Nine-Eleven

September 11th, 2001. It was a day that began like any other. I got out of bed, put on some clothes, ate breakfast, and kissed my mom before heading to the bus stop. My school day was like any other day. We did our morning work and had lunch and recess, and everything was normal...or so it seemed. I was in first grade. I was six. I was innocent. I was sheltered. I did not truly understand fear. I was carefree. Little did I know, when I got in the car, my world would be changed forever. My mom came and picked me up from school and I could tell something was not right, so I asked, "what's wrong, momma?" in that curiously concerned, but not completely worried (yet) voice many six year olds have. I was not prepared for what I was about to hear. My mom told me (with details appropriate for a six year old) that some evil man had taken over airplanes and crashed them into buildings and many people had died. She told me that America had been attacked. We also had not heard from a family friend who was working in the Pentagon at the time, so that added another level to my worry. I now knew that hijackers had killed the pilots before taking over the planes and that even the babies on the planes that crashed died. I was six. Before this took place, I had no idea babies could die. In my own little brain, I thought only old people and those with cancer could die. I had no concept of tragedy. I was six. No six year old should have to understand evil or tragedy, but many kids younger than me lost loved ones that day. I was one of the lucky ones. I did not lose anyone. Our family friend ended up being okay, so that was a big relief. I just lost some innocence, and the America I had known my entire life. I began to truly understand fear. Before, I just had the little kid fears, such as being afraid of the dark. Now, I knew, at the tender age of six, that true evil exists and people really do kill other people. I had never been afraid of flying because I had been on planes since I was a baby, and my daddy was a pilot for the Air Force. Now, I was terrified to fly, I even cried about going to Disney World the following March because we were going to fly on an airplane. I was so scared. I thought that some evil men would come and take over the plane I was on and crash that, too. My mom had to explain that increased security would prevent that from happening. I also worried about my dad because he flew airplanes. For over a year, airplanes were a very real fear for me, and it took a while for that fear to completely go away.

Looking back, I realize that 9/11 truly caused me to grow up. I became more aware of the events taking place in the world and who our friends were and who our enemies were. Since my dad was in the military at the time, he began having to work extremely long hours. That was the first time I truly understood and appreciated his service (and the service of so many others) to our country.

Although it still disgusts me to think that people from another country would come into the nation that I love and call home and try to destroy it, I believe 9/11 played a major role in shaping who I am and I could not be more proud to be an American. Tomorrow is the 13th anniversary of the tragedy that changed this country forever. Let us all take the time to think about the heroes, pray for the families that lost loved ones on that September day, and thank God that we are blessed enough to call ourselves Americans.

So I'm Going To Be A Sophomore.

Hey everybody!

So as many of you know, I completed my first year of college back in May and I had a blast. Well, it's July now and summer is wrapping up quickly and August is going to be here before any of us know what happened to July (and June...and May). Anyway, I've heard that sophomore year is the forgotten year of college because we're not cute little freshmen anymore, but we're not upper-classmen yet, either. I decided that I'm going to prove this theory false by having a fabulously awesome sophomore year; one that even tops my Freshman year (which will be difficult to do). Now I'm going to tell you why I think sophomore year is going to be amazing.

We're Babes
As I said earlier, we're not babies, but we are babes. I'm not sure what that means, but I decided we are, so we are and that's pretty cool.

Leadership
All of us have passed that brand new to campus, don't really know what we're doing phase, sort of, and now have opportunities to step into leadership roles, which is great! The cool part about that is we're just a year older than the freshmen, so we're not too intimidating, and we're pretty easy to relate to (I think) because we were in their position just a year ago. I'm just so excited to welcome the class of 2018 to campus in just a few short weeks I basically can't contain myself!

Weirdness
The cool thing about having a year of college under my belt is that I know that I can be my own weird self and be totally accepted for it. My friends and I are weird together all the time, and it's just so fun. We are awkward, but not the kind of timid-shy-unsure-of-yourself-awkward. We're at the point in our lives where we're awkward, we know it, and we're proud of it. We just do awkward and weirdness well. It just works for us.

Adventures
I'm so excited for all of the adventures we will have this year as sophomores. We all have the lay of the land better and a few more of us have wheels, so there's no telling what crazy adventures this year is going to entail. I just know that I can't wait. The memories are going to be grand and I can't wait to experience them with those I love and photograph them so that I can have them forever.

Framily
"Friends are family we choose for ourselves." That is what a framily is (they should really put that word in the dictionary already). Coming in as freshmen, we each had to go out searching for the people that would become a part of our story and enter into our framily, and that was stressful. Now, as a sophomore, I have my core friends in my framily, which is awesome! I won't go to school feeling so nervous about sticking my awkward self out there and meeting a zillion people at once. I have people there for me. Of course, there is room for more in my framily and I hope it grows a lot this year. I do love meeting new people, it's just nice to have the familiarity of my friends by my side as I do it this time. The other cool part about that is I get to live with a member of my framily and we are going to have some wildly fun times making mischief, living life together, and adding onto our story.

