Today I have overheard many conversations about the end of the semester, and how little time there is left in this year. It has begun to really hit me about how close Summer Project really is.... I leave in 7 weeks!!! Wow. As I have received more and more information about Santa Cruz and all of the plans for the summer, I have also had the chance to meet many of the other students that will be going there with me this summer from NCSU. It has been so awesome to hear how God has been working in their lives, and to also hear the background as to how they ended up applying for and choosing Santa Cruz for the summer. Many of the people that are going from NC State, I did not know beforehand, so I have loved the chance to meet these awesome new friends and begin relationships that are sure to grow deeper this summer. After hearing about how others were led to the Santa Cruz project this summer, I figured that I would share that with you about my life over the past 2 years leading up to this summer, as many of you may be hearing about Summer Project for the first time through a letter or on this blog! I am overjoyed to share all that God is/has been doing in my life with you, and to have you join me on this exciting adventure! :)
Background:
Things really began to change at the end of my senior year of high school, when God began to move in my life in ways that I had never experienced before. The college application & decision process had worn me out. I had reached a place where the plans that I had made for myself we not exactly panning out, and I was beyond exhausted after 4 years of trying to steer and secure my own future. Through that process, the Lord brought me to a place where I began to completely surrender and let go of things that I had tried to control and plan out for so long. He led me to NC State, an unexpected choice for someone more interested in humanities than math/science, and although I really had no idea why He had led me there or what I would do, I had to truly rely on Him and trust that He had a plan for me there. I could not see it myself (which definitely scared me at first!) but God is so sovereign, and it was not long before He started to piece together the beginning of the most beautiful and remarkable chapter in my life...
"Trust in the Lord with all of your heart
and lean not on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
and He will make your paths straight"
~Proverbs 3:5-6
Freshman year, God opened my eyes to many things, mainly my desperate need for Him and His saving grace! He placed people in my life who challenged me in my spiritual growth, and led me to a Gospel-teaching church where I began to learn so much about Him, and became captivated by His Word. Early on in the year, I got plugged in to Campus Crusade for Christ, a christian ministry on campus, where I joined a Bible study, and met many other christians, who have become such an encouraging community and have supported me and challenged me in my walk. I heard about Summer Project at worship one Thursday night, and I was captivated at the thought of serving God in that way. I had never been drawn to anything quite like it before, and wanted to know more about it. Since I already had summer plans, I began praying about the following summer and what God may have in store.
Flash forward to December 2011...through a series of wonderful events, encouragement from friends, and lots of prayer, I felt strongly about applying for Summer Project, but did not know what location to even apply for. There are SO many stateside and international summer projects, but after talking to friends, I decided that going alongside other NCSU students would be a good option, considering we could continue friendships and whatnot after the summer ended, and it would be nice to have friends around who experienced the same thing after such an influential summer. So I prayed. I prayed for answers and direction, guidance and encouragement. After attending Encounter, Campus Crusade's winter conference, I felt very drawn to Santa Cruz, and ended up filling out the application and submitting it before Christmas break ended.
Six weeks later, I heard the news that I had been accepted!!! (See previous post :)) and the prospect of going to California began to get real. Letters have been sent out, prayers are continuing to be prayed, and God has not ceased to work and faithfully to provide. Since being accepted, I have (just recently) booked my flight, been offered employment (!), and seen the Lord remind me of His hand in all of this.
This year...
The word that I selected for 2012 was "challenge"
--> I want to challenge myself spiritually. To constantly be growing in my relationship with Him. I want to trust in the Lord with all that I am. Completely surrender myself to Him-- for His glory. For Him to use me in whatever way He will, following whatever plan He has for my life. This year, I am abandoning more of "me" and seeking more of Him. That means trusting Him...really trusting Him. Loving Him. Investing time with Him. Drawing near to Him. Learning more about Him. Serving Him. Seeking guidance, wisdom, & growth through His Word. This summer will most definitely be a step of faith, as I trust in the Lord to not only provide financially for the trip, but also to lead me and take care of me through the process! It has already been a beautiful experience...He is so faithful, and I have already begun to see Him work in some incredible ways.
I cannot wait to share more with you about this process, and I hope that you will join me in prayer over this summer, and in sharing this experience with me, even if it is just through this blog! I will do my best to update as often as possible, and to share some of what God is doing each step of the way. I am so very thankful for all of my family member, friends, and supporters, who have encouraged me, prayed for me, and supported me to make this Project possible.
*Feel free to comment on here, to "follow" this blog, etc. -- this is the main form of communication that I will be using this summer, as I will probably disable my Facebook temporarily!
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