"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."
~1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
I have so much to be thankful for..it is really ridiculous! It is hard to believe that just a month ago I was so miserable. It is amazing to me how patient God is with us. I was doubting his strength for so long instead of just letting Him take over. Like the father of the prodigal son, He was just waiting for me with open arms as I returned from doing things my way. This Thanksgiving was all about thanking God for my wonderful family who has supported me through the ups and the downs (and unfortunately I tend to ride a roller coaster of emotions on a daily basis!). They are always there for me no matter what my attitude is and no matter how many times I may ignore their wise advice. My friends have also been there for me when I needed them most. They have all shown me an unconditional love that truly represents Christ's nature. Thank you everyone!
I was blessed to be able to go home for a few days and will head back down to Virginia tomorrow. I was able to catch up with my grandma, watch some football with my dad, go shopping with my sisters (first Black Friday for me!), and attend church tonight with my parents. It was so refreshing to worship God in His house tonight! It was also exciting to talk with my sisters about their wedding plans. So crazy that Rachel will be Mrs. Cooper in a little over a month! Craig bought her a Golden puppy for Christmas (shown in pictures below). We had a great time playing with little Coop!
I hope that you all were blessed this Thanksgiving as well. Send my best to your families. May God bless you as we enter this Christmas Season for unto us a Savior is born!
Wow, it has been a long time since I updated this blog. Below is most of a note describing what life has been for me the last few months. I am sorry I have been such a stranger but hope to post pictures from some of the events of this semester. This is a long post so bear with me!
This summer I was offered a job teaching at Pulaski County High School. I was so thrilled to finally have a full-time job as were my family and friends. So thrilled that I failed to actually consider what I was facing starting in September. My summer was amazing. I moved into my new apartment and had a blast hanging out with my roommates and playing games every night. We also played soccer three times a week. I was only taking one class. Life was good and my faith was strong. I was like Peter, seeing Jesus walking on water. I was out of the boat and confidently walking towards him.
My first day at Pulaski was actually terrific. The teachers in the math department were so friendly and helpful. I enjoyed the fellowship and was excited to be working with such caring professionals. That night I called home ecstatic, telling my parents how pumped I was about my job. That was the last time my parents heard enthusiasm on the other end of the phone for two months.
As a substitute teacher I always felt comfortable in front of the classroom. I knew how to get my students attention but also joke around with them. I am not sure I will ever know the reason, but the minute I stepped into my class at Pulaski and faced those students, I was terrified. I lost the control, and with it the respect, of my students that first week. All of the sudden anxiety was overwhelming me each morning. I dreaded waking up and actually set my alarm for the middle of the night in an attempt to prolong the time before morning. When I arrived at school I was unable to communicate with anyone. I shared from time to time that I was struggling, and the rest of the teachers tried their best to help me and encourage me. Unfortunately, I was unwilling to accept their advice and believe their assertions that I was doing fine for a first year teacher. I became so discouraged that I no longer thought it was possible to regain control and succeed as a teacher.
Even when discipline was not a problem (in my Algebra II class) I struggled with bringing the material down to their level and was more disorganized than I have ever been in my life (and that is saying something!). I was completely overwhelmed. No matter how many times the administration told me I was doing great, I could not convince myself. When I got home each day, I fell into a depression and lay on the couch all evening. Lesson plans were done in haste and with little motivation. I had never felt this low before. I began to beat myself up, wondering how I could be so stupid to pursue teaching when I had an engineering degree. I began to doubt my calling and my direction. I was so confused. Thankfully, God is never confused and is always in control.
So what happened to that faith which was so strong over the summer? Well, when adversity came my way, I became again like Peter, though this time I was sinking. I began to doubt God's ability to bring me through my circumstances. I could barely find the energy to pray and reading the Bible was nothing more than a formality whenever I attempted it. There was a theme that developed in listening to the advice of others: trust God. My family told me that I had to believe God was going to do something great through this. I was shown scripture from James 1:5-7 which states "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does." I was praying to God to help me, yet had no faith that He actually could. I wanted Him to make the pain all go away without any effort on my part. How absurd a thought when I look back!