After all of that, I'm just sure that my sophomore year is going to be grand and it will surely not be forgotten, either.

To my TCU Babes, See Y'all in August! Get ready for the best year yet!

Yours Truly,
Steph

Blessed

"Fall in love with your life."
Hey everyone!
I know it's been a while, but I've been pretty busy during the past few weeks. The title may sound cliche, or "typical white girl," or whatever, but it is the best way to describe my life right now. I'm currently a little over a third finished with my summer, and thus far it has been amazing! I've gotten to spend it with my wonderful family and some great friends. Thus far, I've had a friend from school visit, explored NYC for the first time, seen two Broadway shows, and now I have a job (and two classes). I'm going to talk about each for a bit.

Katie Visits
College is crazy and weird and wonderful, as I've expressed in previous posts, and it is a time when friends become family rather quickly. Well, she is one of my best friends I was blessed enough to meet and spend my freshman year going to concerts, causing shenanigans, and even just hanging out with. It can be difficult being separated from such awesome people for three whole months, but Katie was able to come visit for my birthday and she got to see two different states in just one week because I live in a part of Illinois that is not far from Saint Louis, Missouri. Being able to have Katie here for a week was so fun and we painted and did touristy things such as the arch and I got to take her to two Cardinals games. We also saw another concert together. So far, we've seen Beyonce, Luke Bryan, Scotty McCreery, and Rascal Flatts in a matter of six months. We also got to see another one of our friends who was her freshman roommate while she was here. I'm just so grateful that I got to spend more time with such a wonderful human and I can't wait for more visiting friends in the future. It makes summers away from our college families a little easier.

New York City and Broadway

I have always wanted to visit New York City. I've dreamed about it for such a long time and I finally got to stand on Broadway and walk in Central Park. It was literally a dream come true. I did not know what to expect from the city or how awesome the shows would be, and I was just blown away. The city is fabulous, the Broadway shows are phenomenal, and the actors even come out and sign programs and take pictures. I don't usually fangirl, but I did a little bit over these Broadway stars because they were so good, but so real at the same time. It was just so awesome to see that. I just can't thank my parents enough for bringing me to NYC this summer and I cannot wait to return one day.

Back to Reality

After New York, real life happened again, which might sound like a bummer, but I see it as a blessing. I get to nanny for two adorable six year olds three days a week. It is such a great experience and unlike a regular job where I would be sitting in an office, folding clothes, etc., following a specific schedule each day, I get to take the kids to places like the playground and the zoo, and I get to read with them and other cool educational things. It's so fun spending time with these children each week and it is a great job for me this summer. Although summer classes do suck, and I do my fair share of complaining, it just means I don't have to take them at school in the fall or spring, which opens my schedule up for more fun classes, so that is definitely a positive.

Overall, I am just so thankful for my adventures and experiences this summer and I cannot wait for more to come. I've also realized that I need to count my blessings more often instead of complaining about things like being tired and having to go to a really boring class. I hope all of you are also having an awesome summer.

Until next time!

Yours Truly,

Steph

Lessons Learned, Part 2

Hello everybody,

Confession: Yes, I am procrastinating and should be studying for finals, but this is more fun.

I hope you’re enjoying your Sunday. It’s currently a cool 93 degrees here in Fort Worth. Anyway, I’m not about to talk to you about Texas weather. That could be interesting, maybe, but I’m not gonna do it. Today, I’m going to talk to you about things I’ve learned during the second half of my freshman year of college. Remember when I wrote the “Lessons Learned” post? Well this is the second part of that. Here goes.

1. You Do You

You might be saying to yourself, “geez, she already made an entire post on this subject.” You would be correct, however, I just think it is so important to remember, whether you’re in high school, college, in the workforce, or whatever. People are going to judge you and tell you what you should be doing, but it’s more important to stay true to yourself, and the right people will come alongside you. Basically, like what you like, do what you want to do, watch whatever shows you like to watch, be involved in activities you enjoy…do them because you want to, not because someone else told you that you should. Instead of the saying, “Look like a girl, act like a lady, think like a man, and work like a boss,” it should be “Look like yourself, act like yourself, think like yourself, and own it.” –JVNK Lastly, before I get off my soapbox, here is a good reminder about the importance of being yourself: “You can’t let people scare you. You can’t go your whole life trying to please everyone else. You can’t go through life worried about what everyone else is going to think. Whether it’s your hair, your clothes, what you have to say, how you feel, what you believe, and what you have. You can’t let the judgment of others stop you from being you. Because if you do, you’re no longer you. You’re someone everyone else wants you to be.” –Unknown.

