"Our natural inclination is tos be so precise - trying always to forecast

accurately what will happen next, that we look upon uncertainty as a bad
thing. We think that we must reach some predetermined goal, but that is
not the nature of the spiritual life. The nature of the spiritual life is
that we are certain in our uncertainty." Oswald 

Hope

I think it is hope that lies at our hearts and hope that finally brings us all here. Hope that in spite of all the devastating evidence to the contrary, the ground we stand on is holy ground because Christ walked here and walks here still. Hope that we are known, each one of us, by name, and that out of the burning moments of our lives he will call us by our names to the lives he would have us live and the selves he would have us become. Hope that into the secret grief and pain and bewilderment of each of us and of our world he will come at last to heal and to save. - Frederick Buechner-

Matthew 28: 19

I'm sitting at home, writing this while Mom is out of town and Katie is at work, listening to "It's All About You, Jesus". I'm a little bit nervous to start a blog because I've never really been one to share my thoughts and feelings, especially not for just anyone to see. However, I feel strongly that this is a good way to share with my friends and family what the Lord is doing in my life and to document the changes that are going on. I'm graduating in a few short months and it is beyond me how I have gotten to this point. I would have never imagined how fast I would have gotten through college- four years is not as long as you might think it is. I've been blessed to meet so many incredible people and to have opportunities to do some of the most amazing things during my time at Auburn. I truly thank God for all of the trials and tribulations that I have faced during these past four years, along with all of the joyous moments I've had with some of the most amazing people that I have come to know. I am blessed to be blessed and need to remind myself to count ALL of my blessings on a daily basis.

Speaking of incredible experiences, I am thrilled to be planning my trip to Kampala, Uganda. I will be going as an intern at an orphanage in Kampala for Sozo Children International (sozochildren.org) and cannot wait. I've always had this burning desire to spend time in Africa- if you don't believe me ask ANY of my friends or my family, it's all I've talked about for years- and I feel so fortunate that I will now have the opportunity to serve the Lord through such a wonderful organization. Being the youngest of my family (yes, I'm a twin, but we all know I'm the baby of the family and technically younger than Katie), and not having many young ones near us, I've never really been around children. Actually, I get rather awkward around children and nervous because I feel like everyone is watching how I interact- and kids are WAY smarter than we give them credit. Needless to say, I'm a little nervous about working with children, but there is just something that has always drawn me towards working with African children and I have fallen in love with the children at the orphanage. There are 17 children living in the orphanage in Uganda and I have spend a lot of time looking at their pictures and watching videos of them. I can't wait to meet them all and begin to get to know them and see what God is doing in their lives and in the lives of many in Uganda. I strongly believe that we are to spend our time on Earth glorifying our Heavenly Father and spreading His word and His love to all and to not be restricted by any limitation whether it be finances, fear,  occupation, or location. If you will, please pray for me in my journey and the fundraising process along with the work that God is doing through Sozo Children and in the lives of so many children. I am blessed to be blessed and cannot wait to share with these children and see what God has in store for me!


Matthew 18: 12-14