I keep forgetting I have a blog. I think it was one of those "everyone is doing it" things that I just had to join in on during high school. But high school is over now. Woah. Just saying that feels weird. I'm in college. Like adult-status here. Yeah, still doesn't sound right.
I've been in college for about 2 months now. What a learning experience it has been. I have already grown in so many ways. It is very, very hard being 8-9 hours away from home. I get jealous when my sister talks about the things she is doing back at NRCA or when she tells me the latest activity that is planned for the youth group. But I have to remember that God has me here for a reason. And to be honest, I wouldn't trade where I am at for the world. Cedarville is a wonderful place for me. It's not perfect, no college is. But God had in His plan to put me here.
Having said that, I have been thinking a lot about high school and the things that I did (and didn't do) throughout those years. Senior year was probably one of the best years of my life. The friendships that grew stronger, the hilarious memories, and what God taught me are things that will stay with me forever.
But it wasn't all fun and games at first. I wasted the first semester of my senior year. I had this mentality that because in just a little under a year I was moving far away, I did not have to pursue intentional relationships with anyone. I could stay in the ones I was in of course, but I could not grow deeper or make new ones. That was not an option in my head. So what did I do? I covered up what I was actually doing. I became busy. Teaching a Sunday school class here, volunteering there, you name it, I did it. I blamed others for not making me feel included when really I was the one being superficial.
Thankfully, someone loved me enough to slap me upside the head. She simply challenged me to think about my relationships with others as I went to ATL to visit family over Christmas break. When I was in ATL, it all clicked. Just because I was moving to Ohio in a few short months did not mean I had to cut everyone off or out.
So I challenged myself. I asked God to help me be truly intentional in my relationships; whether I had known the person for years, or had just met them. This decision made all the difference. Granted, I could not do it on my own strength. God was so active in it. Being able to talk to girls with a true desire to know them better is not something that is easy for me to do. I love to listen, I do not like to really invest. But by choosing to invest, I rekindled relationships with people who have truly blessed my life.
This attitude change reflected at school, in my youth group, and has made the transition to college so much easier. Making friends, and I mean good (life-long) friends is so much easier. The people I have met here at CU are amazing. And I would have never allowed them into my life if I had not let the Holy Spirit truly work in my heart in this particular area. It changed my world.
So, why did I write all this down? HIGH SCHOOLERS. That's why.
Especially seniors, DO NOT waste these last few months of high school. Challenge yourself. Let God grow you. Stop being clique-y. You might think you aren't, but do a double-take. Take the younger ones under your wings and show them they can make it through. Love on those who you have known for years. Let teachers make an impact on you. Fight that senioritis as hard as you can, but have fun in the process.
Those of you in youth groups, focus on unity. God called us to love one another and truly invest in each other. This is community. What the leaders do in your lives and how you respond, it matters. God is using amazing people who are just a few steps ahead of you to give you a "sneak peek" into the next phase of your life. Embrace that. Thank them. Respect them.
Invest. Invest. Invest. This quality will help you so much in the future. Being vulnerable is not a bad thing. Let people love you, hold you accountable, and help you grow in the Lord. Stop being ignorant like I was. It gets you absolutely no where.
GET IN THE WORD. Oh my goodness, I could not say this enough. Develop your prayer life. This is a time when God can truly speak to you. He has so much to say and longs to have an intimate relationship with you. LET HIM.
I have no clue who will read this, but I hope it encourages you. College is a whole new, and very exciting world. It's so much fun, emotionally draining, and academically rigorous. Do not waste high school and the things it prepares you for. Do not waste your time in youth group. As weird as it might sound, it prepares you more than anything for college. Trust me. Let other in, and let yourself to be vulnerable. Love others.
Most importantly, listen to God. He truly does know the best plan for you, whether it's what college you are going to next year, or who you will sit with at lunch tomorrow.
Hannah :)
Monday, October 7, 2013
Thursday, May 24, 2012
The Past Few Months
Woah. It's been way too long since I last posted. But Junior Year decided to invade my life these last few months.