2. Spring is different than Fall

Spring is different than fall, and not just in weather patterns. As a freshman, in the fall, you’re the babies on campus, you’re kind of expected to ask dumb questions, make dumb decisions, and be a little clueless…it’s normal. When spring comes around, yeah, you’re still the babies on campus, but there’s more expected of you. You’re expected to kind of at least halfway know what you’re doing, make wiser decisions, and not have as many minor crises as you did in the fall. Many freshmen even apply, interview for, and sometimes even get chosen for leadership positions for the following school year. That’s a big jump from just being a cute little high school graduate starting college for the first time to growing up a little bit and getting the college thing halfway figured out and thinking about being a leader for the next batch of little babies. Also, aside from the growing up and maturing thing, I thought I would have more time in the spring than I did in the fall since I was no longer marching at football games, but that is definitely false. Spring semester legitimately does not stop. Between assignments, social events, sleeping, and eating, when you blink, it’s over, so just cherish your time.

3. Ginger Ale is a life-saver

Just trust me on this one, you’re bound to get sick, and I’m not talking about from alcohol. At some point, your stomach will probably hate you, and when you can’t stomach food or drink anything, ginger ale and saltines will come to your rescue so that you do not get completely and utterly dehydrated or starved, so just keep this in your fridge.

4. Relationships matter

I’m not talking about boyfriends, girlfriends, significant others. It’s just really important to have strong friendships with people who love you for you and vice versa. Friends get you through some crazy times. College life is wonderful, but it can be hard. There are many possible struggles and hard times, and your friends get you through the good, bad, and ugly; they’re there when your mom can’t be when you’re sick, they bring you coffee and other yummy treats when you’re exhausted, they listen to you vent, they laugh with you, cry with you, pray with you, and just experience life with you. I honestly cannot imagine my year without the amazing people I’m blessed enough to call my friends. “Where your friends are, your riches are.”

5. You can’t do this alone

Life was not created for a person to go it alone. College is way too weird to do it alone, that’s for sure, that’s why it’s important to have people you can lean on.

6. It’s okay to cry

“It’s better to cry than to be angry, because anger hurts others, while tears flow silently through the soul and cleanses the heart.

Confession: I’m not a big crier. Last semester, I legit did not cry. This semester, I’ve let myself feel a little more. It is okay to cry once in a while, it proves you’re human and you typically feel better afterwards.

7. Get off campus

Just do it. If you’re like me and don’t have a car, I’m sure someone in your friend group does, or just take a group and walk off campus, my friends and I do that sometimes. Trust me, though, it’s really important to get off campus. It doesn’t matter how much you love your school. Believe me when I say that I LOVE TCU, because I do, but if you never get off campus, you will go stir crazy. Have a girls night out at the movies, go out to dinner, it doesn’t have to be anything wild, crazy, or expensive, just get off campus once in a while.

8. Everything is expensive

I just told you to get off campus. Now I’m going to warn you that everything out there is expensive. I dropped $60 on groceries and all I bought was some Gatorade, water, Benadryl, capri suns, and a couple snacks. Budgeting money is not something I’m good at, and I’m warning you now, that money on your debit card will be gone in a flash if you aren’t careful. Don’t let that scare you, just use your money wisely, because, unfortunately, it doesn’t grow on trees…yet.

9. Skipping class isn’t the end of the world

I’m not telling you to skip class every time you don’t feel like going…if I had done that, I would have gone to my math class maybe 4 times (test days) this semester. Don’t do that. What I AM saying is that if you skip your class a couple times, it’s really not the end of the world. It is important to know your professor’s absence policy, but if it is a loose one, and you have a class at 9 and a test for your major at noon that you haven’t studied for, skip the 9 AM. I’ve skipped all of my non-major classes at least once this semester and it has not hurt me. Sometimes, the 9 AM Monday morning class just isn’t happening, and neither is the Friday 2 PM class, or maybe you need to get to the airport before your class is over, it’s fine. I skipped my Friday afternoon class to go to Oklahoma City for a Luke Bryan concert once and did fine on the test 2 class days later. Just try not to skip the same class more than once in a week, and if it is a major class, don’t skip it. That’s my little spiel on that subject.

10. Wear Sunscreen

For all you fair skinned people like me, (and even if you’re not as fair skinned), wear sunscreen, even if you’re just going outside to study for a couple hours...if you don’t, you WILL burn. Also, keep aloe in your fridge so when you do forget and end up burning, you can put that right on.

11. Benadryl is a keeper

Allergies are a thing and benadryl is just something good to keep in your medicine cabinet just in case you have some weird allergic reaction or get a bug bite that swells.

12. Church is amazing

I go to church in a bar. It’s wonderful. Seriously, though, last semester, I did not go to church at all (I grew up in the church), but started going again this semester and have not missed hardly any Sundays. It has just been something that I look forward to each week because not only do I get to hear about Jesus, which is always awesome, I get to go with some of my very best friends. The community at church just warms my heart and I was looking around today at all of the college students crowded in this bar worshipping our Heavenly Father together and it is just so beautiful to me. It’s just another place I feel comfortable and safe and secure and I’ve been blessed to share the experience and fellowship on the weekly with some of the most remarkable people and I cannot wait until next semester.

