During my time in Yellowstone I met two southern belles from North Carolina. After realizing that all three of us had a lot in common we started hanging out after our shifts at work. Quickly we were stargazing past midnight and eating ice cream straight from the tub while discussing life.

And just like that I'm in my second year of college. Summer is over, the real world is back. I've almost completely adjusted back into normal life, even though I still cry over anything that reminds me of this past summer. I don't think I will ever 100% be adjusted back into the everyday. I've changed too much. The Lord has changed me too much. I've learned how to manage stress better. I've learned how to love better and deeper. I've learned how to prioritize. I've learned how to rest. The Lord used this past summer to break me down and build me into something new. I have a new appreciation for family, friends, and adventure.

This semester is really different than last year. I have not one, but three new roommates. I'm currently unemployed and living with only the bare necessities. I am in harder classes and have my plate full with organizations that I'm involved in. However, I'm making more time for traveling and saving more money for bigger trips. Things that used to matter don't now, and things that didn't used to matter do.

For those that don't know, I'm back in Louisiana! I've been back in LA for a few weeks and returned back to school last week. I was happy to return, but I didn't come back to the same Louisiana that I left. I came back to a Louisiana that was drowning in water. I came back to many of my friend's houses marked with water lines. Many if not all their possessions destroyed by the rising floodwaters. I came back to many loved ones having to start over literally from the ground up.

As soon as I was able I was mudding out houses and that's when it really hit me how real and traumatic this flood had been for people that I love. I saw people in sobbing. I saw people without a place to lay their children's heads at night. I saw tear filled eyes that said, "how are we going to get through this." I've also seen people unite. I've seen the body of Christ come together and put aside their differences to help those in need. I've seen a generation of young people with eager hearts ready to serve.

My employee dorm is semi-empty. I'm thinking back on these last three months. With suitcases open and half-way packed, I am remembering all the lessons learned and the memories made. The mornings I cried because I was so drained physically, mentally, and spiritually that I couldn't get out of bed. I am remembering the late nights filled with stargazing and talks about our Creator. I will never forget the friendships I made here, the things the Lord has taught me, and how much He has asked me to step outside of my comfort zone.

I am sad to leave. Sad to leave all these new friends, this park, and being unplugged from the real world. I am excited as well. Excited to continue growing these new friendships and excited to continue the mission the Lord has given His followers. "Go and make disciples..."

So here's to more late nights when I get home with the friends I've made here via facetime. Here's to getting outside more and stargazing on the weekly. Here's to being more unplugged and more in touch with my heavenly Father. Here's to stepping out of my comfort zone and doing whatever He asks of me. Here's to going home and continuing the mission.

As I sit in my Yellowstone dorm room drinking a steaming cup of coffee my mind goes to all the highlights of the past weeks and all the things the Lord is teaching me.


Last week my team and I, with blankets in hand, went stargazing. In between the moments of work talk, and "hey...we live here" 's, there were moments of complete silence, moments of awe, moments of silent worship to our mighty Creator. Stars are one of my favorite things. They fascinate me, mesmerize me, but most of all make me think of my Lord. They make me realize how small I am in comparison with Him. They make me remember that I serve an all-powerful Savior. And when I see 10 shooting stars in less than an hour I don't make a wish, but praise the Lord for this beautiful place I am allowed to serve Him in.



He has also been teaching me a lot about what it means to be His missionary. Missionary work isn't always third-world countries, or in the trenches of the amazon ministering to an unreached people group. Although I have the utmost respect for those that He has called to live that life, I personally have been called to stay here at "home" in the US for now. (I am speaking to my myself when I say this) God has called every one of His followers to be a missionary to those around them. One of the main things that He is teaching me this summer is that building relationships with unbelievers and showing His love to them is the biggest form of  ministry. I was able to share my testimony, the creation story, and the salvation story with two of my coworkers this past week. Sadly, I realized that this was one of the first times I've ever been able to share my testimony with an unbeliever. I was appalled at myself. At college I am given a whole semester to connect with my classmates and share the gospel with them, but is that ever my top priority? I can feel the Lord molding me here, and chipping away at the fear, and selfishness that have taken over my life. I have a new-found desire and excitement to share about my faith and share the good news of my Savior!