So many things have been going on lately.
1. I have started teaching MS girls Sunday School at church.
2. God has taught me SO much these past 6 months.
3. I AM NOW A SENIOR.
A few months ago God really started laying the sweet middle school girls in my youth group upon my heart. These girls are the cutest things ever. They are all smiles, some are crazy, and some are quiet. They are true sweethearts. There had been a need for an assistant teacher for them for quite sometime. Amelia, my youth pastor's wife, has been teaching them for a few years now. And let me tell you something about this woman, she radiates with beauty from the Creator. She loves Christ and shows it to us girls week in and week out. I approached her and her husband about possibly helping out and learning the ropes of teaching. They were very excited that I was willing to help out. In March, I started shadowing Amelia for a few weeks to "learn the ropes." Then, I was able to lead a lesson all by myself. What an eye-opener. Doing this has caused me to be involved in the Word daily. It has taught me so incredibly much. These middle school girls are crazy smart. They are so mature for their ages, and constantly challenge me. I LOVE it. It's also so cool to see how the Old Testament relates to the New Testament. Not many people pick up the Bible and decide to read Deuteronomy. Over the past few weeks, it has literally become one of my favorite books of the Bible. The Israelites are so much like us today. They are constantly having to be reminded about what God has done in their lives and what God is doing. God's faithfulness is reiterated constantly throughout this book, and it has allowed me to grow so much in my trust of God. I absolutely love teaching this book, seeing it relate to the New Testament, and relating it to today.
Six months ago, I decided to deactivate my Facebook. I was tired of all the drama that was occuring and honestly wanted to communicate with people face-to-face not screen-to-screen. These past 6 months have been such learning experience for me. I have had more time to spend with my Savior, focus on my studies, and hang with my amazing friends.
God has definitely hit me upside the head lately. My biggest struggles in life are my pride, judgementalism, and showing compassion. All three of these things have been addressed or pointed out to me through multiple situations lately. I have realized that I am not the center of everything, that my opinion of other people doesn't matter (they were created by the same Creator who made me), and that compassion was shown on the cross and should be shown in my life as well. I am not saying I am perfect or have all this together, but the fact that my eyes were opened to these things has really changed my life.
I AM A SENIOR. Okay, not until tomorrow at 3:05, but still. The seniors finished their school days last week, and now my class rules the school! I can't believe how quickly time has gone by. I still feel like I am in my freshman year. I am so excited for what this next year holds. I know God is going to orchestrate some pretty awesome things and I can't wait to see what they will be. Also, I am now embarking on the lovely road of deciding everything for college. I had the oppurtunity to visit Cedarville University in April, and definitely feel that is where God is leading me to go. I want to major in Nursing and possibly minor in Cross-Cultural Nursing and Spanish (we'll see about those though, because CU automatically minors their students in Bible). I am so excited to see what the future holds!
If I had to sum up the past few months in 3 words it would be: Lessons, Excitement, and Growth. I hope to be able to blog more now that it's summer, but we'll see what happens! :)
Hannah <3
So many things have been going on lately.
1. I have started teaching MS girls Sunday School at church.
2. God has taught me SO much these past 6 months.
3. I AM NOW A SENIOR.
A few months ago God really started laying the sweet middle school girls in my youth group upon my heart. These girls are the cutest things ever. They are all smiles, some are crazy, and some are quiet. They are true sweethearts. There had been a need for an assistant teacher for them for quite sometime. Amelia, my youth pastor's wife, has been teaching them for a few years now. And let me tell you something about this woman, she radiates with beauty from the Creator. She loves Christ and shows it to us girls week in and week out. I approached her and her husband about possibly helping out and learning the ropes of teaching. They were very excited that I was willing to help out. In March, I started shadowing Amelia for a few weeks to "learn the ropes." Then, I was able to lead a lesson all by myself. What an eye-opener. Doing this has caused me to be involved in the Word daily. It has taught me so incredibly much. These middle school girls are crazy smart. They are so mature for their ages, and constantly challenge me. I LOVE it. It's also so cool to see how the Old Testament relates to the New Testament. Not many people pick up the Bible and decide to read Deuteronomy. Over the past few weeks, it has literally become one of my favorite books of the Bible. The Israelites are so much like us today. They are constantly having to be reminded about what God has done in their lives and what God is doing. God's faithfulness is reiterated constantly throughout this book, and it has allowed me to grow so much in my trust of God. I absolutely love teaching this book, seeing it relate to the New Testament, and relating it to today.