I would love to be able to say that things got better and I conquered my fears and doubts in route to successfully teaching my students the material and cultivating meaningful relationships with them. The truth is I resigned from Pulaski about a month ago. I was blessed to have an administration that was in full support of me and respected my decision. It was a big hit to my pride to have quit something. I did not want to tell anyone, and still have not told many since some of you may be hearing this news for the first time. The great news is that God has worked through this situation in amazing ways. When Peter began to sink as the winds came, he cried out for help. Hearing Peter's plea, Jesus immediately extended his hand and helped him up. He then asked Peter, "You of little faith, why did you doubt?" Jesus has been asking me this question as I have reflected on the teaching experience. I really have no answer for Him. I suppose I have relied on my own strength way too much. I have certainly learned a lesson of humility.
Like in Peter's case, Jesus has extended His hand to me and helped me out of my trouble. After resigning, I was without a job or a direction and was blindly sending resumes wherever I could. All I wanted was to get out of the house and do something productive! I was so blessed to get a call from the director of the Huntington Learning Center in Roanoke in response to a tutoring job posting. She scheduled me for an interview and I later found out that it was not an interview to be a tutor but instead to train to be her next assistant director. That blew my mind! Actually it is still blowing my mind at this moment. That God would be so faithful, even when I have not been, is an act of grace and mercy that only He could perform. I am really enjoying the job so far! It is a nice combination of working with kids and doing analytical work such as making spreadsheets and schedules for the tutors. For now it is a part-time job but my boss is hopeful it will become full time once their enrollment increases next semester. I don't necessarily think this job is my long term future, but it is a great stepping stone towards finding what I have a passion for and enjoy doing. The point is that through this horrible situation I was in, God was still there, loving me more than I can ever understand. Know this: God will never abandon you no matter how many times you abandon Him! He is like the father of the prodigal son and will welcome you back into his arms with great joy and celebration.
My goal is to build a much stronger foundation in Christ so that I will be able to stand up to temptation and adversity when it comes. My roommate Barry often points out how we are to share in the sufferings of Christ. The disciples were consistently beaten for their faith in Jesus and yet they still had more joy than anyone around them. Sometimes I need to be reminded that suffering and adversity are not all bad and can be used by God for His glory and our maturation. I can't comprehend why God loves me, a sinner, so much. Though I know I will fall down again many more times, I also know I can get back up without shame and keep fighting the fight and running the race. Praise God!
Thank you all for your prayers and support. If you ever encouraged me and I did not seem to appreciate it, I am sorry. Your encouragement meant the world to me and it reinforced why I think I have the best friends and family in the world. If you tried to call me to give advice, offer encouragement, or simply to catch up, and I was either non-responsive or did not call back, I am so sorry! I am currently in the process of reconnecting with everyone and hope to talk with you soon. Thank you for being such great friends to me, even when I didn't deserve it. I thank God everyday for the people He has carefully placed in my life. I love you guys and look forward to many more years of friendship!
Hopefully I will be more consistent on the blogging front and keep y'all updated on how the job is going. Thanks for your prayers and support!
I had the pleasure of returning to Camp Ridgecrest last week to work starter camp. I had worked the previous two summers there and wish I could have returned for a third time. Unfortunately, the real world has to hit eventually, as interviewing for a job took priority. I think it is great that Ridgecrest allows former staffers to come work the last week of camp. Starter camp is unique in the fact that every child who enters through the front gate is doing so for the first time. I love the fact that they all start on the same foot, exploring camp's grounds together while forming friendships that may last a lifetime! This also makes for a great cabin atmosphere, as no camper tries to be a bully and pull rank.
I was also excited to hear that I would be working with a good friend from the previous summer, Steven Fuller. We also had a third staffer in our cabin, Carl Gidley, who I ended up getting along with really well. The day before the kids came, I enjoyed listening to Steven, Carl, and the other staff tell stories from the summer. We all went down to Asheville for dinner that night which was a highly enjoyable experience. It seems like they really had a great staff this summer who were committed to bringing the message of Christ to their kids! Once the campers arrived on Sunday morning, things sure picked up!
My favorite part of the week was the camp out. I had not been camping since the previous summer and enjoyed relaxing in my hammock while the kids played by the stream. Starting a campfire is also a favorite, as we roasted hot dogs and told stories by its side. The rest of the week was full of fun including sock war, counsel ring, and lots of free swim time! I really bonded with my campers and had some great discussions with them about Christ. Two of my campers told me that they accepted Christ for the first time. It is my prayer that they will continue to grow in their faith and come back to camp next summer with a strong desire to learn more.
