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