Six months ago, I decided to deactivate my Facebook. I was tired of all the drama that was occuring and honestly wanted to communicate with people face-to-face not screen-to-screen. These past 6 months have been such learning experience for me. I have had more time to spend with my Savior, focus on my studies, and hang with my amazing friends.
God has definitely hit me upside the head lately. My biggest struggles in life are my pride, judgementalism, and showing compassion. All three of these things have been addressed or pointed out to me through multiple situations lately. I have realized that I am not the center of everything, that my opinion of other people doesn't matter (they were created by the same Creator who made me), and that compassion was shown on the cross and should be shown in my life as well. I am not saying I am perfect or have all this together, but the fact that my eyes were opened to these things has really changed my life.
I AM A SENIOR. Okay, not until tomorrow at 3:05, but still. The seniors finished their school days last week, and now my class rules the school! I can't believe how quickly time has gone by. I still feel like I am in my freshman year. I am so excited for what this next year holds. I know God is going to orchestrate some pretty awesome things and I can't wait to see what they will be. Also, I am now embarking on the lovely road of deciding everything for college. I had the oppurtunity to visit Cedarville University in April, and definitely feel that is where God is leading me to go. I want to major in Nursing and possibly minor in Cross-Cultural Nursing and Spanish (we'll see about those though, because CU automatically minors their students in Bible). I am so excited to see what the future holds!
If I had to sum up the past few months in 3 words it would be: Lessons, Excitement, and Growth. I hope to be able to blog more now that it's summer, but we'll see what happens! :)
Hannah <3
Here are just a few pictures from some recent events :)
Prom 2012 :)
These 3 girls are my closest sisters in Christ :)
Best Friends
Class Ring
Cedarville University
Monday, January 30, 2012
Chinese Festival
This past week/weekend, our family celebrated a new holiday. Chinese New Year! Since we have Charlene in our family now, we thought we would celebrate one of her biggest holidays with her. So, when mom found out that there was a New Year's Festival at the State Fairgrounds, we jumped on it. Mom, Dad, Charlene, Mrs. Freeman, Kevin, Matt, Nicole, and I all went Saturday morning. I was cool getting to see a different culture and their customs. Though we didn't stay long, it was still fun and definitely a different experience.
Matt, Nicole, and I :)
Dad, Mom, Charlene, and I :)
Charlene and I next to the Stamp :)
Dragon Dance
After the Festival, all of us went out to eat at a Chinese resturant, where we ate and talked for almost two and a half hours. I love time spent with friends and family, and a sometimes a different culture too! :)
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
New Lessons Learned Everyday
This past weekend, I was able to go on my youth group's annual ski trip. I looked forward to this since the last ski trip last year. I LOVE skiing. The anticipation that comes when riding up the lifts to the top of the mountain and the rush when flying down the slopes is something that I personally enjoy! But this year was a little different.
This year, our church paired up with North Wake's youth group (we also go to summer camp with them) and Dr. George Robinson came with us and preached 3 times. Before the trip, I heard he was going to preach on the story of the Bible. Like others who have grown up in a Christian home, I have heard the "Story of the Bible" multiple times, and have even found myself becoming apathetic to it. But this weekend changed some things.
Dr. Robinson told the entire meta-narrative (thanks Mr. Beaver and Mr. Ridlehoover) of the Bible in the first 3 chapters of Genesis, and then related it to passages in Matthew and Revelation. Oh my goodness. Things made COMPLETE sense. And it was understandable. Even when it was 9:00 at night after I had busted my butt on the slopes and ached all over. I understand that God had planned things, even the little details, since the very beginning.