13. Finals week still sucks

I’m actually procrastinating from studying (still) as I type this. This is the part that doesn’t really change from last semester. The only thing that is somewhat different is that we know what to expect (sort of) this time, and icepocalypse is not a thing in Texas in May, so that’s nice. It is just really hard to stay focused and to study, but I have found that if I write down what studying I am going to get done each day, I’m more likely to be productive. Lists and schedules definitely help, but finals week still sucks, and will probably always suck.

14. Packing is a nightmare

The interesting part of the end of this semester is that not only do we have finals, but it is the end of the school year, so we also have to pack all of our stuff up and move out. It’s really hard to do that and study at the same time. Also, I brought way more than I needed and accumulated so much over the year, so if you’re an incoming college freshman, take note of this and do not pack a ton of stuff, just what you absolutely need.

15. Goodbyes are really hard

“How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.” –Winnie the Pooh

I’m a freshman. We’ve established that. But I have friends who are graduating and others who are not coming back next year, and that’s just really hard. I’m not the one leaving this time, and I’ve figured out over my Air Force Brat years that it is easier to leave than to be left. I am super grateful, though that these people have been a part of my life and they have definitely helped me grow this past year. I will just miss each of them to pieces. Thank God for social media. Okay. I’m done with that before I get emotional.

All in all, Freshman year is a year of trials, triumphs, and huge personal growth.

Here are some pictures from this semester, ENJOY!

May the Fourth Be With YOU!

Yours truly,

Steph

Finishing Strong

Hey everyone!
I'm sorry I haven't written in a while, but as soon as I got back from Spring Break, I hit the ground running and have been non-stop. This week I'm going to talk about burn-out and finishing the year strong, which is something I definitely struggle with. All throughout high school, Spring Break was the perfect break to give me just enough juice to finish out my year strong. College, I'm finding, is a little different. Right now, I feel like I'm crawling toward the finish line, just praying that I get everything done on time and do well enough on all of my tests. I figured out that this is not how I want to finish...I want to finish strong, like I've always done, and I'm about to talk about some key aspects that might help me, and you as well, if you are in the same boat. I hope this helps.

Burn Out
I don't know about you, but this is the most burnt out I have ever felt this close to the end. There are many variables that cause this, but the most important is academic performance. I constantly ask myself, "Do I want to allow myself to succumb to mediocrity and just finish, or do I want to give it my all and do the very best I can to achieve my goals?" I have never been one to succumb to mediocrity...it's just not in my nature and it makes me feel down about myself, but lately, I just haven't been putting my all into what I do. To be real, I've been half-assing a lot of my school work, and it's starting to bite me in the butt. I cannot continue like this, or I will "just finish" sorely disappointed with myself. College is not a 100 meter sprint, but more like a marathon, where you have to run at a steady pace. Honestly, I'm trying to figure out just how to do that effectively for me. I'm a social person, so I like to be a part of a lot of things and find myself putting too much on my plate, which could be a  cause of burnout. I bet I'm not the only one in this boat. So how do we fellow social people and perfectionists combat this burn out that leads to laziness? The following are tips that I think will help me, and hopefully you as well.

The End Is Near
Yes, I know the school year is rapidly coming to a close and that finals are just around the corner. How could I forget? I've already started counting down...37 days and counting until summer...that is NOT a long time, folks. But within those 37 days, I have 4 papers due and 7 more tests. That's a lot...and I know that all of you fellow college students probably have just as much, if not more on your plates as well, let alone social events, mandatory events, and having to move out. So, my advice since the end is about to swallow us all whole, is to make schedules for yourselves...stick to them as best as possible, and take things day by day, piece by piece. Don't let yourselves get too far behind which leads to cramming, which leads to stress, which can lead to burnout, but don't worry about what is due the last week of school...yet. Take care of what is due now, and go from there.

Kick in the Pants
If you need to, ask your friends to help keep you accountable. I'm not talking about them acting as a parent, but if you feel it would be beneficial for your friends to ask you how your studying is going or to invite you to study with them at certain times, by all means. That's what friends are for. Accountability is so important in many areas in college, and believe it or not, academics is one of them. If you need a (figurative) kick in the pants to motivate you to study, let your friends know. By asking them to help you be accountable for completing your work, you are likely helping them do the same. Schedule study sessions with your friends. Decide some nights that you are going to study instead of going out, and invite them to do the same, don't force them, of course. You will be surprised at how far that little extra really goes. In the end, you will all probably be proud of yourselves for your accomplishments.

