ADDRESS CORRECTION!!!

I mistakenly posted the wrong address for camp. Here's the right one, I hope:

Tamara Stringer
PO Box 1377
Ingram, TX 78025


I'm here and loving training so far. I'm learning a lot and can hardly wait for the kids to be here. :o)

In my heart....

I'm in Waco for less than 24 hours, and I'm sitting in my new apartment on my free couch (Thanks, Joel!) listening to music and thinking of how blessed I am. Kenley, Jenna, and Diane came to visit me my last few days in Waco and help me move into my new apartment (You guys are the best, thanks for all of your help!). Then, we convinced my roommate Sarah the day we were leaving that she really did need to come with us. So, we all high-tailed it to Florida so Jenna could make it to her 8:30 am class last Monday. I spent the past week going to Florida and back and it seems like there was little time to sit still. It was surprisingly restful and refreshing, but definitely jam-packed. Here's the rough run-down:

• Sleep in my own bed
• Mail-outs for Kenley
• Dinner with the fam, Surprise visit from Tori, One Tree Hill with Sarah
• Four doctor appointments and lots of trying on dresses
• Crispers (so good)
• Bridal shower for Jessica
• Definitely, Maybe at Movies 8 and Wendy's at Lake Ella by moonlight
• Chased my dog down in the neighborhood when he escaped
• Joined in worship led by a children's choir
• Zaxby's (Mandatory for Sarah)
• Babysat a precious little girl
• Lunch and shopping with Granny
• Toss-Up, Dominoes, and Some Good Conversation
• Saw an impressive construction project managed by a friend (you're pretty up there, Dean)
• Myra Jean's
• Visited the old and new capitol buildings, and raided the Museum of Arts and Sciences
• Steak dinner and home videos with the fam
• Cape San Blas with some cool people (Diane, Kevin, Kyle, Dean, Aaron, Janelle, and, of course, Sarah)
• Romantic dinner with Sarah at Captain Dave's On the Gulf in Destin (you're the best date, ever)
• Spent the night with a gracious family
• Church with Sarah in the car
  
• Driving, driving, driving
• Moe's and Rue 21 Stop
• Visit Lacey in Highlands
  
• Crash at Sarah's in Houston
• Fresh breakfast prepared by a beautiful woman (mmhmm, Raina's amazing)
• Searched the new Houston outlet mall for a restroom
  
• Starbucks
• Back in Waco to do some work in the apartment and regroup
  

Mmhmm, and I leave tomorrow to drive to camp! Yikes.

I have to say, though, that the past week was truly a reminder that God has put incredible people (and awe-inspiring places) in my life and far too often I don't slow down to thank Him for them. I would not be who I am today without the experiences and relationships that God has orchestrated in my life. He is so faithful. So very faithful.

And now, "Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus" (Philippians 1:6), I will leave you in peace.

Summertime

Wow. I cannot believe that in less than 24 hours, my summer will officially begin. Where did this year go? Even though the time has flown, I can honestly say that I think God has grown me more this year than I could have ever imagined. He has taught me so much about Himself and in that shown me how far from being like Him I truly am. I hope that this year has been a year of extraordinary growth for you, but, even if it hasn't, I want to extend the challenge that my college pastor Kyle Dunn extended to us this past Sunday, our last of the semester. Use your summer to seek Him wholeheartedly.

Kyle challenged us that for many of us, the reason our relationship with God isn't where it should be is because sin is running unrestrained in our lives. (I would encourage you to check out the whole sermon on Itunes. Just search Kyle Dunn or Encounter sermons and you should find it. ) Colossians 2:20-23 says "Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules: "Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!"? These are all destined to perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings. Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility, and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence." Far too often we try to restrain sin by regulations of do's and don't's. The problem is that we try to impose external solutions on an issue of the heart. We need to battle the root of the problem. I read John Piper's Battling Unbelief this semester, and I was convicted by the truth that our sin is a result of our lack of faith in the promises of God. We sin because we believe the promises that it entices us with. This will get you ahead. This will feel good. You deserve better. You're missing out. Instead, we must embrace in faith the promises that God makes us.

"'But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD,
whose confidence is in Him,
He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream.
it does not fear when heat comes;
its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.'
The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure.
Who can understand it?
'I the LORD search the heart and examine the mind,
to reward a man according to his conduct,
according to what his deeds deserve." (Jeremiah 17:7-10).