This ski trip was more than just a trip of going down slopes in the freezing cold. It was a trip that opened my eyes to the bigger picture of the Bible. My apathetic mindset was shattered. I'm not saying I'm never going to be apathetic again, but I see that God's plan was and is still in affect.
Others can read this story at www.viewthestory.com
This year, our church paired up with North Wake's youth group (we also go to summer camp with them) and Dr. George Robinson came with us and preached 3 times. Before the trip, I heard he was going to preach on the story of the Bible. Like others who have grown up in a Christian home, I have heard the "Story of the Bible" multiple times, and have even found myself becoming apathetic to it. But this weekend changed some things.
Dr. Robinson told the entire meta-narrative (thanks Mr. Beaver and Mr. Ridlehoover) of the Bible in the first 3 chapters of Genesis, and then related it to passages in Matthew and Revelation. Oh my goodness. Things made COMPLETE sense. And it was understandable. Even when it was 9:00 at night after I had busted my butt on the slopes and ached all over. I understand that God had planned things, even the little details, since the very beginning.
This ski trip was more than just a trip of going down slopes in the freezing cold. It was a trip that opened my eyes to the bigger picture of the Bible. My apathetic mindset was shattered. I'm not saying I'm never going to be apathetic again, but I see that God's plan was and is still in affect.
Others can read this story at www.viewthestory.com
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Sometimes God's Plan is Different
New Year's Resolution #1: Listen for God's plan and not my own.
A few weeks ago, my school announced the over-seas mission trip they would be offering this summer. This year, they will take a group of high school students to Port au Prince, Haiti, to work with orphans and those still affected by the earthquake that happened a few years ago.
I decided to go to the informational meeting to see if this is something I would be interested in. I started reading the packet and was captivated by the oppurtunity. I thought this is what God wanted me to do this summer, and I thought I knew His plan that very second. Let's just say, I didn't really pray about it much or really listen to see if it was His plan, I just satisfied myself and said it was.
My plan was to use my Christmas money to make the deposit that was due the day I returned to school after Christmas break. Well, things didn't go according to MY plan. I didn't recieve even half of what the deposit amount is. Now, I am not saying that I recieved bad gifts, not at all. I was very blessed this Christmas with the things that I did recieve. But I think this was God's way of telling me that I didn't give Him time to speak to me.
As hard as it is to grasp, I believe that it is God's plan for me to not go to Haiti. And sometimes He has to use extreme ways to get me to listen. I honestly don't know what God has in store for me when it comes to the mission feild, but I have learned that I need to give Him more time, and look to Him for answers on these crucial things and not myself.
All in all, those of you who I told that I had the oppurtunity to go to Haiti, I am not going. But I am okay with that. God has bigger plans, and I am going to start listening to Him instead of myself.
A few weeks ago, my school announced the over-seas mission trip they would be offering this summer. This year, they will take a group of high school students to Port au Prince, Haiti, to work with orphans and those still affected by the earthquake that happened a few years ago.
I decided to go to the informational meeting to see if this is something I would be interested in. I started reading the packet and was captivated by the oppurtunity. I thought this is what God wanted me to do this summer, and I thought I knew His plan that very second. Let's just say, I didn't really pray about it much or really listen to see if it was His plan, I just satisfied myself and said it was.
My plan was to use my Christmas money to make the deposit that was due the day I returned to school after Christmas break. Well, things didn't go according to MY plan. I didn't recieve even half of what the deposit amount is. Now, I am not saying that I recieved bad gifts, not at all. I was very blessed this Christmas with the things that I did recieve. But I think this was God's way of telling me that I didn't give Him time to speak to me.
As hard as it is to grasp, I believe that it is God's plan for me to not go to Haiti. And sometimes He has to use extreme ways to get me to listen. I honestly don't know what God has in store for me when it comes to the mission feild, but I have learned that I need to give Him more time, and look to Him for answers on these crucial things and not myself.
All in all, those of you who I told that I had the oppurtunity to go to Haiti, I am not going. But I am okay with that. God has bigger plans, and I am going to start listening to Him instead of myself.