Reward Yourself
I know I just did a lot of harping on how important it is to keep up with your studies especially since the end is near, but DO NOT spend all of your waking hours studying. This WILL burn you out...FAST. Decide how much you are going to complete in a certain amount of time, and once that is completed, take a break; reward yourself even. I know last weekend I did a lot of homework, but after I did what I knew I needed to complete, I went out with the girls and had a girls' night. It was a blast, and I felt that much better because I had also been productive during the day. The next day, I did what I needed to for another class, and then spent time with friends participating in Splatter Beat, which essentially turned into a paint fight. These fun times made studying that much more worth it. Balance is key to avoiding burn out.

Sprint to the Finish
I ran cross country once upon a time. Shocker, I know. But seriously, hear me out for just a few seconds. I always started off slow and steady and ran at a constant pace pretty much the whole time, until the last quarter of a mile...then I sprinted to the finish line. That is kind of how college can work. It's how I'm hoping to finish. After my last final, I am hoping I can say to myself, "wow, you gave it all you had," just like I did during every cross country race. My advice to you is to finish your year in a sprint, not in a jog, or a walk, or a crawl. Finish in a way that will make you feel proud, no matter what your grades look like at the end.

Congrats, You Did It
If you suck it up and finish strong, I guarantee you will feel satisfied with your accomplishments, and some partying will be warranted. We're almost there, and we can do it!

"Starting strong is good. Finishing strong is epic." -Robin Sharma

Yours Truly,
Steph

The Trip That Changed My Life

The trip that changed my life...it's called Big Break.

Hey everyone!
So I just got back from Spring Break, and those of you who did as well, I hope your break was awesome. Anyway, I had the opportunity to go on a trip to Panama City Beach, Florida for Spring Break...and it literally rocked my world. Those of you who have known me for a long time are probably wondering how this trip was so life changing, because you know that I've lived in Europe and gone to many different cities, states, and countries. Well, I'm about to share with you why this trip was unlike any other trip I've ever been on.

First, this trip started at 5:30 on a Saturday morning...those from TCU were meeting people from UT Arlington, and we were going to drive down together...and drive we did. It took us 16 hours to get to our condo in Panama City Beach. So, when we arrived, we were exhausted and slept in the next morning...then we went to Wal Mart to buy food for 14 people. That was an adventure...Wal Mart is always an adventure, but especially when you're they're trying to get stuff for a large number of people along with 5 thousand other Spring Breakers. This was just the beginning.

Big Break is actually a mission trip in which everyone at the conference attends morning and night large group meetings, and then during the afternoon Monday-Thursday, we share the Gospel with people on the beach. Before I get into that, I'm going to backtrack a little bit and talk about how I ended up going on this trip. I was originally supposed to go to Utah to visit a friend of mine because our Spring Breaks were the same, but she decided to go home for Spring Break instead, so I was like, "alright I'll go to Colorado to ski with my dad and another friend of mine," well, logistics just weren't working out, and I had heard a little bit about Big Break from my Bible Study leader, so I asked her more about it. I then decided that there was a reason that Utah and Colorado weren't working out. I took it as a sign that God wanted me at a specific place at a specific time. So I decided to sign up. I was excited because I've always wanted to do "backyard mission work" because I feel like we focus on other places around the world, which is amazing, but I think we sometimes forget about us here in America. Well, I graduated just an hour and a half west from PCB, so this was a backyard mission trip for me and it literally changed my life.

Each morning, we were equipped with different ways to approach people on the beach and share the Gospel with them, and then we would go out and do it, and then that night, we would gather again in big group meeting (there were 1200+ college students at this conference from all over the country), and share stories, sing praises, and would study the Bible. Sidenote, our Emcee, Shelby, and our speaker each night, Matt, were incredibly hilarious and approached the Bible and Evangelism in a serious, but playful way that kept all of us interested and focused. Anyway, I'm going to break each day up and talk about the highlights.

Day 1
I partnered with my student Bible Study Leader and we went out on the beach. I was wearing one of my sorority tanks because one of the girls who had done this before said it's a good idea because it could be something that you and whoever you're talking to on the beach have in common. This became so true because we first talked to some people in my partner's sorority. She noticed a guy's hat and we went over and talked to them for a good while. On this day, we had movie questions and general life questions to use to break the ice. Finally, we got to talk to one boy more in depth about God and Spirituality, which was awesome. My favorite part of Day 1, though was that I got to share the gospel with some of my sorority sisters from different universities and even prayed with them. It was an incredibly special moment for me and I will cherish it forever. The really cool part about that was after we were done talking to a group, we prayed that God would lead us to people He wanted us to talk to, and before my partner even finished praying, a sister from a different school saw my sorority tank and we hit it off. God just moves in big ways.
My song/prayer for day one was
Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders, let me walk upon the waters, wherever you would call me. Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander, and my faith will be made stronger, in the presence of my Savior.
I continued to pray this as we were walking and I am just still in so much awe of what God did through us that day, and the rest of the week.

