It was another great week here in Atlanta. We had a lot of work to do on Monday and Tuesday in preparation for Experience. It's like our version of college days, and over 70 students came to see what Masters is all about. We had four girls stay at our apartment and we had a lot of fun! In the day, they got to see what our ministry tracks are all about, academic life, prayer, our mentor families; everything. Our girls had so much fun, and really had an encounter with God while they were here. I think it made us all appreciate how much this place has done in our lives, and how God can do so much in their lives as well.


     The next time I write, I will be back from my missions trip to New York! I'm so excited to go, and I can't wait to tell you all about it. Please keep me in your prayers as we leave this Thursday, I am expecting big things!


Here are some pictures from our experience days:

All of us!

Our family and visiting students

     What a great week! On Tuesday I went in to church and where we had the usual classes. After our day at the church, we came back to my apartment and filmed a video showing off what the apartments are like. Next week we have a thing called "Experience"; basically Masters version of College Days. It's going to be a lot of fun, and I can't wait to meet the girls staying with us. I definitely have a lot of good things to say about this place to them!


     Wednesday was really fun. Hosanna and I got to teach creative art and design, and we made it a fun one. One thing we always try to point out to our students is that God was creative, and He made us in his image. If you scan the Bible, you will find countless acts of him creating from nothing restoring things, or even using punishment to be creative (ever heard of Jonah and his adventure in the belly of a large fish? What about the plagues of Egypt?) The Bible points to one feature of God's character, and that is that He is creative. We all looked up different passages of God being creative, and shared them with each other. Then, using the random object they brought from home, we gave them supplies and told them to make something out of what they were given. 50 minutes later, we had a number of very different things. It was cool to see our students begin to realize that they can be creative too, and they didn't think that when they walked in here.


     On Thursday we had another creative art and design class, and we went on a field trip! We went to an art gallery in downtown Decatur called the Fat Cat. They had some great stuff, and we just looked around and talked about what we liked, and what wasn't exactly our cup of tea when it comes to creativity.


     Friday is chapel day, and this week our 4th year support staff brought us the word. They talked about the promises of God, and gave us our own promise that they found from the Bible. It was a great chapel that left us all really encouraged and ready to go out and claim what God has already given us.


     We had missions practice this Saturday, and so we worked on dramas and testimonies for when we are there. I am really getting excited to go; I leave in a week and a half! It really has snuck up on me, but I believe God is going to use us to do great things on this trip. We also found out that someone has sponsored us and is giving us a day of snow tubing at a resort in New York- now that will be a fun day! I know God is going to do great things, and I can't wait to tell you about them.


     Sunday was an early morning: I got up and was at the church at 7 am for drama practice. Pastor Jordan was speaking, and had us to a short drama to the song "This is What it Means to Be Free" by the LaPointes. Beth and I were laughing, remembering how they always used to come to Rock Church and sing for us. We had practice, sunday school, our regular church service, meetings with our small group, and then I came home. Did I take the Sunday afternoon nap I so desperately wanted? Nope! I finished reading "How to Read the Bible Book by Book" and after evening service, I finished up my book report on it. It was a long day, but I really can't complain. I accomplished so much, I can enjoy my day off today!


Today is Monday, and I slept in... until 8 am. Nevertheless, I'm going to get some homework and laundry done, even hit the gym! Here are some pictures of the week:

MegDeb and I on our field trip!

The Yogurt Tap: Best frozen yogurt in town!

I love this picture: Allie and I walking in Decatur on our field trip!

     I have had another great week here! On Wednesday, we were still snowed in and so we had the day off! I did go out in the snow, yes, and even tried to make a snowman.


     Thursday was another day back at the church, although we got to come in later to allow for the ice to melt more. I just had a relaxed day with Southeastern classes, prayer, and I worked on a mailer for Masters promotions. I came home and got to spend some time with my roommates, which is always so much fun. I'm really going to miss living with these girls, it really is a blessing. I love it!


     We opened up Friday with Chapel: Christina spoke about trading our ashes for beauty, and how to give our hurts to God. It was a great message! In leadership that day we started a really cool lesson on Godly friends. It talks about 11 personalities that everyone should have in their circle of friends. I'm really looking forward to finishing it! Later that night, Allie and I went to Walmart to price out food for our missions trip. We were given the privilege of helping to plan the menu: what we will eat, how much it will cost, and who will prepare each meal. It was a lot more work than we thought it would be... but we managed to be under budget and make pretty healthy meals!


