Christmas Christmas Christmas!!

Im in Pensacola!! It was quite the ordeal to get here (cancelled flights..lost luggage..fun adventures..haha) but Im so excited to see everyone, so it's worth it! I still haven't got my luggage, so hopefully that comes by tomorrow!!!
Im watching Elf (GREAT Christmas movie..) and making some Christmas treats with my mom..I've been wanting to watch it ALL month, but Sam and Eleanor never wanted to watch it with me :(..so now Im watching it all by myself! Totally random, but in one of the scenes Jovie is eating noodles and it made me want ramen noodles really badly..so I just made some and am taking a break from baking to eat them! lol
It's so good to be back..though I dont really consider this home anymore..Redding has become home and I've only been gone 2 days, but I miss everyone there already..they've kinda become family, you know? Anyways..I've got lots to do tomorrow..Christmas shopping, hanging with Hannah..I need to call Ber and Megs to hang out..and finish up baking..and hang out with Michael..should be a fun day! So, Im gonna go finish baking so I can get to bed somewhat early! :)

Sigh..

I love Christmas time..the air is crisp and clean, there are lights everywhere, and people just seem to be in a better mood. My campus has put up some Christmas decorations ad I get excited everytime I drive or walk past. :) And then today, one of the interns from my revival group gave me a bag of Starbucks Christmas Blend coffee...Im super excited to brew it in the morning! I just LOVE Christmas!!!! 

My Thanksgiving was good..Aaron came in town and fell in love with Bethel (as I knew he would), we went up to Oregon-took some fellow students with us- and spent Thanksgiving with my aunts and uncles. It was a good vacay...I left my brother up there to visit in Oregon, and came home on Friday, then, Sammy, Eleanor, Stephen, Andrew, and I left Saturday morning for LA. We met up with Planetshakers (which is the church Elle is from) and hung out with them for awhile, then went to their show Sunday night. Monday was a fun adventure..we went to Six Flags with the band, but found out soon after that they were closed, so we ended up just heading home, hoping to get back somewhat early so we could finish up some homework. But alas, I made the mistake of falling asleep for 20 minutes while Sam was driving, and when I woke up, we were lost. Now, I dont completely blame Sammy (or Andrew who was supposed to be navigating) because it was VERY foggy and neither of them know California at all..but, long story short, we ended up taking a 2 hour detour through San Francisco (so much for getting homework done!). Overall it was a fun trip. :)

Now this week has been fun...full of homework and crazy assignments...we are learning how to really study the Bible and we had to do this thing caled an inductive study on 2 John. This was the most time consuming assingment I've had yet...it took me a grand total of 4 1/2 hours to do it..it wasnt hard, just long...but it's done now and due tomorrow, so I feel pretty good about that..then on top of that fun work, we also had a Kingdom foundations paper due (which are these papers with about 10 questions on them about a certain subject, and you have to study the Bible, concordances, etc. to find the answers..they're actually my favorite homework to do..I get alot out of them..) Wed., and 2 weeks worth of Bible reading and questions..all in all..it's been a busy week! :) Im definitely ready for the weekend!!

Well, that's all for my update..it's like 2 am and I need to go to bed (I still have some Bible homework to do in the morning!). Good night lovely ladies and gents!

quickie..

Well..just a quick update..school's been awesome...Aaron's coming to visit me!!! He gets here on Tuesday and then we are going up to Oregon for Thanksgiving and taking some of the foreign students with us, so they can experience a thanksgiving :) its gonna be FUN!! So..I'll probably have more time for an update sometime over Thanksgiving break..I love you all and miss you..You ALL need to come visit me..it's amazing! You would love it!! PEACE

The Call California

So Im sitting in my aunt and uncle's house in San Diego watchin Pirates 3 and about to eat some pie made by my aunt. :) Some of my friends and I drove down here Friday to go to the Call (which was yesterday), and we're leaving tomorrow morning to drive back.

The Call was exhausting, but completely worth the 12 hour drive. Something people coming together to purposely fast and pray for our nation is so absolutely beautiful. It wasn't easy (fasting never is for me, especially when there's kids behind you eating wheat thins..haha), but I feel like we had breakthrough in many ways. It was amazing. And since it's on my mind, let me just encourage anyone reading this to vote come Tuesday. Not only are we voting in the next president of the United States, but we are deciding the future of our country, of our lives. Every choice that is made on those ballots will affect you in some way, and if everyone who thinks that their vote won't make a difference would stand up for what they believe in and vote, then it really would make the difference. That's all I have to say about that issue..the end. haha

Today, we went to the beach and just walked around and hung out..I have to say that Im so thankful for who came with me..we're a fun bunch..lessee..it's Andrew from Canada, Joel from Virginia, and Janelle from Hong Kong/Indiana :) We had such an awesome time today...just hanging out and looking at shops..there will probably be some pictures posted on facebook by either joel or andrew..so check em out :) We found a really good mexican restuarant and watched the sunset, then we came back to my aunt's house and she made us spaghetti (a great reprise from dorm food!). It's been a great day, and Im not really looking forward to the long drive home tomorrow, though I have missed some of my dorm mates, so I.ll be glad to see them again! :)

That's all the time I have to write today, Andrew wants to check his facebook..lol. Sorry if some of this was scatterbrained, Im still a little wore out from yesterday.

doobie doobie doo..

