the new year, but looking back

wow, 2007 is gone. 2008 is here. that's so crazy! i thought it would be so very meaningful to look back at the last year and what I've lived through.

January & February:
Those were probably the hardest two months, I was very homesick being back in the dorms and away from my family. Matt and Anne got engaged too, which was really exciting! I was also making a decision on whether or not to go to Colorado LT for the summer 2007. the idea that my brother was getting married in the summer seemed an excuse not to go to LT, because the truth is, I was so scared to go to LT. I had never been halfway across the country away from family for a whole summer. But God totally intervened while our home fellowship went on a retreat. God taught me what is means to be a disciple, and that to follow him means to give up everything for Him.

March & April:
These were fun months, I was taking too difficult of classes. However, in March I found out that I got accepted into the Secondary Education program. I was now officially a math major and secondary education minor. the pressure and stressed was lifted, for I knew for sure (as of now) I was going to be a math teacher someday.

May:
Even up until the day before I left for Colorado, I didn't want to go. I was scared. I was taking a huge step out of my comfort zone, but I knew it's where God wanted me to be.

June & July & August:
I did fly home for Matt and Anne's wedding in June which was awesome. But as for my summer in Colorado. Incredible. Here I was scared about going, when all along God had planned for me an amazing and life-changing summer. I climbed mountains and slid down glaciers, I formed so many deep and amazing friendships, and God taught me so much about who I am and what He wants for my life. God blessed me for laying down what I wanted for the sake of following Him. Leaving Colorado was the hardest thing I've ever done in my whole life. Saying good-bye to friends from Missouri, Texas, and Ohio was the hardest thing to do. I had so many close friends who I knew couldn't be active in my life being from different states and that was hard. After I got home to Illinois, I pretty much left to go back down to school. But this time, I wasn't going back to live in the dorms, I was living in an awesome house off-campus with 6 of my close girl friends.

September & October & November:
Classes were demanding and my schedule was hectic. I gave up my time to lead a small group, through which God has been teaching me so much and growing him as a leader and follower of Him. Another new thing this fall is taking up the art/sport/hobby as salsa dancing. That has become an important part of my life being a new hobby, I have had so much fun improving as a salsa dancer and learning new things. Over this semester our house has grown very close and has been such a blessing in my life.

December:
The semester ended and I went home for Christmas. Then I got together with my friends to go to a GCM conference called Ignite. God spoke to my heart many things. Ignite was an amazing and refreshing way to start the new year of 2008.

Now looking forward I see what God wants me to be doing with my life. I'm building the kingdom of God here on earth. I see what's more important in my life. I know I must learn to lay down my rights for the sake of my Savior and let him work his will in my life, because he has amazing plans for my life that i cannot even imagine--it is my best life now.

Rachel