Day 2

I went in a group of 4 on this day and there were not very many people on the beach because it was a bit chilly. We did get to have a good conversation with a kid from FSU who was a Christian and he warmed my heart. He told us some hard things about his past and his dad said that if God can change his dad's life, He could do anything. We were able to give him a Satisfied booklet, which helps believers live a more satisfied life with Christ. My other highlight of that day was that we got to talk to 3 girls from Texas for a while about what they believed, and they all had some spiritual background and believed that they would go to Heaven 100%. They opened up to us and one shared that her grandmother recently passed away and another said her aunt had just been diagnosed with cancer. They were so raw and real with us and it was amazing. God was definitely moving. We even got to directly pray with them, instead of just telling them that we would keep their family members in our prayers. We got to pray for healing right there with them and it was just a special moment.

Day 3

It was Wednesday, Hump Day, and we had been warned that we might be tired and unmotivated on the beach, so I remembered this and refused to be sluggish. I was going to let the Spirit work through me. I partnered with the only TCU guy on the trip, and ended up having to be both of our voices because he had lost his. My first highlight of this day was that after asking some general spiritual questions, we had the opportunity to go through the KGP, which is the Knowing God Personally booklet, with a guy who had not been raised in a Christian home and did not know much about the gospel at all, but was interested. His buddy had a little bit of a background, but he went through it with us as well. At the end of the booklet, there is a prayer in which one can say to accept Christ. This guy did not do it in front of us, but said he was going to when he got back to his room. I was just so humbled by this. It was just amazing. After we finished the KGP, we started talking and I found out he was an Elementary Education major, just like me, and I was just floured at the different ways God was using me, first through my sorority, and then my major. I was overwhelmed with awe and gratitude. The final conversation we had that day was with a few Christians from Texas who were really interested and supporting of what we were doing. I got to talk one on one with one guy and my partner got to talk one on one with another. After talking with this guy, I was so encouraged, I mentioned to him that I wanted to use my sorority as a mission field and he told me that if I had faith and trusted God, I do it. We also had an honest conversation about a hot button topic that actually refreshed me. After we were done with our separate conversations, the four of us came together and prayed for each other and I was truly moved. It gave me the encouragement I needed to finish out the week. After evangelism, we got to eat dinner at a restaurant as a group, and it was just a wonderful time of bonding and fellowship, and we got to share stories from the day. Everything about Wednesday was just amazing.

Day 4

On the last day of evangelism, I paired with the two CRU staff members from UT Arlington, and our last conversation was pretty eye-opening. B and I talked to a girl who had been raised in the Catholic faith, but personally believed that there is a God, but we should be able to do whatever we wanted because we were given free will. She was actually a bit defensive and started talking about how no one should be able to tell her what to believe. B asked her why she had come to this and she said that she felt that her church she grew up in was too judgmental and cared too much about money. I saw a pattern of that as we talked to students all week that had grown up in the church but had veered away...they either felt that college was a time to do whatever they wanted and "sow their wild oats," or they felt hurt and/or judged by the church, whether that be Catholic or Protestant. Every time I hear stories like this, it breaks my heart. Church is not a place where people should be judged. The church is a group of people, not a building. It's not a museum for the good people, but a hospital for the broken. (Jeff Bethke). Only God can judge. As believers, we should love one another. It is not our place to put judgment on others. Last time I checked I'm not perfect, I sin everyday, therefore I have no right to judge, and neither does anyone else. L, B's wife, actually got to talk one on one with a guy and went through the entire KGP, and accepted Christ into his heart, which is amazing. That night at big meeting, countless stories were shared and it was a celebration of what God had done all week. We worshipped and celebrated together, and that wrapped up Big Break. It was an incredible experience and I wouldn't change it for the world.

We had Friday off, so we decided to go to the beach for a little bit and then actually drove to Mississippi so we could go to New Orleans Saturday morning. That was a last minute decision that turned into a crazy adventure. We got to watch God move again. We were about 2 hours away from New Orleans and still didn't have a place to stay...we had 14 people. After calling countless hotels and even a travel agent, we were kind of stressed and some of us were a bit discouraged, but we finally found a hotel reasonably in budget in Gulfport, MS about an hour away from New Orleans. It was God's reminder that He does provide. We spent Saturday morning in the vibrant city of New Orleans and it was just beautiful. The culture was interesting and I so enjoyed looking at all the street vending items. There was one man in particular that was especially joyful. He was playing his tuba in the plaza and sang for us. He just warmed my heart because he had a genuine joy about him. We left New Orleans and it took us 12 hours to get back...that's not an exaggeration, but it was another opportunity to bond with one another and reflect on the week's experiences.