Another great part of starter camp is getting to hang out with the staff. One of my friends from Virginia Tech, Scott Suggs, also returned to work for the week. It I never had the privilege of working with him for a full summer, but it is always nice to see him in his element at camp. Many other staffers from the last two years were also there. After the kids left on Friday, a group of us played a round of Frisbee golf before departing. I played on a team with Scott, and up until the final hole, was not faring too well. On the tie breaking hole, I had the shot of my life as I hit the pole from about 35 yards away! It was a fitting ending to a fantastic week. Camp Ridgecrest is truly a special place and one that will always hold a place in my heart. God continues to work in a mighty way there and I look forward to seeing him continue to do so in the future.
Carl and I along with our campers
Preparing for Council Ring!
Goofy shot
With one of the campers from Cabin 1
Cabin 8 together for one last time before parents arrived
On my way back to Blacksburg, I was able to stop in Charlotte and catch up with some close friends. Three years ago I worked an engineering internship there and formed some strong relationships with people from Southbrook Church. I had dinner on Friday night with my friends Sara and Amanda. It was great to hear what God has been doing in their lives. Then on Saturday I stopped by my friend Justin's new house. He is getting married in six weeks! I am so excited for him and his fiance Tiffany. Finally, I spent a day with the Appletons. Mark and Leah were the associate directors of the BCM during my time at Virginia Tech. I don't think there were many other people who had as large an impact on my college life than them. They are now in Charlotte as Mark works towards his seminary degree and Leah stays at home with their 2-year old daughter Abigail. We had a great time in fellowship together and I was sad to leave on Sunday afternoon. I hope to see them again soon!
Now I am back in Blacksburg and ready to start new teacher orientation on Monday! It is hard to believe that I am finally beginning my career. I am both excited and nervous at the same time, and will be praying that God provides me with a good support system and kids who are willing to learn! I know that He is in control and will give me the strength to overcome any obstacles that may come my way. I will keep y'all updated once the students arrive!
About ten days ago I traveled up to Virginia Beach with Tim for our good friend Emily's wedding. Other than the traffic on the way there (we were ten minutes late to the ceremony), it was a great time. Emily was one of the first people we both met our freshman year at Virginia Tech. Though we don't get to see her and the rest of the VA beach crew very often anymore, the friendships we formed almost six years ago remain strong. It was so great to be reunited with everyone and it reminded me of freshman year when we all used to hang out at Matt and Steve's apartment to watch football and play Mario Kart. Hard to believe six years have passed since then. I wish nothing but the best to Emily and Brock as they start a journey together with Christ right in the middle. Weddings are such an awesome reminder of God's greatness and love.
I just wanted to post a few thoughts about my dad after celebrating Father's Day yesterday. I was blessed to be able to spend Father's Day with him for the first time in four years. I have always looked up to my father. He has always been there for me and modeled what it means to be a man. He works so hard to support all of us and never complains. I am especially thankful for his support as I have taken a few extra years to complete my Masters degree to teach math. I know he was proud of me when I accepted my first full time job offer. I am so appreciative of him for being by my side every step of the way. God has blessed us with dad. It is only by His grace that dad is alive and healthy today. Dad had a liver condition for many years and two liver transplants later, he is doing great. Thanks to everyone who has prayed for him over the years. God has truly answered those prayers! Dad has always been our strength and he has received that strength from God. So dad, if you get around to reading this, thanks. Thanks for being a role model, a teacher, a provider, and most importantly, a friend! May God bless you with many more years on this Earth so that you may bless others with your life. I love you dad!
Today I accepted an offer to teach at Pulaski County High School this upcoming school year. God is so faithful! Life is funny sometimes. Last week I was eager for any opportunity I could come across. By this morning, I had two offers, one at Pulaski and one at a middle school in Roanoke. There were times today when I wished I only had the one offer! It was a tough decision to make, as both schools offered a lot of positives. In the end, I went with my gut. I got a really good impression of the administration at Pulaski when I visited and trust that they will help my transition to teaching be as smooth as possible. It has been a long journey to this point, but here I am with my first real job. I am so thankful for the support my family has given me throughout my life leading up to this point. I look forward to seeing how God will use me at Pulaski. Exciting times are ahead! Thanks to everyone for all your prayers and support!