I want to be "ruthlessly committed to walking in the ways of His truth" (Kyle's challenge) . I want to be so immersed in Him that others have a hard time finding me. What does it really look like to "do good works" in such a way that others don't praise me, but "glorify my Father in heaven" (Matthew 5:16). THAT is what I want my life to look like. I am determined to use my summer to seek Him earnestly and allow Him to transform my heart and my life to reflect Him more clearly. I pray you will join me in pursuing Him with renewed passion.

Now that you know somewhat the attitude I am entering the summer with, I would like to share more with you about where I'll be this summer. I'm really excited, because I know God is going to rock my world. May 27th, I will begin training to be a counselor at Charis Hills, a camp for kids who "learn differently". The heart of the camp is to serve kids who often have had negative camp experiences in the past due to behavioral and social problems resulting from various special needs. Charis Hills desires to show kids the grace and acceptance ("charis") of Christ and be a part of imparting His joy in their lives. After a week of training, camp will begin, and I will be there until August 17th. This summer is going to be full of challenges and unique experiences, and I am anticipating all that God will do. I appreciate your prayers, and I would love to hear from you over the summer about any ways that I can pray for you. I will be more difficult to get a hold of by phone or email, but not absolutely impossible. You may also write me, and I REALLY WANT TO WRITE YOU!!!! Please, message me with your mailing address and I will do my best to send you a letter this summer. If you want to write me, my mailing address will be

Tamara Stringer
PO Box 58
Castell, TX 76831

If you want to check out Charis Hills the website is www.charishills.org

You are all dear to me, and I can't tell you how in so many ways you have been a part of shaping where I am today. You will be in my thoughts and prayers this summer. Please keep me in your's.

Singleness

I'm still not completely sure about posting this, but I am stepping out on faith because I feel that possibly there are some who need to hear it... As always, read at your own risk. This is pretty personal, but if it benefits someone else, then I'm willing to risk it. So, fresh from the journal, here it is:

I just finished watching "Becoming Jane" with my roommates. Supposedly the movie is based on the adult life story of Jane Austen, though I have heard that there is a great deal of inaccuracy in the film. Nonetheless, the reality of Jane Austen's singleness remains. In the past year or so, I have wrestled with the possibility of a lifetime of singleness. I have thought about the distinct possibility of never becoming a wife, never becoming a mother, never having a family of "my own". The thought is saddening in many ways, as I do dream of waking up next to my husband, snuggling with my children while watching Saturday morning cartoons, and having a home with hallmarks of our family adventures displayed in frames and memorabilia around my house. However, I have faced the reality that not everyone has the opportunity to enjoy marriage in their lifetime. They instead are blessed with singleness. This makes them no less of a complete human being as some would pressure to say, holding the notion that without having sex you are not truly a man or a woman. Christ was fully man and He never had sexual intercourse. He was complete. He is complete. There is nothing "wrong" with someone just because they are single. How often we portray otherwise. How sad. Something sinks in my stomach when I hear someone tell me it is "okay" that I am not dating or nearing marriage, as if I might even have Biblical cause to believe otherwise. The truth is, it will be "okay", rather even "ordained", if I never marry at all. Recently, I have had several people say, "You're going to be such a great mom". I smile and say "Maybe," less because I doubt that I could be a great parent, but because I do not know and am choosing not to assume that I will be a parent at all. If that's what God has for me, I will be overjoyed. But, I recognize that there is no less potential of genuine joy in the single life than in the married life, because Christ is my joy, and I may enjoy Him with or without marriage to a man. How amazing. Oh Jesus, be my joy. You are my joy. You are my joy. You are my joy. You are my JOY. I will choose You no matter if I am blessed with a man to become one with in marriage or not. May I never think that my life is any less without someone to wake up next to. My heart breaks at the thought of never being married, but God, may Your will be done in my life. I know that You use both married and single people for Your purposes, and I will praise Your name no matter if I am single or married. I trust You, sweet Jesus. "The LORD God is a sun and shield; The LORD gives grace and glory. No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly" (Psalm 84:11). I trust You and know that You will orchestrate my life in whatever way gives the most glory to YOU. Let it be so, Lord. Let it be so.

