Arkansas is beautiful. The Lord made me to love nature and be highly affected by nature, and so I am in love with the beauty of North West Arkansas. There are tons of tree and hills and places to go hike or just be outside. For once in my life, I realized, I've been in awe watching how on one tree there are leaves that are green and now red and orange. I've always heard about this phenomena called Fall, but didn't realize what I was missing out on until recently. I don't know what I was expecting or how I really expected the leaves to change and turn red in all of those pretty "fall leaves" pictures I saw online or in books, but it is so cool to be able to still experience new simple things in life, like the changing of the color of leaves.
I will forever miss Texas Tech and my students, staff team and friends there in Lubbock, but I'm enjoying getting to know the students of UofA Cru, my new team, and watch how quickly the Lord is providing a couple of friends my age here in Fayetteville. I want to introduce you to some of them here.
So first my new students. I mean there's a lot of them, so I won't really introduce all of them, but you can go to www.arkansascru.com and see pictures of some of them. It's been neat to hear their heart for their campus and for following the Lord. A highlight is a senior study I lead of girls that are all coming from different places, some involved in Cru, some checking things out for the first time, but all wanting to grow in their relationship with Christ. I love how they've picked up pretty fast how they can pick on me and some of the ridiculous things that come out of my mouth. I love that funny moments have been shared already. I love how as we study 2 Samuel my first question is always, "Now what just happened?" and we get to figure out together and put into more simple terms the crazy, basically Rated R, book of 2 Samuel that so clearly points to Christ. I love that we are going to a drive-through wildlife safari on the 23rd! There's so much more I enjoy and appreciate about the students of UofA, but that's just one story for now.
My staff team is also a highlight. There are 3 familias with kiddos (12 kiddos 12 or under - CRAZY!), 2 familias with no kiddos, 2 of us that are single (but I mean we still have families), and then 4 awesome students, that yes also have families, but are not married and are students but basically function as staff. Did I make that confusing enough? (basically 16 people.) It's a great bunch of people that I've been learning so much from. I'm grateful for their grace as I say, "I don't know. Where is ____? Well why not? I'm sorry." often. Each person is so uniquely different than than the other, so it's really encouraging to learn from them as each have great strengths and great ways to help reach people for Christ. My favorite time of the week with them is during our weekly Thursday staff meeting when we ask the question, "What happened this week? What were you encouraged by seeing God do?" Then for about 30-40 minutes we get to hear story after story of what the Lord is doing. I love it because we write them down and have a full out cookie jar full of little pieces of paper with stories!
Then my friends. The Lord really has blessed me with a great roommate. She was a friend of a friend, but is now just my friend. She's a super smartie Industrial Engineer Professor, but loves watching things like the oh so important Kardashian wedding! She loves the Lord, and is a continual encouragement for me to walk more deeply with Him. She also likes waking up early, weird to me as I believe a bed is just meant to stay in as long as possible, but that means that my morning routine is getting to see her spending time with Jesus as I walk to go get my coffee. That's a great way to wake up, and be motivated to go spend time with the Lord myself! I've also met a couple of girls from the church I've decided to go to regularly. The church is actually about 25 minutes from Fayetteville, but it's become a great part of the Sunday to carpool with a girl I met through a Bible Study. She's also new to Arkansas as she's getting her doctorate at UofA, and already I've learned a ton from her and just loved making a new friend.
So I mean, I could write and write about my move and transition. I've been learning more with this new leadership role in the past 2 1/2 months than I ever imagined. I'm so much more aware of my own shortcomings, but so much more grateful for the Lord's grace and that of others. I have all of these deep questions roaming through my brain at all moments like, "How do you grow into being a leader while being one? How do you lead out of humility and confidence in the Lord? How do you live in the reality of tension when you are a leader remembering really if there was no tension or problems ever you probably aren't leading anything?" I've appreciated anyone that's a leader or has led me more than ever and am constantly emailing them asking questions. I've realized that I put way higher expectations on myself than anyone else in the world. I've learned I'm so grateful for Christ and how in the bigger scheme of things, He's all that matters.
What's weird about this move, that I haven't felt in most any other of my 14 moves in life, is that I don't really feel "new." I mean I'm still having to figure out where things are and am learning how close Arkansas is to Oklahoma, Missouri, Tennessee, Kansas and basically any other state now that I'm not in the giant state of Texas. I am having to make more friends my own age. Maybe I've just finally learned that it's ok to start off a moving process slowly and not expect to be at the same place as when I left Lubbock, the moment I stepped foot in Arkansas.
So that's my life in Arkansas so far in little bits and pieces. I am super excited to be going to Texas on Friday, though, to visit my brother. I love Arkansas, but I love my family more! Thanks for making it through this post with me. Hopefully, I'll be a little more consistent since I've broken the ice again with a post.
P.S. I'm excited about this new background. I feel like it depicts my life well, and it goes great with my life motto. "Living life for the Lord, where ever He may lead."
1 comment:
this post makes me so happy :)
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