On Feeling Anxious.

*This post is new for me, because I'm expressing a side of myself I normally don't blog about.  It's also new, because I'm testing out an idea I have for a new blog...with that in mind let me know what you think please!*

"Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.  Each day has enough trouble of its own." - Matthew 6:34

I've had a really hard week so far for a number of reasons.  I've been in between home (Eau Claire) and the Cities for the past two weeks, because I recently began nannying part-time.  The family that I nanny for needed me before I move into my apartment and I thought it would be a wise decision to meet them halfway by nannying for these past two weeks.  This was the second week of that, and I have to be honest in saying that it was hard.  The actual nannying part wasn't really.  What has been difficult has been everything that I've been feeling and thinking about, as well as struggling to fall asleep (I really hate not being able to fall asleep...I'm not the only one right???).

I have anxiety and I have to fight to live in the peace Christ gives me everyday.  Transitions trigger anxious feelings and thoughts for me.  I am in a transition right now.  I've graduated college (wooh!) and now I'm on to the next season of my life: workin' woman!  Thinking about what lies ahead has triggered anxious thought after anxious feeling after anxious thought.

Well, anyway, today has been a huge blessing.  My desperation and Jesus' faithfulness intersected like always and I think it's important for me to proclaim the truth.

Here's what is true about this next season:

Even though this new season is unfamiliar God's love IS familiar.  Whenever something feels unfamiliar I can hold on tighter to His unconditional love that I don't deserve, but I fully get to accept and enjoy.  His love is my comfort and my home.  I can rest in His love.

I DON'T need to worry about tomorrow: how it's going to look, how it's going to feel, what's going to happen...NOPE, it's all in His hands.  Once again I can rest in His love for me.  I love this verse that comes before the final "therefore, do not worry...":

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear.  Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?  Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.  Are you not much more valuable than they?  Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?"  - Matthew 6: 25-27

Reading this passage in Matthew calms my heart.  It reminds me that if God takes care of the birds who don't work for their food or think about how they need to get it...they just know it will be there when they need it...how much more does He care for me?  How much more will He be taking care of me?

And then it hits me.  I think back on my four years at Northwestern.  I was so scared to enter that season of my life.  But, then I look back at ALL God did and it was all worth it: the good, bad and hard times.  I grew so much.  God moved mountains in my life, so that I could be closer to Him!  And I look back and I think "God you knew when I was scared of going to college that it was going to be worth it."  You knew that I would walk away from that place a different person: changed because of you.  And if that is all true, then I can walk into this next season saying, "God, what do you have for me next?!  I have absolutely no idea what you plan to do, but I have full confidence that it is going to be really good."  He remains faithful.

This isn't the first time I have worried about the future, scrunching into a little ball with my head down. When times like these come I need something tangible to remind me of the truth.

I have this picture frame with the verse, Matthew 6:34 in it.  When I student taught I bought the frame from a thrift store and printed out the picture from Pinterest (you should be able to find the picture from that link).

My purpose in making this was to have a reminder as I full-time taught that I simply did not need to worry about tomorrow.  The frame also made me feel like the classroom was mine.  It was cute and decorative, like other pieces I saw in the teachers' rooms I had been in.

Today I was reminded of this verse and I immediately thought, "I need to remember that!  How can I post it somewhere?!"  Then, I remembered that I had already put the frame and picture together and I could put it up in my new apartment.  Perfect!

Is there something in your life that triggers anxiety?  Maybe you need to be reminded of the truth about the situation.  One fun and life-giving way of doing that is finding a bible verse that encourages you and making it cute with a frame or something else.  That way it's a part of your home/office/etc decor and it's also functional!

Rest & Be Blessed,

Jamie

To Be or Not To Be

Lately I have been experiencing the quality of life that I can have by being in the moment.  For the past two weeks that I have been home I have been resting, at the same time taking time to study for the MTLE.  There have been fragments of my days when I've been able to BE in the moment, but as much as I have rested I have not chosen to be.  I am very grateful to my Father for His gentle reminders to BE in the moment.

There is a difference between just "going through the motions" and truly being in the moment.  I've found that television is one of the greatest thieves of taking me out of the moment.  I'm not saying that television is bad -- in fact I really enjoy it.  Here's what I am saying: BEING in the moment is so much better.  

Sitting on a bench, eating more ice cream than our stomachs can hold

Making a beautiful salad

watching a sunset

walking through a park as locals show off their artistic ability through chalk

seeing my best friend get married

I find that my heart is much more grateful to God for who He is, because I'm actually LIVING.

What does it look like for you to truly LIVE?  To be in the moment?  Do you need to jump into some ice cold water just to know that you can feel something?  Maybe you need to go for a run and take every tree, every cloud, every shadow in.  You might just need to get some ice cream with your mom...Well whatever it looks like to experience all that God has given us, do it!  

-Jamie

You Could Be the One.

In a conversation with a friend about what it is that he is passionate about, I asked him how he became passionate about that one thing.  He loves to learn.  Why?  Early on in elementary school one of his teachers told him he was smart.