Every good thing is from Him and He withholds no good thing from those who earnestly seek Him

"Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow. In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of firstfruits among His creatures." ~James 1:17-18 (NASB)

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created." ~James 1:17-18 (NIV)

"For the LORD God is a sun and shield; The LORD gives grace and glory; No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly. O LORD of hosts, How blessed is the man who trusts in You! " ~Psalm 84:11-12 (NASB)

"For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless. O Lord Almighty, blessed is the man who trusts in You." ~Psalm 84:11-12 (NIV)

Pursuing My Pleasure

Through studying both Jeremiah and listening to/reading some of the words of John Piper, I have been continually confronted by and confirmed in the truth that God's fame and renown are made large in my life as I pursue my pleasure in Him. When I find my pleasure in Him, I show Him to be great. The devastating truth is that far too often we are too easily pleased and satisfied with cheap imitations of pleasure rather than seeking the eternal satisfaction that Christ is. Both today in the Highland College Ministry study of Jeremiah and a message that I listened to by Piper, the heartbreaking verses of Jeremiah 2:12-13 were employed. Check em out:
"'Be appalled, O heavens, at this, And shudder, be very desolate,' declares the LORD. 'For my people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, to hew for themselves cisterns, broken cisterns that can hold no water.'"
How deceived we are in thinking that any satisfaction we may receive from something else can compare to the satisfaction that is found in God Almighty. All joy and satisfaction is found in Him, and it is a devastating and desolate reality felt by the heavens when we forsake Him and seek to create our own means of satisfaction in other things. Oh, may we see and embrace the truth that He is the well that never runs dry instead of foolishly digging and toiling and trying to hold brackish run-off in a broken cistern.

Jeremiah

Today at church we began a series on Jeremiah. I'm really excited about getting into the Old Testament as I have found that I have studied it less and less through the years and really desire to know God's word more fully. The whole Bible is about Jesus. He was there before coming to earth as a man, and the power of God Almighty and His character remains throughout the New Testament, the Old Testament, to this day, and forever. As we read today in Jeremiah I thought of the sad reality that people do not fear God. I do not mean fear Him as a super-power looking for an opportunity to strike them dead, but fear Him in awe and reverence because He does HAVE that power, yet He chose to take His wrath out on His Son and show US mercy. Whoa. God could choose and rightfully so to extinguish us when we run from Him and His glory. But He doesn't. God is just, though, and He did not and does not excuse sin. The penalty for sin is death. The beautiful thing is that the penalty was paid through the death of Christ on the cross. God's people saw the discipline of the Lord in the time of Jeremiah. But they also saw His mercy. I'm excited about what is to come in the next few weeks!

Since I've been gone...

I know. I may as well stop saying I'll be better about blogging, because I just haven't been. This semester has been incredible, and I'm shocked that I only have one more semester left before I have a diploma in my hand. Then what?!? I've had countless people ask me that question, and truthfully, though unusually, I don't have a plan. I'm not stressed about it. God has honestly given me a peace that He is in control and I should not worry because He is powerful and faithful to work for my good, which is being completely dependent on Him. There are options, but no option is at this point necessarily more concrete than any other. I know that as I earnestly seek Him, I will bring Him glory when the time for a decision comes. At this point, I'm just enjoying Him and waiting and seeking and praying. Though the time seems so short in many ways, there is a great deal to come before I graduate :o). I cannot wait to see what He brings in that time.... I hope that you are being satisfied as God is glorified in your life. Great is the Glory of the Lord.

Been awhile....

I know that I haven't blogged in a ridiculously long time. I apologize. I have to say that God has been working in my heart in so many ways over the past several months that I have hardly known how to express those workings in words. My life has changed considerably since my last post. A snapshot of my life:

Home: I now live with 3 girls (including Mabel ;o) ) from my small group in an apartment a block from campus.
School: My 3rd year at Baylor, only 2 semesters left after this one, taking 18 hours right now
Work: I'm an assistant in both the Pre-K classroom and the Infant classroom at Little Learner's Academy in Waco. I love my job... it definitely keeps me busy!
Church: I continue to love being a part of Highland Baptist Church. The newest development there is that I have the privilege of helping lead worship for the college Praise and Communion service on Wednesday nights.

At this very moment, I am sitting outside on campus enjoying the beautiful, breezy day while I study. I am in awe of the Lord at this time of my life, and I pray that my awe of Him only continues to grow deeper with every passing day. I wish I could catch you up on all that He is doing in my life, but that seems nearly impossible, so I will seek to keep you informed from this point on.

