Patience

Patience is something I lack from time to time ... but don't we all!? If you remember back in November I went to a conference called Life Options which I wrote about in this post. Since than I have been praying and seeking out God's will, His plan for me. I have never felt more sure that He has called me to full time ministry. I am so excited for this next part of life, this new chapter. (I have not officially been accepted yet but should here back sometime this month! I can't wait to find out!) While I am excited, it is also kind of scary. I mean who am I that God would chose me to pour into the lives of college students? I bet I'm feeling a lot of the same things Moses felt when God told him that he was to go talk to Pharaoh! I will be joining an amazing staff team and can not wait! Each day I check my email, longing, hoping, holding in my breathe, that today would be the day I find out.

I hope you all have a wonderful Friday! Here in Wisconsin it is snowing out, yet again! I was suppose to drive an hour to get to work tonight but I got called off. I am relieved that I don't have to drive in the snow but a little sad because I could use the money! I also get to spend one last night with a friend who is leaving for one year to serve in the army.

My Beloved

Last night I went to an event sponsored by CRU called My Beloved. Basically girls and guys get all dressed up and the guys serve the ladies desserts, than the guys leave and us ladies had some wonderful worship, speakers a drama and fellowship. It was such a great night. What girl doesn't love an excuse to get all dolled up!

The Fond Du Lac Ladies

Some amazing Oshkosh Friends

My roommates

The seniors (plus me, I graduated two years ago!)

The Fond Du Lac Ladies with Luis

Here is to new beginnings in 2012!

I apologize for my absence, to say life has been crazy it to put it simply! The last time I posted it was for my birthday which was almost a month ago! Hard to believe how fast the time was gone! 5 days before Christmas I got really, really sick! I had a horrible flu and went 3 days with out eating anything because it was just that miserable! Thankfully I recovered just in time to enjoy the wonderful foods that accompany Christmas!

This was definitely a different Christmas, it couldn't have been over fast enough for me! I'm not going to lie or hold back, this Christmas was not very good to me. To begin with my mom got engaged the day before Christmas Eve. Ugh, it is so hard to see this spelled out in words but I know it will help. I don't like my mom's fiance, when she started dating him she gave up her faith and changed into a different person. This made me really sad and when I made my mother aware of my feelings she just shrugged them off and became angry at me. That really hurt. I'm still trying to deal with that and that happened 5 years ago! I was really hurt and it did damage to my relationship with my mother who I had always looked up to until that point.

On Christmas Eve I spent the day with my dad and his family, just like every year. Within 15 minutes of being at my dad's house he and his wife (who I also don't really like, again still working on this!) were arguing and I mean REALLY arguing, swearing and the whole shebang! I didn't know how to intervene so I just simply looked at them and said "Merry Christmas everyone!" That stopped them for about 2 seconds.

This is only the beginning, the rest I don't want to share yet. I'm asking you my friends and fellow bloggers to please, please pray for me and my family as things have not been easy. It is truly a challenge to be the only believer in your entire family! I have really been struggling a lot lately and would appreciate any prayers! Maybe at a later date I will share more of my struggles but for now this is all I can do.

My "blogging goal" for 2012 is to obviously post more often and secondly to be completely real with all of you. I hope your 2012 is starting out grand, I am expecting great things from this new year! I did have a wonderful New Years which I will share about in my next post!

My 24th Birthday!

Hillary, Jenny, Me, Katie, Scarlet and Jory

At 11:59am today I turned 24! Hard to believe that I am almost a quarter of a century old. It caused me to look back on my life and see how far I have come and let me tell you, I have come a long, long way! I also have such a long way to go to become the woman I long to be!

I had a great evening celebrating with a few close friends. We had dinner at Red Robin and than went bowling!

Katie and Scarlet .... two wonderful ladies!

Hillary decided she wanted to show off her beautiful new flower clip!

Hillary, Jenny and me!

At Red Robin, they sang for me and the table next to us.

GoodBye

Friday night my friends and I threw a surprise going away party for two of our friends who are leaving us. My friend Jon left on Sunday for the Navy and will be gone for SIX years! My friend Luis is being deployed in February for one year, our group of friends will not be the same with out them. However, I am thankful that there are people who are willing to serve for our country, who are willing to be away from their family and friends to protect mine.

Dinner at the Main Exchange

DIY Birthday gift

My nephew turned 4 on November 12, he has so many toys and clothes and I didn't really know what to get him so I got a little creative. His favorite movie is Cars so this is what I came up with!

Glue cardstock to a piece of carboard to make the background

Next I glued some blue in the corners to spice it up a little

Then I glued a picture I colored from the movie Cars

Then I added pictures of Daniel and me. I also used stamps to spell out his name on the sides

The final project! The frame is from Wallmart for less than $10

Inhale..... Big Step .... Exhale

Last weekend I traveled to Minneapolis, Minnesota for a conference called Life Options. Life Options is a conference put on by Campus Crusade for Christ (CRU). The conference is all about helping college juniors and seniors explore their life options. The conference shared many different ways you can become involved in CRU, going on staff, interning, going over seas, working in the main office, working with high schoolers, etc. The conference also encouraged those going into the work force to see that as their place of ministry and share their faith there.

Since I got back from my trip to Africa in September and realized I would not be becoming a full time nurse missionary I have wrestled with a new idea ...... interning with CRU ..... wait ... WHAT!? I am so scared but completely excited at the same time! I have begun filling out the extremely long and intense application. If I am accepted I will spend the summer raising support, I need to raise A LOT of money to intern. That part kind of scares me ... ok it REALLY scares me but my God is amazing and if this is what He has for me, I trust that all my needs will be met and the support will come in.

This is a huge step for me, while interning I will not be able to work an outside job, which means goodbye nursing for at least a year. I feel like I should be more upset about giving up a career that I worked four long years of college to earn but I am not. I am joyful for this opportunity to serve the Lord. I still need to tell my parents which is also scary, I have no idea how they are going to react, so please pray for me and for them!

XoXo,

Valerie :D