To summarize this week and try and wrap it up in a bow, I just want to reiterate how great God is. Through my experiences this week, I received a whole new perspective of God, friendship, healing and grace, and evangelism. I knew God was big, but I didn't really comprehend how big until I literally watched Him work. Throughout those 4 days, between the 1200 of us at the conference, there were over 5,000 Spiritual Conversations, over 2,000 people heard the Gospel, and 157 people accepted Christ as their Lord and Savior...if that's not a miracle, I don't know what is. I used to have a skewed view of evangelism as well...I used to believe that my job was just to live a Christ-like life, almost works-based, without even really saying much about my faith...I thought that was enough...I was wrong...I was lazy. I thought the bulk of evangelism was really up to the missionaries...that is so far from the truth. Honestly, I used to believe the lies that I don't know enough, I can't answer the right questions, they are not interested. These were addressed in meeting and really taught me a lot and helped me allow God to work through me this past week. It has also equipped me to share my faith more boldly back on campus and in my everyday life. A few weeks ago, a speaker at the church I attend was talking about how his favorite animal is a rhino because a herd of them is called a Crash, and we as Christians need to be a part of a Crash, and crash into people with the love of Christ. I finally understand what a Crash of Christians looks like. Before this trip, I was afraid to share my faith much with my nonChristian friends because I just don't typically talk about Religion or Politics. I used to be too worried about offending people, but, through the teachings of this past week, I learned, and truly realized that my friend's eternity is way more important than any earthly relationship. The Bible offends people, but I cannot be scared. It is too important...the eternity of humans is at stake. Galatians 1:10 says, "Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ." That was incredibly convicting to me because I am such a people pleaser. I have to remember that I serve one master, and that would be Jesus Christ. I can't let fear and selfishness keep me from spreading the good news of the Gospel. That being said, we must talk to nonChristians with gentleness, without judgment. Right now, in our society, social justice is a hot-button topic, however, Jesus, the just one, died for us, the unjust; justice is to increase the presence of Christ in our World. There are many countries who still do not have access to the Gospel. That is an act of injustice. Our job as Christians is to stand between the oppressed and the oppressor.  

Finally, I'm going to talk briefly about healing and grace. I used to live just an hour and a half west of Panama City Beach, and when I left Florida last summer to move to IL and then to college, I was pretty broken, much more broken than I had even realized. I had been through some challenging stuff, and made some poor decisions. I felt quite a bit of guilt, and didn't really leave the mark on Florida that I wanted to. I ended my senior year kind of living a double life. I was pretty worldly except on Sundays, and I was disappointed in myself because of that for a long time. This week was kind of a deja vu for me and the theme for Big Break was restored and renewed. God basically gave me another shot at making the difference and leaving the mark I wanted to and that He knew I was capable of with His help. The last night of celebration and worship was a time where I did a lot of processing and realized just how wonderful God is...and that I don't have to feel guilt or shame from the past, that I'm made new. It was just a phenomenal week and it's really hard putting it into words.

Galatians 5:13-14 "You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge in the flesh; rather, serve one another, humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: 'Love your neighbor as yourself."'

Y'all, this is a brief summary of a week that changed my life. I am totally open to answering any questions.

I hope everyone has a blessed rest of their week!

Yours Truly,

Steph

The Beauty of Friendship

"Friends fill your life with joy, your soul with sunshine, and your heart with love."

Hey everyone!
It's March! Say what?! Time really does fly! Anyway, I hope you have all had a great weekend and are enjoying the rest of your Sunday, even if it is sleeting/snowing wherever you are. Today, I'm going to talk about the beauty of friendship. This past week definitely does not go down in my top 10 favorite weeks. In all honestly, I refer to this past week as my week in Hell. I had a lot going on and a bunch of different stressors, and on top of that I ended up sick, again. Reflecting back on this week, I realized some things...first, I learned a lot about myself, but more importantly, I learned a lot about the people I have chosen to call my friends.

Sure, I've known for a while that my friends are pretty great...that's kind of why I picked them, but this past week, I've realized just how special they really are. When I was at my breaking point, they were there, for comfort, support, and even a voice of reason. When I was sick and had to get blood drawn, one of them came with me and held my hand...literally. I've realized that this is what friendship is all about. It's a relationship in which people are there for each other through the good, bad, and ugly, no matter what. My friends did that for me this week and I literally can't put into words how grateful I am for them and how willing I am to do the same for them if/when the time comes. The friendships I've made since coming to TCU are some of the strongest relationships I've made and I really believe these people will be my friends for an extremely long time.

Friendship really is a beautiful thing. You can be weird together; you can have fun together; you can laugh together; you can cry together; you can pray together. Good, solid, loving friendships are truly a gift from God. There is a reason HE put my friends in my life and I will be forever thankful. My friends are all unique, wonderful people who are just so loving and I can't put my love for them into words...sorry...english is hard. I'm much better at hugging than English-ing, just an FYI. But in all seriousness, they make me want to be a better person; they challenge me to grow; and they love and accept me for me, and I will never take that for granted because that is such a blessing.

Friendship is important...especially in college. Of course, it's important to have friends in elementary, middle, and high school, but when you get to college, they become much more than friends...they become family. I literally look at my friends as my TCU family. When you're away from home, you can't rely on your immediate family to take care of you right away, but that's what your friends are for. My friends and I take care of each other. I honestly don't know know what I would do without them...I would be even more of a hot mess than I already am. Finally, I just want to praise God for providing me with such wonderful friends, and I want to thank my friends for being themselves. They make my life much more beautiful.

