Go Dawgs/Kappas IT/ Sigma Sigma/ LIFEEEEE

It has been a HOT minute since I've had time to sit down and think about and process everything that has happened this past month or so as I've acclimated to college life in Athens (tbh I don't actually have time rn but I'd rather do this than study for midterms !). I am overwhelmed, captivated, amazed, and in awe of the incredible things life has shown me in such a short time, and I cannot even begin to list all of the things I've learned about myself along the way.

To start off, I have to be honest. I was terrified about coming to UGA. Did I make the right decision? Was I going to make friends? Were my roommate and I going to be bffs or absolutely hate each other? How do I buy my own groceries, and how do I study on my own? But, from the minute I stepped foot on campus on move-in day, every single one of my doubts and worries was washed away -- it felt like magic. And the only way I can explain anything that has happened to myself is by giving every second of my time here up to God. Because He orchestrated all of this, and it is so so obvious to me.

The theme of my life as a Dawg is summed up in one word: friendship. I did not know I could make such wholesome, genuine, fun, and loyal friendships so quickly and so easily. The girls I live with in Brumby 7 South have quickly become my sisters. If I ever need a late night "rescue mission" or someone to rub my back when I cry, there are 20 girls willing and ready to answer my call. We have held hands (and are still holding hands) through what may be the hardest transition of our lives. We are learning how to "adult" (scary !) and finding out who we are, and making memories that I know will last for the rest of my life (probably because there is already a google doc collecting info of every single thing thats happened to us thus far). I have to admit that I was scared of rooming with a random girl I met on Facebook, but God knew what he was doing when he put me and Emma together! Every day I get to come home to one of my very best friends and watch crappy television and complain about our days with her. I seriously don't know how I got so lucky.

I can't tell you how valuable it is to find true friends. I can't even imagine how lonely I would be without these people. The thought of being by myself for more than an hour or two is so foreign to me now. The doors are always open and everyone is always willing to spend some time together. We're already talking about how sad we will be on the day we have to say goodbye to Brumby. Brumby life is the best life, I have to tell ya.

I have also been seriously blessed by the sorority rush process, and my sorority in general. I have found some awesome friends and sisters, and feel like I have a place where I can truly be myself. I never realized until now what that feels like, and I have to say it's awesome. It is so cool to find myself a part of something so much larger than myself.

To sum up everything: LIFE IS GOOD. Life is better than I ever knew it could be. Independence is scary but independence is also crazy cool. And the best part? I'm only 6 weeks in. I can't wait to see where it goes from here!!!

xoxo,
Rachel

"The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail." Isaiah 58:11

"Thank God for Mondays" YoungLife Sailing Trip 2016

Imagine spending your days on a sailboat. You're traveling through crystal clear water, the sun is always shining, and you're surrounded by your best friends. You are swimming amongst some of the most magnificent creatures on earth, and stepping on some of the softest sand your toes have ever touched. Every night you get to watch the stars (54 of them shooting), and listen to the ways in which God has touched the hearts of those you love.

Sounds pretty ideal right? That's what my life has looked like for the past week.

On our last day at sea, the phenomenal Captain Bruce told us to ask ourselves two questions before we left his boat- what has God told you this week, and what are you going to do about it? So, this is what God told me, and this is what I'm going to do about it.

"Life with Me is an adventure!" God held my hand and led me through some of the scariest and most amazing experiences of my life. I snorkeled above Lemon, Blacktip, and Nurse sharks. I navigated my way through an underwater cave (well, maybe Lawton and Charles navigated for me). I literally jumped off a cliff with Emily. I swam with pigs (???). I pet abut 37 nurse sharks. I hiked miles around the Bahamian Islands. And to this I'm telling God, "Please take me on 100 more adventures with You!!!"

This week I heard God whisper to me, "I am a Healer." I found this out both physically and spiritually on the boat. It's amazing what salt water can do for your skin. Every open wound I walked into this trip with was healed by the time I got home. This is also true for me in a different sense. I walked onto our ship with a lot of baggage, and as the week went on I felt God stripping it away piece by piece. And after listening to each of my 20 friends give their testimony, there is no doubt in my mind that God is a Healer to us all. And to that I say, "Thank You for allowing me to be healed."

And while I may have heard God whispering to me before, he began SHOUTING at me now. "Rachel, I am more Magnificent than you ever believed!!" I found myself simply in awe of God's beautiful creation. I saw creatures I've never before seen with my eyes. And colors, oh boy those colors!!! So many vibrant colors I've never seen in nature were now popping out at me in the form of coral reefs, fish, and sunsets. Every night sitting outside watching the night sky, I counted the shooting stars. After seven days I tallied up 54! 54 shooting stars!! How magnificent  is that?? To this I say to God, "THANK YOU!!"