Something I was meditating on this morning:

May the glory of the LORD endure
forever;
may the LORD rejoice in His works--
He who looks at the earth,
and it trembles,
who touches the mountains,
and they smoke.
I will sing to the LORD all my life;
I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.
May my meditation be pleasing to Him,
as I rejoice in the LORD.
But may sinners vanish from the earth
and the wicked be no more.
Praise the LORD, O my soul.
Praise the LORD.
~Psalm 104: 31-35

Struggle

I've been thinking a lot about how influential we are, and how we don't live in light of that truth. I've struggled recently with dealing with guilt over people I have hurt. We hear sermons about how to deal with people hurting us, but what about being the one that inflicts hurt on someone else? My heart breaks to think of the countless people that I have torn down, discouraged, talked down to, judged, stereotyped, labeled, misrepresented Christ to. I know I've been a tool for deep hurt in the lives of a lot of people. Satan has tried to convince me that because of my shortcomings and failures, I cannot be fruitful in my pursuit of Christ's glory. The truth is, Christ is above and beyond any mistake that I have made or will ever make, no matter how royal of a mistake it may be. There are days that I only hold on to this hope by a thread, but my grip even on that thread is unshakable. If you're like me, and you struggle with having hurt others, DON'T GIVE UP. He uses those of us who fall into the murk and mire. His Love Endures Forever. Forever. Forever.

Some thoughts...

So, I'm becoming addicted to a lot of country music. That is a story in and of itself, but I just wanted to share some thoughts I've had about the chorus of this song:

Someday maybe somebody will love me like I need
And someday I won't have to prove cause somebody will see
All my worth, but until then I'll do just fine on my own
With my cigarettes and this old dirt road

Far too often I take the hope that I have in Christ for granted. I forget what it's like to be lost. I don't know how so many people do it, going through each day without the purpose and passion that He brings. I take His love for granted. I don't have to wait for "someday" like in the song. I am loved beyond what I will ever need by my amazing Father. His love never fails. God is crazy about us, His children. Find hope in that today. It's the truth, and it is powerful. There's my very abbreviated version of what this song makes me think. :o)

Don't give up

She never slows down
She doesn't know why
But she knows that when she's all alone
It feels like its all coming down

She won't turn around
The shadows are long
And she fears if she cries that first tear
The tears will not stop raining down

So stand in the rain
Stand your ground
Stand up when it's all crashing down
You stand through the pain
You won't drown
And one day what's lost can be found
You stand in the rain

She won't make a sound
Alone in this fight with herself
And the fear's whispering
If she stands, she'll fall down

She wants to be found
The only way out is through everything
She's running from
Wants to give up and lie down

So stand in the rain
Stand your ground
Stand up when it's all crashing down
You stand through the pain
You won't drown
And one day what's lost can be found
You stand in the rain

So stand in the rain
Stand your ground
Stand up when it's all crashing down
You stand through the pain
You won't drown
And one day what's lost can be found
You stand in the rain

"I love you, O LORD, my strength." ~Psalm 18:1

Days to be spent by the fire

Mabel and I went to visit the Arlington Stringer clan on Saturday. I'm holding Sarah above, and Mabel is holding Rachel. We spent the day snuggling the little ones. We played living room baseball and had a dance party with Camron as well. Have I mentioned that I love being an aunt??


This is pretty much what it looks like outside here. Classes were cancelled today. The forecast has said snow several times, but Mother Nature has just been teasing me as the forecast always changes right before the snow shower. I did see flurries yesterday. But mostly, it's icy outside (there are icicles hanging from my car, pretty exciting), and there is usually some sort of wintry participation stinging your face when you're outdoors.

I've been back in Waco since last Saturday. I'm so excited about my classes, and I realized how much I missed the amazing group of Christian friends I have here. They are amazing. God is working in my heart in incredible ways... showing me that He wants to change me and make me more like Him. I'm letting go.

