...but exciting at the same time.

This year is going to be full of so many changes. As I said, growing up can be a bit scary and weird. Two of my best friends are getting married this year and I won't be surprised if more of my friends get engaged over the year. That's awesome but so weird at the same time. It's hard to believe I'm old enough to have friends getting married. It doesn't seem like it was that long ago that I was graduating high school and now here I am in my last semester of college. By the way senioritis isn't just for high school seniors, it's striking me again. It's hard to want to do work when I just want to spend my last semester making the most of this time with friends.

Speaking of this being my last semester, I finally know for sure what I'm doing next year! I found out on my birthday (feb 4) that I got into Southwestern Seminary in Ft. Worth, Texas! I'm so excited but scared at the same time. I just haven't let it sink in fully that I'll be moving about 7 hours away from my family and closest friends. Thankfully I do have friends in Texas and I know I'll make more, but starting over again and far away is a bit frightening. I had no idea going into my senior year that I was even going to apply to seminary, much less get in! I never would have guessed that. I'm glad God knows the plans he has for me even when I have no clue.

I realized this week that I'm going to have about 1 week home after I graduate. I graduate May 9th and have to be at camp the weekend of May 15th for leadership training and camp ends August 15th. I then have a mandatory orientation at Southwestern August 18th and the semester starts the 20th. Wow. I know God knows what He's doing, but I can't help but be scared about having to make such a quick transition. Goodbyes are so hard for me and I'm going to have to say so many hard goodbyes this year. I know I'll see my friends again and I know it will be ok, but it makes me cry just thinking about having to say bye to so many of the amazing friends I have here and moving so far away from my family. I know I've taken for granted how close I am to them. I haven't let myself really think about it until now because I knew I'd cry and I did. Moving on to the next stage of your life is hard. It's both thrilling and sad at the same time. I never knew I'd be so happy and sad about the same thing. ha This is definitely a huge step out of my comfort zone and I'm excited to see what God has in store for me. Please pray for me this year as I make so many changes and have to say hard goodbyes.

To all my close friends my prayer for you is Philippians 1:3-11:

3I thank my God every time I remember you. 4In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 5because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 6being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
7It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart; for whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God's grace with me. 8God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.

9And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, 11filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.