"Friendship is when people know all about you but like you anyway."

"Friendship isn't about who you've known the longest. It's about who walked into your life, said 'I'm here for you,' and proved it."

"Here's to the nights that turned into mornings with the friends that turned into family."

Yours Truly,
Steph

You Do You

"Can you remember who you were, before the world told you who to be?"

Hey everybody!
I hope everyone had a great weekend and at least a decent start to their week. :) It's Wednesday, so that means it HUMP DAY!! Happy Hump Day! If you get a chance, say hi to a camel for me. Anyway, this week I have decided to write about being yourself because I've been so disturbed by people trying to tell others what they should do with their lives and people being judgmental of others for their choices. For those of you in college, it's a time to find yourself, what YOUR passions are, and what goals you have for yourself. If you're still in high school, it's still important to be yourself; you still shouldn't let anyone tell you who to be. Same goes for full grown adults. There's a reason we were not all created the same. The world would be a pretty lopsided, boring place if everyone was the same or even super similar. So many people will try and tell you who to be, and I'm going to talk about a few and how to deal with that.

Your Parents
This may be the most challenging one, because almost everyone wants their parents approval, however, your parents love you and will support you, maybe not at first, but they will come around. Now, high-schoolers, you do still have to listen to your parents...this is not an okay to go and rebel. They care and just want to protect you. Until you fly the nest, they are completely responsible for you and their rules are important. If you're going to graduate soon and they're trying to give you ideas on what to be when you grow up, do not ignore them; they're trying to help and most likely know what your strengths, weaknesses, likes, and dislikes are. Listen to them. It will also help you narrow your college search and maybe make life a little less overwhelming. College students, it's time to do what you're passionate about. It's perfectly acceptable to take your parents' advice, they may be paying the bills, however, do not allow them to tell you how to live your life. You're an adult now, and it's your life, not theirs. Most parents will respect that. Mine do, and I've grown even closer to them than I've ever been. You may have to have an adult conversation with them...good...you'll have to have a lot of those as you continue to grow up. Be respectful and listen to their point of view, but don't shy away from yours.

Your Friends
This is the one that bugs me the most. Lately I've seen way too many people tell their friends how to live their lives. NO! STOP IT! And stop letting them. I'm going to specifically address college students. When you're in college, it's time to explore life away from academics. I joined a sorority...and I LOVE IT. If that's the right fit for you, go for it. Don't let anyone tear you down because of it. I've caught a little bit of flack for joining a sorority, but not by my closest friends. I do have another friend who just joined as well and she is getting all kinds of crap for it. It's not anyone's place to tell you what to do with your time. We're too old for petty jealousy and thinking that just because someone joined a sorority they're going to replace their old friends...umm no...they are just expanding their circle. I've also heard that joining a sorority is "buying your friends." Well shoot, it's not the case, but if I bought my friends, I sure as heck didn't pay enough for them because they're pretty spectacular. That being said sorority life isn't for everyone...I don't look down on people who are not in a sorority. Find your fit...whether it's choir, band, student ministry, and other clubs. Don't let anyone make you feel guilty for doing what you love. And, newsflash, if your "friends" are truly your friends, they will get over it and will love you for who and what you are. Friends are there to love and support each other, not judge and tear each other down, so don't let your friends tell you what to do or how to live your life.

Your Peers
Peers, acquaintances, people your own age also love to tell us that how we're living is wrong. Who cares...if they're not your friends, it's not even worth giving them the time of day. Don't let them make you compromise yourself just so that you "fit in." You will fit in somewhere, and those people will love you for you, and it will be the greatest feeling in the world.

I'm a big Ke$ha fan because she believes so much in being yourself, and she once said, "Give the haters the finger and be true to yourself. You can't be a victim. You have to be a warrior." I'm not saying to actually flip people off...that's not polite. :) I am saying to give them the mental finger and be yourself. If you let people tell you who to be and allow them to victimize you, you won't get anywhere and you will be miserable. Be strong in who you are; be a warrior.

The Breakfast Club is also a brilliant movie and a quote from there that resonated with me was, "spend a little more time trying to make something of yourself and a little less time trying to impress people." This is wonderful because if you do you, and make something of yourself, you will impress the right people further on down the line.

"There is no passion to be found in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living," so "may your choices reflect your hopes, not your fears." (Mandela). These are two very big you do you quotes. Do not be afraid of your dreams and passions, and don't let others tell you how to live your life, or scare you out of what you're meant to be.

I hope this has made sense and is helpful to those of you who are struggling with people close to them telling you what to do...I know I struggle with this sometimes. Just remember, you do you, and I'll do me.

"The more you love your decisions, the less you need others to love them."

Yours Truly,
Steph