless! I really want to take a year or so off after college to do all the things I want to do: travel in Europe, work at a ski resort, go play with orphans somewhere, live somewhere amazing. AH!

FEBRUARYYYYYY

I haven't written in a while...Honestly, I kind of forgot I even had this! Whoopsy!

I hung out with my friends from the Texas Panhandle a few weekends ago and we went and saw Reckless Kelly at The Hall. It was funnnn and so good to see them!




Valentines Day stunk, of course. I stayed in bed practically all day watching the stupid romantic comedies marathon on Lifetime. Pitiful, I know. However, I did get a package from my Mimi and Papa with some beautifullllll James Avery earrings and some yummy candy! It made me happier. :)

Our date party for OPA was supposed to be the Thursday before Valentines but it got cancelled because it was pourrrrinngggggg! Therefore, we had it this past Thursday! We played capture the flag on campus and it was pretty exciting. My team lost...butttt thats ok!



My friend, Tate, was my date. We worked at Kanakuk together over the summer and he's a total sweetheart!

My parents and Maggie Ann came to see me this past weekend. I LOVED IT! Their visits never last long enough, it seems...buhhh thats growing up I guess! We went to campus so Maggie could see Keke's school...



Then we went to a big carnival that was in town! She rode the ferris wheel and the carousel, my two personal favorites!



and some other rides too...She had a blast!





Now for some crazy news....I just realized that I have 3 semesters of college left. Thats including my last semester of a mandatory internship..So really, I have 2 semesters left in College Station. AHHHHH! How crazy is that!? Not ready to be a grown up....

As always....right now I'm wish I could be at home....and really missing these girls!!

My first semseter at A&M, I didn't rush....I didn't live in the dorms...I didn't get into the freshman leadership clubs I applied for...I didn't know anyone...and I didn't have anyone. I was 9 hours from home and miserable. I began looking for a church and did so without luck. I didn't feel comfortable at any of them I tried.
In mid-September, I stumbled upon the annual ministry fair held on campus. It was here that I found St. Andrews and, associated with it, Gateway Bible Study for young adults. My entire freshman year I was so thankful to have found this group. I loved them all to death and they took my under their wing so easily. My closest friends came out of this group.
Fall semester this year, the way the Bible study was ran changed a little and I just wasn't feeling it. I told myself I would find another church and Bible study to partake in, but unfortunately, let me faith linger in the back of my mind for most of the semester. They changed some things back to the way it was for this semester and I went on Thursday for the first time in months. I loved it. I hadn't realized how much I had missed all of them! Need I mention, it was also perfect timing (Thanks, GOD!). I had just done recruitment with a sorority and didnt get in...I had just applied for several jobs and didnt get any...I was missing home and trying to figure things out. Ahhhh, it was a breath of fresh air! Just what I needed. :)

WEDNESDAYYY

Today...is officially the first day that I've ever been scared in my cosy little College Station home. My roomate was here and so was one of her friends when the door bell rang. I went and looked out the peep hole and there was a guy standing there that I didn't know. I whispered to my roomate to come over to the door and she didn't know the man either. Then her friend said that when she had come over, that guy had been walking up and down the street (our street ends in a culdy-sack (sp?) so it isn't a through street) and talking to himself. Creeeeepppyyyy. After he FINALLY left our front door, he went to the next house. My roomate and her friend left to head to the library and I made sure the deadbolt was locked securely. My roomate called me a few minutes later and said that the cops were on our street and were talking to the guy. I'm sure that some other girl who was creeped out just called the cops and said there was a suspicious man...but I couldn't help but think he was some crazed serial killer! haha..paranoid much? I think so. Now, I'm home alone with my dog...trying to concentrate on studying. It's times like these that I really wish I had a boyfriend!!!
Other things of the day...went to Target to buy this big wall clock that was on sale for like half off...Ive been looking at it for about a week. Well guess what? It was gone today...bummer! I got a new bedspread over Christmas and had been searching for the perfect color of sheets to go with it and FINALLY found those at Target though! So it wasn't a completely wasted trip. I checked out a national service sorority on campus, Omega Phi Alpha. It seems really cool! They're having an event tomorrow and then interviews on Friday. Hoping it works out...I'm really ready to find a good group of friends!
Today I am kind of homesick...Im missing the sunshine of my life...my neice, Maggie!




I hate that she's so far away!!

January 26

I had a great weekend! Left College Station at 6 pm Thursday night and drove to Ft. Worth where I stayed with some family friends. Left Ft. Worth at 8am Friday morning and arrived in Canadian around 1:30. Had a little down time to gather ski gear, visit with my neice before we headed off to Wolf Creek, CO. Saturday was the coldest skiing I have ever experienced in my life! I still think I had a mild case of frostbite on my fingers! The view at the top of the mountain wasn't much of a view, all you could see what white!

55" of snow in two days! We got covered in snow every time we rode up the lift because it was snowing so hard!

Still fun though! Day 2 of skiing was much warmer and much more enjoyable, though all the runs were tracked up and not much powder was left behind. Sunday we left Wolf Creek around 4 pm (when the lifts closed) and drove back to Canadian.

I slept the whole way so it was a rather quick trip for me! Woke up Monday morning and drove back to College Station. Short weekend with lots of driving but it was all worth it!
Today I had two classes....12:45-STAT 303 (I may end up shooting myself before THIS class is over....) and MGMT 209 (where we had an incredibly boring guest lecturer...) In MGMT, there must be a deaf kid because there is a lady that sits at the front of the room and signs everything the prof says. I have found it very difficult to listen to my prof because I catch myself just watching her. It's incredible! I would forget what the guy was saying before I ever finished signing the sentence!
Now...I am waiting on Megan & Logan to get here to we can head to Breakaway. Breakaway is ministry on campus that holds concerts/fellowship/sermons every Tuesday night. It's also so thrilling to see so many college students gathered together to worship! Quite refreshing. I don't go enough!