To say that I am amazed by God's works would be quite an understatement. But I'll say it anyways. I'll be dreaming of this trip for the rest of my life........

Sharptop #4 :)

Senior year has been a continuous chain of "lasts", and this weekend was no exception. This was my last time ever being a camper at a YoungLife camp, and it was one of the most bittersweet goodbyes. 

I've recently been lacking in my quality time with Jesus, so my time at Sharptop was spent having some much needed conversations with the Big Guy. I have had so many questions for Him, and this weekend I found answers. YoungLife has a way of making me feel so comfortable, so supported, and so loved.

This weekend I found reassurance about decisions I've been trying to make about where to go to college. At times I can feel so overwhelmed by the choices I have to make, but God found a way to show me everything in a much simpler way. Instead of drowning in my options, I found myself feeling more and more confident about where I need to go. 

Although a lot of my focus was on looking to the future, my friends and I also spent a lot of time thinking about the past. We looked back and reminisced on our four years (and more) spent together at school. We have grown so much, and it was really cool to be reminded of the ways our lives have formed, and how we have shaped each other during high school. 

A lot of my conversations with God had to do with loving others, which I do admit I'm not the best at. I find myself at times being unaccepting of who people are, and I am always trying to change them into who I want them to be so that maybe I will be able to love them. But God really opened my eyes this weekend. One of the main missions of YoungLife is to meet people where they are. You do not have to change who you are to be considered lovable by God. So who am I to think people should change so that I can love them? If the Creator of the Universe deems someone (everyone!) worthy of His love, then I can too. 

On the flip side of that, I was also reminded that I too am worthy of being loved by God. I get so caught up in my every day life that I sometimes forget to sit down and enjoy His presence. The last time I was at camp I was working- I was the one serving others in the name of the Lord. Being back on the receiving side of things was a humbling wake-up call, letting me know that sometimes it's okay to be the one being served and loved. If I am going to spread God's love, I also must be able to receive it, and this is something I hadn't realized until this weekend.

On Saturday, a group of friends and I decided to take on the Sharptop Mountain hike again, and it really put things into perspective (as it always does). There are so many metaphors I can use comparing life to a hike up a mountain, but I really think Miley said it best. 

Keep the faith, it's all about the climb.

xoxo,

Rachel

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith- and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God" -Ephesians 2:8

God's Answers (or lack thereof)

A recent struggle that I have been facing is what seems like a lack of answers from God. I am controlling to a fault, and part of me being in control of my life is knowing what my future holds. I have felt so frustrated lately because questions about my health, college, and life in general have gone unanswered by God, no matter how much or hard I pray about them.

In the midst of my frustration though, I feel God teaching me a lesson. Isaiah 30:18 says, "Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you, and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you. For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are those who WAIT for him."

While it seems like everyone around me has already been accepted to their dream colleges and has a roommate and dorm decorations all planned out, I wait for the Lord to answer my questions in His time, all the while learning how to lean on Him.

I've been struggling with recent (mysterious) stomach pain, and while seemingly endless doctor's appointments have yielded no answers, I hear God asking me to wait for Him. My friends have reminded me (many times) of the story of the Bleeding Woman, and how her faith and trust in God eventually led to healing-- and an answer. Matthew 9:22, "Jesus turned and saw her. 'Take heart, daughter,' he said, 'your faith has healed you.' And the woman was healed at that moment."

You know how the saying goes- "patience is a virtue"- and the Lord knows I need to work on mine.

I've also seen God relieve my anxieties in other ways. Last week I finished my last college application, and got everything in on time! I also finished my Senior Speech, and now that those two things are over I have felt a huge weight lifted off of my shoulders. I also got to visit my very best friend and had an awesome weekend of much-needed relaxation with her by my side. I guess God is answering my questions and relieving my anxieties in little ways. And those are the kind of things I will cling to until my big questions are answered-- in God's Time.

xoxo,
Rachel

"But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint." - Isaiah 40:31

FamJam

Well I meant to write this post a few days ago, but ya know, life.

School is super hard, and not living in the same place as your best friends is also super hard. Buuuut, a last-minute trip to Atlanta reminded me of why long distance friendships are so important and so valuable, and so worth it.

Basically since the day I got home from Windy Gap I've been begging my parents to let me drive to Atlanta to stay with my best friend Ivy. They finally caved last Thursday night, and Saturday morning at the crack of dawn I was on my way!! I was expecting to see just Ivy while I was up there, but we ended up seeing five other friends from our Work Crew. It was crazy-lucky timing and there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that God had a lot to do with that...