I have not updated in a while! It is hard to believe that it has almost been a month since the semester ended. I have been substitute teaching in NY and enjoying time spent with family and friends. During this time I have been seeking leads for teaching jobs. Last week I got a call to interview at Pulaski High School and so yesterday I drove the 9 hours down to Blacksburg. I have an interview tomorrow at 9 am. Please pray for this opportunity and any others that may come. Getting a job for the fall would go a long way to helping me support myself fully as well as start paying off loans. I am just praying that I can have patience if a job is not in the Lord's plan. If I don't get a job, then I will most likely be student teaching. I know this would be a valuable experience if that is the case. God is good and His will be done! Thanks for your prayers!
I arrived in Pleasantville last Thursday night. It is great to be back in NY spending time with family and friends. I know my parents were happy to have all three of us home for a little while, before my sisters headed back to Virginia. On Tuesday I had the opportunity to see a Mets game at the new Citi Field for the first time. I went with my mom, Karen, and Kristin Proft. The weather was really nice and we were able to enjoy a Met victory in ten innings. The stadium is absolutely gorgeous! As historic and familiar as Shea Stadium was, it was not the nicest ball park, so watching a game at Citi Field was a real treat. Unfortunately the game was really boring for the first seven innings, as the Mets couldn't hit a lick. Then in the eighth, the bats came alive, and they eventually tied the game in the ninth. Carlos Beltran walked to bring in the winning run in the tenth. Another item of note was that in the fifth inning, a streaker ran onto the field and slid into second base, providing the stadium with a laugh. Though I miss all my Hokie and Highlander friends, it is great to be home for a little while. I am going to enjoy it for all it's worth!
The outside of the stadium may be the nicest feature.
The Fan Walk
The NYC skyline was a nice backdrop
Me, mom, Kristin, and Karen after the game. Mets win!
Last weekend I traveled down to the Charlotte area with my sisters to visit our family. It was nice to be able to have my sisters join me. It was the first time they had been down there in two years! My Aunt and Uncle live in Waxhaw, a town south of Charlotte. My cousin Christy lives close by with her husband Scott and their three kids, Eli, Lilly, and Zach. My cousin Jen came down to visit with her husband Shawn and their three children, Caleb, Josh, and Lauren. It was a great opportunity to have so many family members together. I wish the rest of the family could have joined us. God blessed us with beautiful weather throughout the weekend and we took full advantage! My uncle coaches the Charlotte Eagles soccer team and we went to go see their first game on Saturday. My buddy Justin came to the game as well. It was great to catch up with him and discuss his wedding plans for September. Everyone is getting married!
After the game we all had pizza together at Christy's house and played some soccer. I then had the chance to catch up with my friend Amanda while my sisters took the time to catch up with Christy about wedding plans. On Sunday we went to my cousin's church, The Gathering. Pastor Derwin brought a great message from James 1. Afterward we had lunch and on our way back to Radford we were able to stop by to see the Appleton's. Mark and Leah Appleton were the associate directors at the Virginia Tech BCM for three years and were a big influence on me. It is always great to see them.Their daughter Abigail is getting so big and is talking up a storm! I had a wonderful weekend and cannot wait to get back down there to see everyone again!
This past weekend I had the pleasure of traveling up to DC with David to see my college roommate of four years, Tim Lester, or more affectionately known as "T." He really showed us a good time around the area. It was really nice to get away from school for a little bit and appreciate true friendship in Christ! The weather was beautiful the entire weekend and we took full advantage.
When David and I arrived on Friday night, we immediately headed out to downtown Arlington to a restaurant called Uncle Julio's. The food and atmosphere were great, as we caught up on old times and enjoyed some chicken enchiladas. On Saturday, we traveled up to Baltimore for most of the day. We ate lunch at a nice restaurant in Little Italy and then headed over to Johns Hopkins for a lacrosse game. I had never been to JHU before and I must say it was a beautiful campus. After the game we walked around for a bit and even got to walk through the US Lacrosse Hall of Fame! The campus was bustling because it was homecoming weekend and there was some live music playing on the main quad. After that we headed back over to the Inner Harbor and walked around, enjoying the beautiful evening. The day was topped off with dinner at Witlow's in Arlington and enjoyed some more live music.