This semester's theme song:

May the words of my mouth
And the meditations of my heart
Be pleasing to You
Pleasing to You
May the words of my mouth
And the meditations of my heart
Be pleasing to You, my God

You're my Rock and my Redeemer
You're the reason that I sing
I desire to be a blessing in Your eyes

Every hour and every moment
Lord, I want to be Your servant
I desire to be a blessing in Your eyes

May the words of my mouth
And the meditations of my heart
Be pleasing to You
Pleasing to You
May the words of my mouth
And the meditations of my heart
Be pleasing to You, my God

"May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in Your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer."~Psalm 19:14

What are you up to?

Goodness, I've been studying Christian Heritage for about an hour and a half and I just don't know if I can take it any more! I've got some pretty outrageous review sheets going on for the majority of my classes... Daunting, I must say. But I only have to hold it together for 5 more days and I will be done with my 3rd semester at Baylor University. Man, time flies. I can't believe I'm approaching being halfway done with my college career. That is just crazy. It seems that I've lost touch with a lot of people this semester. Sorry guys. I've been getting really involved in life here at school, which is a good thing, but I never intended to drop all of my other relationships. I hope you haven't felt that way! I've been reminded in the past couple of days just how much God has blessed me this semester primarily through getting plugged in at my church. My passion is for the Body of Christ and helping others to grow in Him, and Highland has fed that passion for me. I've been blessed to help teach Kindergarten Sunday school, work in Awana Cubbies, be in a Community Group (Highland College Small group), and lead a Community Group this semester. I'm absolutely loving it. Mabel and I are planning to live in an apartment with two of the girls in our community group next year and I couldn't be more excited. There is always stuff going on, and I just wish I could have everyone I love experience all of the amazing things that go on here. I've also been blessed through some wonderful classes this semester. The past week or so I've been kind of bogged down, feeling disappointed that my grades may not end up as high as I'd like. But I had to stop and reevaluate some stuff. I have learned a tremendous amount this semester. I have loved the majority of my classes and I know that I am walking into another semester better understanding how I learn and what my weaknesses are. That is what matters. It's not all about making straight A's and getting on the dean's list. I just want to walk away from this semester carrying all of the things that have helped to shape me into who I am and use those things as tools to shape others that I encounter. As I said, my passions have been fed this semester, not just through Highland, but through school as well. I'm really excited about classes next semester and I know that God has great things to teach me. I can't wait to find out what they are :o)

I hope that gives you a little bit of a taste of what my life's been like lately. I'd love to hear about what's going on in your life! Leave me a comment or drop me an email!

Let's pray

I've been thinking about this song the past week or so, and I feel like it is a good reminder for us all with the stress of the end of the semester at hand. I know I covet your prayers... I'm seeking to be faithful to pray for you as well. Lots of love!

Pray For Me
I know the promises, what He said
When I'm weak, He'll be strong
And on those days when I find that I am
Losing ground on the road so long
It's hard for me to comprehend
That He is safely leading me
It's hard for me to understand
Just what He wants me to be, so...

Pray for me
'Cause sometimes I think that I'm just to weak to take it
Oh, pray for me
'Cause some days I don't have the strength I need to make it
Oh, won't you pray for me
Oh, please pray for me

I know there may be trouble
Around every corner now
But I've been told that Jesus
Is gonna get me through somehow
I need to see His hand reaching out
When I'm leaning toward a fall
I need to hear His words of hope
When I have no hope at all, so...

I know I don't deserve anything He has to give
But I know unless I learn to accept His love
I'll never really live, so...

~ "Pray for Me" by Sierra

Love in action

"Don't ever let someone get away
with the idea that
they can love you just by saying it,
without showing it."

~Kyle Dunn, College Pastor, Highland Baptist Church

Do your words hold weight??

Blackout

Sitting in the library studying for my Religion quiz
Boom, the lights go out
Uhhhh... what just happened?
Are they coming back on?
What in the world is that loud banging noise?
Did the elevators fall??
Where's Mabel? (We had separated when we went inside the library)
Surprisingly, I was calm
I sat there, just waiting for something to happen
For the lights to kick back on
Or someone to tell us we had to leave
Or something
I turn my head
And there's Mabel
What just happened??
We couldn't figure it out
How did she know I was there?
She didn't
She was walking up to "some random girl" to find out if she knew what was going on
It just happened to be me
After a few minutes we decided to leave
Walking out of the creepy, dark library
We turned back to look at the ominous looming stature
Laughing, we came back to the dorm
The power is out in the whole library??
God's way of telling us we need a break??