I am building relationships with not only my co-workers, but also my ministry team members. We have really become family and treat each other like we're siblings. God hand-picked each one of us to perfectly fit with the others. We balance out compelety with personalities, likes, dislikes, strengths, and weaknesses. When we have the day off we all are more than happy with exploring new coffee shops, used book stores, and the local thrift shops. My team isn't afraid of hard work and we all have one goal, to spread the love of Christ. I am so blessed to be surrounded during this draining (but fulfilling) summer with like-minded individuals that sharpen me.

Travel is something that I crave. I crave the unplanned pit-stops to see the lame touristy places, or a place that is a little off the beaten path. I crave the gas station snack runs and car karaoke. I crave new places, new faces, and new culture. My craving was filled, for now at least, this past week. 

This trip was filled with firsts. My first time in an airport, first plane flight, first subway ride, and first time traveling by myself. As many of you know, I will be working with A Christian Ministry in the National Parks (ACMNP) this summer. This trip to Colorado was the training conference that they put on for us. 

"Have you ever been cliff jumping?"

"Yeah..."

"This is like that. You're going to be scared to death at first, but after you jump you're going to be so glad you did."

This was a recent conversation I had with a friend of mine about my summer plans. (This is also where my word of the year, fearless, started becoming vital to learn.) I'll tell you about all that, but first you need to know where it all started.



This past summer my family and I visited several national parks out west. Glacier, Yellowstone, and Rocky Mountain, just to name a few. I loved every minute of our ventures! Being in those massive mountains brought me to my knees in awe of my mighty Creator. While we were in Glacier we decided to attend a worship service that was being held in the lodge we were staying at. Initially didn't want to go, but I followed my parents wishes. We attended a small group of about 10 people or less that was led by three college-age kids. They led us in worship, read scripture, and one of them told how God has been working in her life recently. After the service I felt led to talk to them. I introduced myself to one of them and told him how I understood what it is like being in front of people (because I used to be on staff at a summer camp), and that I thought he did a great job leading worship. When our little conversation came to a close and I went to walk away I heard one of the girls from the three say "Hey!". I stopped, turned around and she started asking me all kinds of questions. How old I was, where'd I go to school, and so on, After learning a little about me she strongly suggested that I apply to work with their organization next summer. This was the first time I had ever heard of "A Christian Ministry In The National Parks" or ACMNP.

ACMNP is an organization that works to share the gospel with visitors and staff of national parks. They put on worship services on Sunday mornings in the parks and work to minister to the visitors. When you are involved with ACMNP you live and work in a national park earning a paycheck, but during your time off you serve the people of the park.

After learning this, I returned to my parents and told them about the things these college student worship leaders had told me. I decided that I would pray about it and look into it more when I returned home. My parents thought that was a great idea. After much prayer and countless emails exchanged between one of the worship leaders I had met, I felt called to work with this ministry the following summer.

When I moved to a new town for college a lot of the friends I was making had been involved with ACMNP in some way. Which was also I God thing to be able to express my hopes and fears about the coming summer with seasoned veterans.

After applying for ACMNP, I quickly began to fear the unknown. Fear flying (because I've never flown before), fear of being alone (because I would be going by myself), and fear of funds (because travel isn't cheap). This is when my ACMNP veteran friend gave me the pep-talk that I started this story with. She compared this adventure I am about to embark on to cliff jumping. Which is possibly the best example to describe what this is like.

There were a few problems and I learned that the parks I wanted to go to weren't going to be able to take me. I was crushed thinking that maybe this wasn't what I was suppose to be doing after all. After about a week of talking to the organization and straightening things out I finally was placed...

As most of you know I live in the great state of Louisiana, which means that we get almost a whole week off from school for Mardi Gras. This break gives us college kids time to go adventuring and that's just what we did.

My friend told me about this place in Mississippi that is affectionately called "The Mini Grand Canyon". It is basically a big, deep pit of clay, sand, and loose gravel. Sounds "fun" right?...It was SO much fun! A group of about 30 of us went. We hiked most of the day all through the valley of the pit. It was such a great time to get to know some people a little better and definitely to build trust. At one point when I was climbing I had to fully rely on my friend to hoist me up onto a cliff, if not I would have fallen to my death no joke. Talk about a trust exercise!