It's 2017 people! I decided to write down some of my goals, my word, and my Bible verse for this year. My word for 2017 is s e l f l e s s. Deep love has always been something that I thought was very important, but I've learned that all love is is putting others first. We find the true definition of love in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8. "Love is patient, love is kind..." and so on. I've noticed that I'm not very selfless and if that's what it means to love deeply then I need to work on it with the help of my Lord. Which leads to my verse of the year which is Philippians 2:3

"Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourself."

Next is some of my goals for this year...

leave the country
go somewhere in the united states that I've never been
have a 4.0 in school by the end of this semester
hike more
read more
save up for a van to renovate
hold my tongue more
blog more
take more pictures
get a job I actually enjoy

I make these goals to have vision. I don't like going through semesters or years without some kind of goal. I am so excited for this year. So many things are going to be new and different and that makes me really happy.

2016 has quickly come to a close. It has been a wild year for me. A year of new sights, new trials, new lessons, new friends, new firsts and new adventures. The Lord has been chipping away at me in new ways. He is breaking me, molding me, and little by little making me into something different. Something that is more like Him.

This year started off with a bang of newness. I was a second semester college freshmen still getting used to the new sights and sounds of college. I fell in love with school and with the baptist ministry on campus. I made new friends quickly and it wasn't long before I was in a discipleship with one of them; which helped in my spiritual growth tremendously.



I attended my first ever Mardi Gras parade in New Orleans. I sat on top of roofs. I hiked. I was accepted to ACMNP. I found a church to go to. I worked in fast food. I flew for the first time. I saw crazy deep snow for the first time. I traveled by myself for the first time.

This summer I worked in Yellowstone with ACMNP and that was the hardest thing I've ever done. The Lord pushed me everyday outside of my comfort zone. He broke me down to build me up again. I grew so much during this time. This summer is also when I met Rachel, who is now one of my closest friends.

I went spelunking. I saw a wolf for the first time. I swam in a river and cliff jumped. I saw the badlands. I visited Chicago. I rode on a train for the first time.

This fall semester at school has been a different experience as well. I didn't have an actual job this semester due to lots of different circumstances so I lived off of my savings. It was difficult to budget without income constantly coming in. It was a great semester though. I had more time to focus on school and my other responsibilities. I also obtained two new roommates this past semester. I couldn't be happier with both of them. I ended the semester on a high note by passing my final math class ever!

This year was hard. This year was joyful. This year was a time of growing, and learning, and failing, and falling, but mostly growing. I am hoping for the Lord to work in the same big ways He always does next year.

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.