so I GOT  JOB! I am now employed by PacSun...it's pretty exciting and seems like it's gonna be a fun job. So that's pretty awesome! God just keeps providing for me and it's so incredible. The other day, someone shoved $600 in an envelope with my name on it under my door, but when my roommate opened the door, there was no one in the hall. Crazy, huh? And then I got a couple checks in the mail this past week (completely unexpected) and then I got this job. God's really showing me that Im where Im supposed to be and He's gonna provide for all my needs. My faith is getting built up and Im finally realizing who I am in Christ. That I am a daughter of God..did you catch that? A daughter of GOD..that's huge! I dont have to beg God to take care of me, He wants to do it and is going to do it because He is my Father and He loves me. I have authority over all things because of who He is. I find my identity in Him. It's so amazing..I love it. People need to realize who they are, so many of us walk around in this daze thinking we are nobodies, and there's nothing we can do to change the world around us, but that is a big fat lie that satan has told us to keep us from ruining his plans. We are princes and princesses, sons and daughters, world changers!! And when we start to realize that, we begin taking back the power that we have given to satan..that's why he tries so hard to make us believe that we are not worthy, we are too small, we are too weak to change this world. But, that is completely untrue..we are more than conquerors in Christ, and whatever power the enemy presumes he has has been given to him by us. He has no power..the only way he is empowered is through us and our unbelief. I really wish that you all could be here, cuz this all makes a whole lot more sense when Kris talks about it! But that's  little bit of what I've learned here..Hope you enjoyed it..:)

Little more of an update...I have my first REAL shift at pacsun tomorrow, so hopefully it works out..I have to tell them that Im not going to be able to work Thanksgiving week (which Im a seasonal associate, so they may not be too happy with that..) cuz MY BROTHER IS COMING TO VISIT ME!!!!!!!!! :) woot..so be praying that everything works out!

anyway..I know that Amber and Cary are the only ones that really read this, so this is for you two..I love you guys and I miss you so very much!! Cary..call me..I miss the sound of your voice..I dont think I talked to you this past weekend :(...And Ber...CALL ME BACK!! We've been playing some CRAZY phone tag and I really want to talk to you!!! You both are so amazing and I love you so very much!!

Wow...

So I FINALLY have time to sit down and write a decent blog (this in hopes that somebody doesn't come bursting into the stairwell where I have found some internet..haha). 

I know in my last blog I mentioned that school is awesome, but didnt really expand on that. I will do so now :) School being awesome is an understatement. I have never been in an atmosphere where so many people have the same heart, same passion for God that I do. It's literally life changing. Even now, as I sit in my dorm stairwell, there are people in the common room playing music and just worshipping God. And this is a constant thing..there is always someone praying, someone worshipping, someone crying out to God to change our nation. I love this atmosphere. I feel like I've grown so much in the past 3 weeks, more so than I have in the past 3 years. Classes are incredible..Bill Johnson teaches as does their associate pastor Kris Vallotton (who is one of the smartest people I have met..some of the classes he's taught blow your mind!). Right now, we're basically just learning who we are in Christ and what that means for the world. :) I want everyone to come and experience what Im experiencing..I am truly falling in love with Him like I never have before. 

We have been put into revival groups (there are 10 groups of about 70) with a pastor and 3 third year interns over them. I have to say that I have been put in the best group ever. My revival group pastor (or RGP), Trisha, is the head of the prophetic arts here at Bethel and the interns are amazing. Karen is like our group mom, Dan is our party planner (and a freakin awesome man of God...he's available if any single ladies want to move out here and snatch him up..lol), and Michaela is the coolest girl ever..I now have 3 families..my blood family, my dorm family, and my revival group family..:) I love it! 

We just got back from our school retreat (which since there are 700 of us, we had to split it up by revival group..so mine and 2 others went Wed-Fri) and it was alot of fun getting to know people outside of school..we played games, ate, had some pretty amazing services, and just hung out. Yesterday, a bunch of us started a soccer game that had so many different countries represented.it was crazy..let's see if I can remember them all..New Zealand, Australia, Norway, Iceland, England, Ecuador, Canada, the US, and Alabama (haha). It was alot of fun, but it got a little rough..so I definitely have some battle wounds...haha! I met some really awesome people though so it was worth it! :) 

One downer so far (and I should have been prepared for this..) is that it seems everyone is looking for a spouse. It's hard to get to know guys without feeling like they're scoping you out as their future wife or something. It really sucks. So I've decided that unless God clearly tells me to, Im not even going to allow myself to get interested in anyone. It's hard cuz there's some really great guys, but I find that it's made things easier in the area of building relationships. I have met a couple guys that we've clicked and become friends AND their safe cuz one has a serious girlfriend and the other is 27 and isnt really looking either. :) YAY!

I dont really know what else to write..dorm life is so much fun..we all get along (for the most part..lol) and just have lots of good times together. We go to the lake, study together, and just do life together. It's been an amazing experience so far and I only expect it to get better. :)

Short update..

I dont have much time for an update..but just to let everyone know..Im in school and it is freakin AWESOME!!! I love it here..the atmosphere is so amazing and God is really moving in my life. I am all settled in at Simpson dorms..I've made a few friends here and I'll try to post pictures of everything as soon as I can find the time! That's all I can write right now..I gotta go get me some lunch and go job hunting!