SNOW!

I am going to try to catch up on a few posts, even though this occurred over two weeks ago! We of course were hit by a ton of snow like the rest of the East coast. Blacksburg got about 13 inches or so; the most since 1996. I was so blessed to be able to enjoy the snow with a bunch of great friends. Finals had ended for Tech students the Thursday before the snow, but my three roommates, their girlfriends, and a few other friends decided to stick around for the weekend in order to enjoy the madness together! What followed was a weekend straight out of Acts 2: 42-47 which states:

"They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved."

For three days, the eight of us (My roommates Barry, Josh, and Phil, Josh's girlfriend Meredith, Barry's girlfriend Mandy, and two other friends Donny and Clare) lived life together. Meredith, Clare, Mandy, and Donny came over on Friday before the snow came. They brought clothes, food, and sleeping supplies with the plan to crash here all weekend. We were snowed in after the 13 inches hit us and were well prepared for a weekend of fun!

On Friday we stayed in all day, playing lots of games and eventually watching the movie UP. On Saturday we went sledding and eventually helped move around five cars out of the snow. Barry almost killed himself attempting to surf down the hill over a ramp on a sled! At one point we were in front of Donny's apartment helping a car get free. After achieving success we decided to completely clean Donny's kitchen. With six of us cleaning, it was like Extreme Kitchen Makeover! It was things like this that made the weekend so great; we were serving others and each other as a community, giving to all that had a need like the Scripture says.

That night we went to the Hokie basketball game. Tickets were free because of the weather conditions. Though there were not many people in Cassell Coliseum, we had an absolute blast. We destroyed our opponent (Charleston Southern), which was no surprise, but it was the actions of my crazy friends that made the night memorable. At every timeout they would play music over the loud speaker and my friends were dancing their hearts out to each one! I have never had so much fun at a Hokie basketball game and it wasn't even competitive! Amazing what a blessing good friends are. We returned to the apartment that night to find the Cowboys up 17-3 at halftime over the then undefeated Saints, a very pleasant surprise! The Cowboys made it close, but pulled off the victory, capping a wonderful day.

Due to the weather, all church services were canceled. We decided as a group to have our own church gathering at our apartment. It was really cool! We played some worship songs, shared what God had been teaching us, prayed together, and finally took communion together. It was a real neat time of transparency and unity in Christ. God is so good! Sadly, after church everyone had to head home, ending a wonderful time together. Of course I was able to sit back and watch football all day, so all was not lost :)

God really taught me a lot about the value of good friendship that weekend. I had my share of struggles earlier in the semester but my friends were always there for me. I know that each of my friends had experienced plenty of trials as well and I hope I was always there for them. The weekend that may well be remembered as the Blizzard of 2009 will also be remembered as a celebration of the end of another semester spent with the best friends one could ever ask for!

Getting into the spirit of Christmas at 105 Sherwood Court!

A weekend long slumber party!

Josh and Meredith about to head down the hill

Not sure what happened here, but it looks cool!

Donny sledding over the jump

7 people on two sleds...and it worked!

After burying Barry in the snow

Maybe the only time you will see Mandy as tall as Barry!

All the BCM folks at the Hokies game

Our big happy family after an amazing weekend together!

Barry's attempt to make it to the hospital!

The BCM Dance Team!

Everyone loves the YMCA!

Thanksgiving

"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!

Rachel and her new puppy

Me and Cooper

Grandma and her dog Maggie

It's Been a While

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!

Camp!

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!

Emily's Wedding

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.

Cappy, Myself, Matt, and Joe

Best pic of the night!

The lovely couple

Tim, Karen, Cappy, and myself

The triumvirate!

Virginia Tech Reunion. Go Hokies!