On Sunday, we went to the early service at Tim's church. It was youth Sunday and the youth pastor gave a good message on the Resurrection from 1 Corinthians 15. During the offering, a young girl sang a beautiful song. She had one of the nicest voices I have heard in a long time! After church we headed to Tim's for a quick lunch and then took the Metro over to Nationals Stadium for the baseball game. Tickets were only $5! Our seats were way up in the upper deck. The view was fine, but it was really windy! We were also blessed to be sitting next to a group of girls who were interns at a local non-profit organization. They were all recent graduates and were almost done with their intern program. After talking with them for a bit, we found out they were strong Christians! One of them, Emily, may even try out Tim's church sometime. It is neat how you can start with small talk and end up making friends in just a matter of hours, especially when you are among believers. The Nationals ended up blowing a lead in the ninth, but we still had a great time.
I am so blessed to have such great friends like Tim and David. We had such a wonderful weekend together. Of course when I got back in to Blacksburg, reality hit, and I had to work on my presentation for my foundations class. Six hours later and I was in bed at 5am! Things worked out in the end as the presentation went well and I was able to catch up on sleep afterward. One other note from this morning: I had an interview with William Fleming High School and I think it went really well! I have a good feeling about this job and will continue to seek God to see if that is where he wants me. I appreciate your prayers!! The rest of the week should not be too bad and then it will be time to hit the road again this weekend. My twin sisters and I are heading down to Charlotte to see our family. It should be a fun weekend! We can't wait to see you all!
Johns Hopkins destroyed Navy
This was David's first lacrosse game!
The T and Freebird Freeman!
This is a scupture in the US Lacrosse Hall of Fame portraying Gary Gait's famous goal from 1988.
Today marks the two year anniversary of the deadly shooting at Virginia Tech which cost 32 students and professors their lives. I will never forget that day; where I was and who I was with. I will never forget Dr. Librescu and his kind personality. I had known him for only a few months, but it felt like longer. I will never forget the smile that was always on Brian Bluhm's face. He truly exemplified the love of Christ to all he met! Though I will never forget the pain that we all felt that day, I will always remember that through it all, God was there. Our campus will certainly never be the same after the events of the 16th. Thankfully, when people think of that dreadful day, the pain will only be a small part of what they remember. They will remember the 32 stories of the beautiful lives that the victims lived. They will remember the way that the Virginia Tech community chose to come together instead of crumble. They will remember the way the students responded bravely in the face of media scrutiny. Over the last six years I have grown to love this place called Virginia Tech and pray that God will continue to work in amazing ways on this campus. Never take for granted the gift of life. God has blessed us with so much and we need to be thankful to Him for what He has done. Jesus came down to die so that we may live. Life is so short, so let's live for Him! I am praying for all of you on this day, Hokie or not. For today, we are all Hokies.
No specific events or pictures to share today, just a bunch of random tidbits from the past week. Over the weekend I was able to head up to Lynchburg and see my sister and Craig. We were also able to hang out with our friend Christie from home who was in Lynchburg for a ballet performance. It is really exciting to me to be able to spend time with the future Mr. and Mrs. Cooper! Rachel and Craig are growing so much as a couple and also in their relationship with Christ. I am so happy that both of my sisters how found great men of God to spend the rest of their lives with.
Saturday was a day of sports. I went to the basketball game, lacrosse game, and baseball game at Tech. The weather was really nice and made for an enjoyable time with friends. I also enjoyed all the great NCAA tournament games that were on throughout the weekend. On Sunday I led the songs at church and it went better than it had the previous two times. I am starting to get a hang of conducting. Overall a very nice weekend!