I'm back

Directly from His hand who cherished her
before she came to be, the simple soul
comes forth just like a little baby girl
Who cries and laughs and doesn't know a thing
save that, moved by her Maker, by her joy,
she willingly turns to all that makes her sing.
Innocently she tastes the savor of
some lesser good, then chases it, deceived,
unless some rein or guide direct the love.

~From Dante's Purgatory

Rather than turning towards all that makes me sing, I pray that I will learn to run towards the One who gave me a voice to begin with. May the Word of the Lord that is sharper than a double-edged sword and the Holy Spirit who is omnipotent be the reins that direct my love.

Today is the first day it has genuinely felt like fall, and I looove it. The crisp, cool air, colors of pumpkin and fire-engine red, warm, snuggly sweaters, and hot chocolate next to the fire. A season of change. God has been changing me a lot lately. I pray that the changes are as refreshing to others as the coming of fall is to me. Love you all!

God is good... all the time

I'm not gonna lie, there have definitely been times within the past three weeks that I've been pretty discouraged... even to the point of questioning why I'm at Baylor and if I'm really seeking after the will of Christ with my life... scary. One thing that has been hard for me in making the decision to come to Baylor and stay at Baylor, is that people are supportive of me because I am convicted about it. I've struggled with others not being convicted about it along with me. I mean, what if I misheard the message? How much of this is God and how much of it is just me? But, as I've struggled and prayed about it before coming to Baylor and while being here, God has shown me so many ways in which He has used my being here to grow me closer to Him along with closer to other people. I've learned so much about being vulnerable, about trusting Him to get me through every situation, about seeking Him out and asking questions, about being real. And though there have been rough moments, He has brought forth joy out of the struggles, through even the tiniest blessings that can speak volumes. The weekend with my brother, sister-in-law, nephew and nieces was so encouraging. I always feel loved the moment I step into their house. James, Mabel, and Diane all listened through my struggles and were just there to cry to, even though they didn't have to be. My parents have been ultra-supportive, as they always are, and I couldn't be more blessed to have them in my life. The other day at Wal-Mart, every child that passed me smiled and said hi and most of them told me something they were excited about. It made my day. I started working in Cubbies last night at Highland, and one little girl the moment she walked in the door latched on to me and picked me as her friend. Yesterday the weather was absolutely beautiful, and I smiled every time I walked out the door. God is good all the time. He's always there for you. He loves you. He will never forsake you.

Bumpy Beginnings....

Hey everybody. For those of you who started school this week, I pray it went well. For those of you who start next week, I'm praying it goes well. I can hardly believe that I left half an hour less than a week ago. It's been a rough week, and I miss home beyond what I can express. But, I am excited about God's purpose for me here. I know He has an amazing plan. I love my professors and my classes in general. I get to start teaching Kindergarten Sunday school on Sunday and working with Cubbies in Awana in a couple of weeks. I've gotten to spend a few afternoons with the Colon twins already, and am excited about the opportunity to be involved in their lives. I'll be picking them up from school four days a week and spending a couple of hours with them, plus they'll be in the Sunday school class I'm teaching at Highland! I've gotten to reunite with my beloved roommate who I missed tremendously over the summer, and I've started getting back into the groove with Campus Crusade. The homework hasn't started pouring in yet, so that's been a relief, and I think I've gotten even some extra rest that I've needed over the past week. For those of you who don't know, I wrecked my car on Saturday, less than 24 hours after my parents had left me in Waco (sorry, Mom and Dad). Though I'm waiting for the official word from the insurance, the body shop guy has told me that from his observation, the car is totaled. The accident was my fault; there was a red light, and I didn't see it. Praise God for His protection. For those of you wondering--no, I wasn't talking on the phone; no, I wasn't listening to loud music; no, I wasn't trying to find something in the car.... I was watching the road. The road is four lanes and only has one light past the intersection, besides a vertical light that is hardly visible as there is a building in front of it. I almost wish that I had been distracted, because I just sound like an idiot. Though the light was hard to see, I should have seen it. But, praise the Lord for grace, protection, and insurance. It wasn't the way I hoped or planned to begin the school year, but He is faithful, no matter how greatly I fail. Thank you for all of you that have checked up on me and shown so much love and grace to me. You all are blessings. Thank you for your prayers. Please let me know how I can pray for you and better support you. I love you all!

"Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as a little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven." ~Matthew 18:4