And so we begin.

Well, I guess I failed at the whole blogging thing over the summer, haha. But everyone needs a break once in a while right? I am fully prepared, however, to make full use of this blog this year.

I have officially started school once again. I moved back on campus last Saturday, the 28th. I changed dorms; I am no longer in heritage, the converted nursing home, but now I am in Manor, the original dorms of the school. Believe me, it was a little shocking when I first walked into my room; it is waayyy smaller than what I was used to last  year. I'll be honest, I questioned living here, and I questioned God's purpose. I found out that all my friends from last year were living down at heritage; I was the only one up here at Manor. I didn't choose this; the school did. So why did I have to be the one in a smaller room away from all my friends? But as God has worked in my heart, and as the week has progressed, I realize that God is so much bigger than my thoughts and His ways truly are better than anything I could cook up. There are quite a few blessings to living up on Manor, and after a little while, the smallness doesn't really matter anymore. Plus, I just get the fun lesson of learning to live with less :-).

Classes are going. First week of school is always the hardest just because every student experiences what I like to call "Syllabus Overload." It's the condition where students look at their syllubi and start crying because they can't absorb all the information. I found myself saying over and over again this week, "If I can just get caught up today....well, maybe if I can just get caught up with reading tomorrow." Haha, it's only the first week and already I'm feeling behind! Oh well, that's just the nature of the first week of school. It really has been great, though, to reconnect with everyone here at PBU, as well as get connected once again with all the activities and organizations.

One other thing that I am really excited about is getting plugged in at Chelten, my church here at school. I am actually writing this blog in the time I have left before leaving for church. Last Sunday when I went to Chelten, it was such an amazing experience. I was so refreshed and encouraged to be worshiping with my fellow believers in Christ. I am really hoping to work towards getting plugged in to a Sunday School class or a small group or something like that so that I can start building relationships and serving there at Chelten.

Well, I guess that is the shortened version of the catch up of my life. I have really been praying a lot about using this blog, not for my own personal use or for writing about myself, but for putting up posts that encourage you, the reader. I greatly desire, this semester, to allow God to use whatever resources in my life He wants, and one thing He has really been laying on my heart is to start gearing this blog more towards encouraging my friends and family rather than just talking about myself all the time. So, you can all look forward in anticipation for the culmination of that desire. I don't know what it is going to look like just yet, but God knows, and He will be showing me what He wants posted here. Any comments or suggestions are welcome!

Thank you all for your prayers and support. I know how greatly I am loved and surrounded by a wonderful group of godly people!