I talk about this all the time (sry if I'm boring u), but Work Crew seriously taught me what it means to have true, genuine, loving, supporting friendships. I can't even count how many times I've texted these people in the middle of the night or during school complaining about my life, and not once have I received any reply back that wasn't positive and uplifting. After going two months communicating only via internet and text, getting to see and talk to these precious people in real life was absolutely incredible.

We drove around together, ate meals together, met family (& pets lol @Josh), went bowling together, drank Cheerwine together, talked about life together, and even went to church together-- but most importantly we were together. It felt like we had never even been apart.

In these friends I have a support system, a lifeline, a home, a family. It sucks that we can't all live in the same place, but that only makes the time we have together even more special. I cherish every single second I get to spend with them. It's strange to go from seeing someone every morning the minute you wake up, to not at all, but together or apart we are still a fam.

I can't wait to see you people soon...

xoxo,
Rachel

"Momma once told me, you're already home where you feel loved." 

-Lost in My Mind / The Head and the Heart

Finding Him in the Midst

"Trust me in the midst of a messy day."

These are the first words I read this morning when I woke up and propped open my wonderful Jesus Calling. School started a week ago, but I already feel like I've had my fair share of "messy days." I'm learning to find Jesus in the midst of them though, thanks to some new tricks and habits I've learned.

The first thing I've started to do is use and rely on one devotional, and what a gift Jesus Calling has been to my life. It's probably one of the most hyped-up devo books out there (next to the mystical and all-powerful "Blue Book"), but I never understood what all the talk was about until I purchased one of my very own. For every day of the year, this book gives me a unique "talking-to" from Jesus himself! It's absolutely incredible. Not to mention it's super pretty and the perfect size to throw in my purse!

I've also started waking up earlier to give myself some alone time before school so that I can start my day off on the right foot. I've started to use the phrase "no Bible no breakfast" to inspire myself. It's simple- if I can't make time for Jesus in the morning, I'll go without breakfast that day. It sounds sort of silly, but I find myself waking up with hunger not only for my Marshmallow Mateys and coffee, but for God's word too.

If you look around my room, car, or even locker at school you'll notice that I love quotes and pictures, and just little items to remind myself of people and Jesus and the things that are really important to me. Whether it be my Windy Gap nametag hanging from my rearview mirror, all 400,000 pictures of my friends in my room, or the little notecards of bible verses taped in my locker, I love having sweet treasures for myself throughout the day. They help me focus and relax myself and find Him in the midst.

The most important thing I can do in order to find Him in my messy days is surround myself with people who are seeking Him just like me! I have a close group of galpals who all want the same thing as me, and so far I think we've done a great job with encouraging one another to find Jesus through the annoying and confusing trials of our daily lives. We have a group message that is constantly overflowing with prayers for one another and any great scripture or encouraging words one of us read that day. We've also gotten really good at surprising each other with the "little things". Twice now I've opened my locker in the morning after having a hard day before, and found a sweet treat and a bible verse waiting for me. It's something that is so simple, yet it really turned my day(s) around. It's all about finding Him in the midst. 

Slowly but surely, I see that finding Jesus is turning into a habit and a way of life rather than something I must consciously think about. A lot of times it's not the easiest thing in the world, but at the end of the day my efforts are so worth it.

xoxo,
Rachel

"He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together." Colossians 1:17

Sentimental Sen16r

Sometimes you find yourself up at 1 a.m. watching High School Musical 3 and questioning your entire existence. Oh, just me? I guess I'll tell you my thoughts anyways.

The opening scene of HSM3 (such a fantastic movie btw 10/10) includes a song centered around the number "16" which I think is super fitting because 16 just so happens to be my graduating year!! S/o to the writers for sticking that nugget in there for us HSM kids. Lyrics include phrases such as "this is the last chance to get it right" "this is the last chance to make our mark" and so on and so on. Which is so perfect for those of us getting ready to graduate in just 9 short months. This movie is all about finding yourself, leaving your mark, and making awesome memories with your friends-- exactly what I plan on doing this year. I'm determined to make this the best year yet.

After bawling my eyes out watching HSM, I decided to make myself cry a little more by rewatching the last ever episode of One Tree Hill, aka the best TV show and finale like ever. I'm sure many of you are familiar with this amazingly real and accurate quote from none-other than the beautiful and talented Nathan Scott.

"It's the oldest story in the world. One day you're 17 and planning for someday. And then quietly, without you ever really noticing, someday is today. And that someday is yesterday. And this is your life."

Wow. Right in the feels, huh? I'm 17. I'm planning for someday. Yikes. I can't let my "someday" sneak up on me. I'm going to take my final year of high school and enjoy every single second of it without letting it slip away.

So, Senior Year, I'm ready for you. I'm ready to take everything you have for me and live and love every second of it. Here we go...

xoxo,
Rachel