     Saturday was another Missions day. We worked on our testimonies again, and acted out some different dramas to do in New York. As it gets closer, I'm beginning to get even more excited. It's going to be an amazing trip; I know God told me to go there and I am excited to plant some seeds.


     On Sunday we had church and meetings with our small group leadership teams. Later that night, we went out to Cracker Barrel to celebrate my "daughter" Tosha's birthday! It was a lot of fun, and really made me think of how much she has grown this year. I feel so honoured to be in her life, and that God has worked through me to disciple her. It's another one of the great things about being here :)


     Monday is my day off- and I really need it! I'm going to sleep in a little, hit the gym, do my laundry of course, and make a Target run with a few of the girls. It's going to be a very busy next few weeks so I'm going to make the most of it tomorrow!


Me and Tosha doing "the beaver" at Cracker Barrel:

     I have only been back a little over a week but it seems so much longer than that!  Beth and I arrived in Atlanta on Sunday around lunchtime and went straight to Jeanne’s house for halftime retreat. It’s where we meet as second and third year students and talk about how we have done so far as leaders this year, and where we can get better. Over Sunday and Monday I learned so much, and it was a great time to just reconnect as a class.

     On Tuesday we had the day off, and as the first year students came back into town we helped them unpack and get settled in the apartments again. We had a great roommate night that night, and talked about how our apartment can get even better this year, as well as what qualities we want to have personally by the end of the year.

     Wednesday was our first normal day back at masters. We had our regular classes, and later that night we got to reconnect with our kids at Oxygen. It was so good to see them after three weeks!

     On Thursday we got to sleep in a little bit and had Jeanne time first thing in the morning. Later that day I got to help out with college days for Masters, specifically talking about the apartment life here. I am so excited because my apartment has truly been a blessing to me! When I got home, our apartment made a cake and at midnight celebrated the birthday of my roommate, Jessica. I love these girls, and it’s one of the main reasons why I love living here!

     On Friday we had an amazing chapel service led by Pastor Jordan, who talked to us about going deeper with God. It was cool to be challenged even further, as we already learn so much from just being here. After that our mentor family went out for Crissy’s birthday to Fuji Ya, a Hibachi grill that makes amazing Japanese food. We started a new trimester, and so I had a new class of students for creative art and design. Later we went to prep Jeanne’s house for cadre, and had another relaxing night at home.

Saturday was mission’s day, and so we prepared for heading to New York by working on our testimonies and individual projects. Allie and I are making the menu for our trip, so we have been pricing out food and working with a tight budget. I’m so excited, in a few short weeks we will be off to New York!

     Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday (today) were crazy days. On Sunday we went to church, had meetings with our small groups, went to evening church, but little did we know that a storm was brewing! Atlanta got at least a foot of snow on Sunday night, and let me just tell you that they were not prepared for it! Most Georgians don’t even know what snow tires are, and haven’t seen more than a few flakes once a year. I was stuck in traffic for over 3 hours picking up a lady for cadre from the airport. It was so bad that we had to move cadre from Mom’s house to the apartments! Yes, that’s right. We moved out three sets of roommates and moved in 40 ladies for cadre! It seems crazy, but it really did work out well. We obviously were tight on space, had to cut down on teams, and couldn’t do everything we wanted to. But the important thing is that God really showed up the few days they were here. I remember specific women telling me that their lives were changed for coming here, and they were so grateful for the experience. It just goes to show how the snow didn’t stop us, and I’m so glad we didn’t let it!

     I almost forgot to mention; from Thursday through Monday our entire Masters was on a media fast! What does that entail? No cell phones, no internet, no music, no T.V., even no GPS’s for FIVE DAYS. We talked about the reliancy of our culture on technology and media, and how it easily can become an addiction… so we decided to give it up! It’s been really cool to look back and see the effects of going without media. I have gotten a lot closer to my roommates simply because we have sat down and just talked to each other. I’ve had more time for the important things because I haven’t had little distractions throughout the day. No, it’s really impossible to live without a phone, but it does help to know that I really don’t need all of this media in my life. I’m really going to think about where I put my time from now on!