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Bumper to Bumper Traffic
Im sure by reading the title you can guess what I have been up to the past 12 hours. We embarked on our Christmas trip to GA today, at 1 pm. Well, if things had gone as planned, we would have left at 11 am and gotten to Greenville at like 4 or 5. But as usual, they didnt. Oh well.
We arrived to the wet, rainy, and very trafficky Greenville at 8ish. Thankfully, we just get to chill in the hotel until tomorrow when we make the rest of our trip to GA.
Usually we get up at 4 in the morning and travel to GA all in one day. But this year, because we have Charlene (our foreign exchange student) we decided to split it up, due to all of our sanity. But for some reason, the DOT decided to re-route all traffic around Charlotte and we ended up in bumper to bumper traffic, off and on, for a good 5ish hours. Fun stuff, right? Not.
But as we were slowly creeping our way along I-85, I realized how much time car rides give one time to think... I mean seriously. You have to sit in one spot for hours upon end. And although I have my Ipod on shuffle, with the occasional skip of songs that I forgot were on my Ipod, you start day dreaming and wondering off into space until someone or something snaps you back into reality.
I hope I am not the only one who experiences these events when in a car.
So if you ever are stuck in bumper to bumper traffic, in the rain, with music you forgot was on your Ipod... never fear, day dreaming is always there.
We arrived to the wet, rainy, and very trafficky Greenville at 8ish. Thankfully, we just get to chill in the hotel until tomorrow when we make the rest of our trip to GA.
Usually we get up at 4 in the morning and travel to GA all in one day. But this year, because we have Charlene (our foreign exchange student) we decided to split it up, due to all of our sanity. But for some reason, the DOT decided to re-route all traffic around Charlotte and we ended up in bumper to bumper traffic, off and on, for a good 5ish hours. Fun stuff, right? Not.
But as we were slowly creeping our way along I-85, I realized how much time car rides give one time to think... I mean seriously. You have to sit in one spot for hours upon end. And although I have my Ipod on shuffle, with the occasional skip of songs that I forgot were on my Ipod, you start day dreaming and wondering off into space until someone or something snaps you back into reality.
I hope I am not the only one who experiences these events when in a car.
So if you ever are stuck in bumper to bumper traffic, in the rain, with music you forgot was on your Ipod... never fear, day dreaming is always there.
Monday, December 19, 2011
Approaching the Birth
So we all know it's December. But honestly, it doesn't feel that way to me. haha! It just now started to get cold. So my body is thinking it's November. I mean seriously, 70 degree weather and December just don't mix. But I guess in NC they do.
At church, my pastor and youth pastor have been very good at reminding all of us what Christmas is really about. Not the gifts and such, but the birth of our Saviour and what He ultimately came to do. One of my favorite Christmas songs is "Mary, Did You Know." There is one particular verse that gets me thinking everytime I hear it.
"This child that you've delivered, will soon deliver you."
Imagine what Mary was thinking. She was probably my age, about 16 years old. I know if I had been approached with this situation, I would be confused and maybe even scared. But she was going to give birth to a baby boy who would give her new life. I marvel at how amazing God is, and how every little detail of His Son's birth was planned.
So this Christmas season, focus on the fact that the baby in the manger would be hung on a tree to give us the ultimate gift... eternal life.
At church, my pastor and youth pastor have been very good at reminding all of us what Christmas is really about. Not the gifts and such, but the birth of our Saviour and what He ultimately came to do. One of my favorite Christmas songs is "Mary, Did You Know." There is one particular verse that gets me thinking everytime I hear it.
"This child that you've delivered, will soon deliver you."
Imagine what Mary was thinking. She was probably my age, about 16 years old. I know if I had been approached with this situation, I would be confused and maybe even scared. But she was going to give birth to a baby boy who would give her new life. I marvel at how amazing God is, and how every little detail of His Son's birth was planned.
So this Christmas season, focus on the fact that the baby in the manger would be hung on a tree to give us the ultimate gift... eternal life.
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