OK, everyone. Here is the long awaited for update:
So, lets rewind to last Wednesday. $400 in my bank account,$900 due at orientation on Saturday. A mustard seed of faith in my heart. “God, you said you want me there and your word says seek FIRST and all these things will be added unto you (Matthew 6:36ish). You promised to provide and I have been faithful with your money (paying my tithe and $7,500 in debt…plus my regular expenses.) I am going to trust I heard You right and the money will be there waiting for me!
$1,400 from people’s hearts later, I am on a plane to the Atlanta airport. I am npot gonna lie, but I didn’t get much sleep that week, my stomach was in one giant knot, and I had a few tearful meltdowns in my quiet time with God…trickling occasionally to a close friend. I left so many wonderful and close relationships that really affected me. Ben and Holly Binger, the best mentors and friends God could have given me, Nancy, my warrior and friend, Whitney, who encouraged me to chose the path less traveled by, P A, an awesome example of knowing the word…the list goes forever. So for everyone at home, I don’t take you for granted!f
Skip to Saturday morning, the line for payment plans. Not knowing why, I felt like I was supposed to write my first payment for $1,700. It left me only with the upcoming direct deposit check to sustain me. Yikes…but faith by definition is the confidence of a promise. “God, thank You for my provision. I am nervous but FAITHFUL the rest will come in. And it did. Someone had anonymously given a $5,000 check towards my tuition. What does this mean? #1. God is amazing, and provides for his children. #2. To the DOLLAR, without knowing this, with my $1,700 check, my tuition AND my missions trip were paid! How rediculously awesome is that?!
My first week has been amazing. God has showed me through so many things that this is where He wants me. So many areas of my life are going to be in constant development. I am most excited about scripture studies and our 1 hour prayer time every morning! The teachers here are so amazing that my notebook is going to fill up way to fast from all the knowledge they have! We get time with Jeanne (Mom) every week. There are so many ways to serve here!
Lastly, and I think most importantly relating to my relationship with God, I have been put in an environment surrounded by other ladies, all in pursuit of Jesus as their security and love. We know we live in a society where our dependence on the opposite sex has become so great, even in the church. And I didn’t realize this dependency until my recent tally of friends. My age, male friends have outnumbered female 3 to 1. I am not saying male female friendships are bad at all, but I realized that for me this ratio is not healthy. And when I am married I am sure my husband won’t be happy to say “Ya go hang out with the guys” or want me tagging along on his guy-time. I need to have female relationships, and what better time to have healthy relationships than now. Plus, without the emotional destraction, security, and even the emotional dependency I have had, God has so much more of my focus. And if all us girls will jsut decide to lay down our pride and be vulnerable with each other, we are designed to be close. satan wants to take that away. We say how we have been hurt by so many girls and how catty they, excuse me, WE can be, we forget that guys hurt us and don’t respect us and we are quicker to forgive them. but that is a whole other blog. 
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So that is just a quick little note to the awesome friends in my life that happen to be male, can you please respect what I am doing, because I want to hold a high standard for myself and make God my number one priority! (that means no exceptions besides my amazing brother dad and pastor. God bless all of you and I plan to keep everyone updated with all the miracles and lessons God shows me hopefully to encourage you and keep blogging so I can keep up with all you ladies! Love you!