This week has been good so far. It is definitely getting harder and harder to continue the same routine as the semester goes on. On most days, I am inside, either working or at class, from 11-9. This is getting more difficult as the weather gets nicer! Sometimes I feel like I am trapped in prison, but am always encouraged by God. He gives me the peace and joy that allows me to be content, even during the most mundane activities. God has also continued to give me great opportunities to share His love with others. One of my supervisors at work started a conversation with me yesterday that she is going to start reading a book that was given to her by her church when she graduated high school. I am not sure exactly what the book is about, but I believe it is about following Christ. I hope to use this opportunity to ask her soon how she is liking the book and what she is learning. Another neat thing happened last night. A girl who graduated high school with me commented on my Facebook status last night. I would say that we were just acquaintances in school and I hadn't spoken to her in years. My status had some lyrics from a Hillsong United song and she commented that my updates were always an encouragement to her. I then come to find out that she is a believer! It is cool to know that God is using even a simple thing like a Facebook status to encourage others. I hope to ask this girl more about her salvation story sometime.
These are just a few things that God is doing in my life right now. I have never seen so many people around me begin to seek out the Lord. It is especially neat that many of them are from back in NY, where the Christian atmosphere is almost nonexistent. I just need to keep praying that the seeds that I have planted will be grown by God.
Tonight I start a new Bible study at the BCM. Leadership changes at BCM after spring break each year. I am really excited to see how God works through these new leaders. I am also pumped for a new episode of LOST tonight! Have a great day everyone!
I had a fantastic spring break in Florida! When I first left, I wasn't sure how much I would enjoy taking a road trip on my own. I started to wonder if I should have gone on one of the BCM missions trips or gone home. I am so thankful I didn't! I was able to have a great time with Grandma in Florida while visiting a bunch of friends and family on my way there and way back. The weather was beautiful and the week was relaxing.
My first stop was in Charlotte where I was able to go to church with my family and enjoy a tasty lunch at Red Robin. I then traveled to Charleston, SC to visit my friend Brian. He is on a ten month stint with a theater company there. I had never been to Charleston before and the little that I saw of it was gorgeous. I then drove to Sun City Center, FL and had a wonderful three days with Grandma. She was a great host, making me some great meals and allowing me to have the freedom to do what I wanted. We watched some basketball together and also went to the beach. I had not seen her since January of 2008! Thanks Grandma for having me!
On Friday I went to the Mets spring training game in Lakeland, FL. Before the game I went over to the campus of Florida Southern College because I heard it was a sight to see. The campus was amazing and is filled with Frank Lloyd Wright architecture. After the Mets game I headed up to Atlanta, hoping to see my beloved Hokies play in the ACC tournament semi-finals. Unfortunately, the Tar Heels pulled off a close one against us again. I still went to Atlanta and caught up with my friend David who worked with me at Camp Ridgecrest. I stayed at his place on Friday night and then headed back to Blacksburg on Saturday.
It was really nice to be able to enjoy some warm weather for once on spring break after heading north for the last few years. It was just the right amount of time to relax before heading back to my crazy college student schedule. Now I am back and ready to finish off the semester strong!
One last thing before I go. My last post talked about the greatest basketball game I have ever seen. Well tonight was the best game I have ever seen in person. I went to the Virginia Tech/Duquesne game at Cassell Coliseum and watched as the Hokies triumphed in double overtime to advance to the second round of the NIT. Five Tech players scored 15 points or more and Duquesne's best player, Aaron Jackson, scored 46!!! Incredible game and another great moment in my six years as a Hokie fan.
Have a great rest of the week everyone and Go Highlanders! Can they shock the world and knock off UNC? Probably not, but I will keep my fingers crossed.
At the pool in Sun City Center
Palm Trees!
We headed to the beach on Wednesday
It was a beautiful day
Florida Southern College
A house on the campus
A unique building designed by Frank Lloyd Wright
My favorite place on the campus: The Water Dome
Another neat part of the campus
Daniel Murphy!
Jerry Manuel signing autographs. Unfortunately, HoJo was not there for this game.
Freddy Garcia
Joker Marchant Stadium: Home of the Lakeland Tigers
I am a teacher for the Salem City school system. I work with students in their homes and at the alternative education center, helping them improve their math skills. I am a born again Christian who is trying to seek God each day. Very often I fall short in this regard but God still loves me anyways! I graduated from Virginia Tech in 2007 with a degree in Engineering Science and Mechanics. I am a huge Hokies fan and also love the NY Mets and Dallas Cowboys.
Me and Cooper
Grandma and her dog Maggie
