IfYouGiveAMindensenABlog

So, I was planning on writing this ON my birthday, but that just didn't happen. Well, now that it's been 5 days, I've really been able to 'soak-in' the fact that I am indeed TWENTY-ONE years old! Yes, I can now buy guns, alcohol, go to a Casino, apply for my concealed weapons license (at least in Michigan I could)... However, really and truly what another birthday means is a whole other year coming and going. Yes, 'New Years' happens in January, but for me the new year starts in June. Man, oh man, what a year it's been too.

I was diagnosed Gluten Sensitive just before my last birthday. My older brother got engaged. I was AV Director for Bair Lake Bible Camp in the summer. I started dating my first boyfriend. Went to Detroit for the first time. Had my program kind of sort of split. My 'home' church go through another MAJOR transition after which it changed name in order to become a 'new' church again. Thought my first 'Bible Class'. Went to NYC, and actually got to walk around Time Square and go up in the Empire State Building. I went through my first break-up. Got back on Facebook. I made a REAL gingerbread house. My mom and sister were diagnosed Gluten Sensitive. I was placed on an ACTUAL phone plan. Was accepted to TWO colleges. Signed up for classes. Searched for, found, changed plans, and found another summer job. Cultivated a deeper relationship with God and the people around me. Started the 'launching' process from my Discipleship program. Went camping (HAHA **winky face** for those who get it...) Turned 21! ...Read LOTS of books. Made lots of memories. Learned lots of lessons. Got angry, became sad. Took pictures. Laughed, cried. Loved...LIVED! (still loving...still living) =D

This is the day the Lord has made; Let us REJOICE and be glad in it! Psalm 118:24 NIV (emphasis MINE) :)

God is GOOD!♥

Yep...it is now a new month. Time for me to talk about the events of May. Well, it's been kind of crazy (as slightly anticipated, probably a little more than originally expected, but...) First off, Camp's Men's Retreat was the last day in April-the first weekend in May. I did AV. It was definitely a learning experience AV-wise, but it was also really cool to witness such a powerful weekend, where I really believe Men's lives were changed. The next weekend, My brother graduated, and I got to go home for that, and I got to spend time with my mother(as it was conveniently Mothers' Day weekend as well!) . It was AWESOME. The next weekend I co-hosted, and then left with my fellow Outfitters and other Bair Lake staff (including all of our mentors) for a road-trip to the Creation Museum. It was a lot of fun. We stayed at a local Christian camp Sunday night (in tepees!), and then spent all of Monday at the Museum. It was really cool to walk through a museum that didn't date things to MILLIONS of years, and to hear(and see) the Gospel message preached at the end! Plus I touched a llama =D THREE llamas actually ^^ Anyways, continuing on, at the end of that week, I had two friends come in Thursday-Saturday to help me organize camp's AV (Audio-Visual) department. I'm SO grateful to both of them for all of their help. I could not have done what we did without them. Side-note: For the summer, my job is going to be AV Director, which has caused it's own stresses and lessons. All-in-all, I know it's going to be a GREAT summer. Lastly, this past weekend (Memorial Day weekend) I was able to go home again (and bring one of my fellow Outfitters with me) in order to go camping. For the last 3 years, my family has been going to Shades Park (near Turkey Run in IN) to camp with 3 other families that we don't get to see very much outside of Memorial weekend. It was a lot of fun. There is usually VERY little organization of activities and it's mostly one BIG chill weekend, with a bunch of God-fearing, fun-loving people. It's DEFINITELY one of the highlights of my YEAR!

So today is also my birthday. Yes, I'm 20 today. I have now been alive for 2 decades. With time, the months seem to get shorter and shorter, and May was no different. Today, as I reflect back on May, as I reflect back to my 19th birthday, as I reflect back through the last 2 decades, one thing stands out; clear evidence of God working in my life.

If you have been following my blog, you know that the last few months have not been 'easy', but neither has some other parts of my life, but that's life. We live in an imperfect world, with imperfect people. I'M NOT PERFECT. I'm going to make mistakes, so are the people around me. The only 'person' I can really trust to NEVER fail me is God. That's what I've been learning. That's really what God has been saying all these years.
Life is going to have it's trials and hardships, but in those times are we relying on ourselves, the people around us, or are we relying on the All-powerful, All-knowing, Ever-present God, who created ALL THINGS?

I have set the Lord always before me. Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Psalms 16:8

The theme for May was humility, and God certainly started lessons on day one. In many different areas of my life, God has been showing me that I FIRST need to humble myself to HIM, and place whatever the thing is at HIS feet first, and trust HIM with it, but then to also humble myself to the people around me, and to trust what GOD is doing in their lives, and what HE is teaching them. My first priority is to listen to and follow what God is specifically directing me to do, the 2nd is to listen and follow the people who God puts over me.
May has been a month of laughter, a month of tears, a time of trials, a time of learning, a time of growth, a time of change and tradition, transitions, busyness, relaxation, RANDOMNESS! But what month hasn't? What month doesn't go by without a variety of emotions being felt, and random things experienced, obstacles faced, and lessons learned?
In the end, as I look back on life it ALL comes back to Ecclesiastes. "There is a time for everything..."(E3:1), but are you going to stop at "Everything is meaningless" (E1:2) or will you recognize that with GOD ALL things have meaning (Colossians 1:15-20)?

God is GOOD! ♥