I am in awe that one person can make such an impact on another.  I’m not shocked, because I’ve heard the saying mentioned in different words many times.  “It only takes one person…”  It usually starts like that.  Over time I have found the saying trustworthy and quite important. 

One person can affect individuals both in positive and negative ways.  I’ve experienced both, sometimes by the same individual.  What I find to be even more awe-inspiring is that one person can ignite passion and vision in another.  When my friend was told that he was smart his passion for learning was ignited. 

His telling me that one significant piece of information made me curious about my own passions.  Rather, it reminded me of why I decided to go into elementary education.  It was that one person that ignited my passion. 

My passion for teaching was ignited in the most unpredictable of ways.  I was a senior in high school, and ready to soak all of my senior year up.  Two study halls, independent art, pre-calc., (I love math), work study, design class, and leadership mentoring.  The ultimate “senior slacker” year.  Mmhmm. 

Everything was going pretty well, and then in my leadership mentoring class they needed someone to help in the special education classroom.  Lets rewind a bit.  Leadership mentoring is a class that connects seniors and 7^th graders in the same school.  For an hour the seniors spend time with the 7^th graders during their study hall.  They help them with homework and talk with them about life.  It was supposed to be another slacker class.  Hang out with some middle school students then go to lunch.  I didn’t expect to help out in the special education classroom.  I didn’t expect Seth.

During my time in that classroom I met one 7^th grade boy with Down Syndrome.  I was told to work with him, help him with classroom projects, spend time with him basically.  He changed me.  When he said my name my heart smiled.  Whenever he accomplished something, small or big, we celebrated the victory together.  Through my experience with Seth my passion for teaching was ignited.

This past year Seth passed away.  I am so blessed to have known him and to have walked life with him for a year.  I wonder if he knows that God used him to show me my passion for teaching.  I wonder how many others have been impacted by Seth the way I was.  I wonder if Seth knows the joy he brought to people’s lives. 

When I heard that he had passed away I was heart-broken.  But looking back I am glad that I was heart-broken.  It showed that he had made a lasting impact on my life.  He was that one person for me.  I had the privilege of knowing him.  I was truly blessed by God through Seth.   

I am in awe of the way God can use others to breath life into us.   So who was it or is it for you?  Maybe it’s not a person.  Maybe it was something that happened and after that you were changed for the better, for God’s Kingdom.  Whatever it was or who it was take a moment to remember.  For, you may not know it, but God is using you to ignite passion in those around you.  It only takes one person.

Kingdom Living

²⁴ Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. ²⁵ For whoever wants to save their life^[a] will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.

- Matthew 16:24-25

For the past week I have began listening to The Solid Rock Church  podcasts on the gospel of Mark.  The pastor, John Mark Comer, has an excellent way of preaching and I have really enjoyed listening to the messages.  So far each message has challenged me to think about my faith more seriously than before.

Questions like "who am I making king in my life?" and "what is my exodus?" have truly challenged me to reevaluate my focus.  I've been home for about a week and listening to these podcasts has been life giving, not discouraging.

All of this triggers the question, "who's kingdom am I living for?". In other words, "who am I serving?" I believe the kingdom of God is seen when God's people focus on Him and through that healing happens.  How am I serving God in my finances?  How am I serving God in my relationships?  This way of looking at the things of life shines the light on loving Him, because of His acceptance of me rather than trying to earn acceptance by being and doing things perfectly and avoiding making any mistakes.

I am no expert, and I never will be.  God's grace is sufficient for me.  Sufficient for you.  For all.  It is by His grace that I'm able to look up (at him) and out (at his people).

My Bad...

I am not good at this.  Keeping up with my blog.  Even so I'd still like to share a bit about these past 2.5 weeks!

Week 2:
I was in Mankato with three lovely ladies.  Mankato is beautiful if you've never been.  The southern part of Minnesota has many hills and is very nice to drive through!  The church we were at served many kids from the church, but they also served a number of kids who live in apartments right by their building.  These kids don't have as much money and usually they walked to day camps.  It was a crazy week at day camps, but it was also really fun.  I enjoyed getting to know these kids, and as crazy as it was, it was still so good!  There were many kids that I could tell really grew from day camps and had so much fun.  Our host families were awesome too.  I love staying with families that have kids.  It was a joy to just hang out with their kids and get to know their family.

Week 3:
I was in Iowa again.  This time I had the opportunity to go back to Coraville where I was last summer.  We stayed with the same family as last year, and it was so nice to connect with them again.  I have become quite attached to Iowa - especially Iowa City & Coraville.  There are many aspects about the area that I love and there is so much to be "done" for the kingdom of God there.  I don't know what my next few years look like, but if living in Iowa is a part of that I would be down.  It was a treat to see many of the same kids from last year at day camps and continue to build relationships with them.  It was so cool to see the impact we made last year and how that carried over to this year.  I also had many moments of joy with these kids.  It was so fun to play games with them and be silly.  The best part is that I knew I was brightening their day, just be hanging out with them!  I also had the awesome opportunity to play in a random drum circle in downtown Iowa City on our night out!  It was such an amazing experience.  To conclude Iowa was amazing!

Week 4:
This has been my best week yet I believe.  I am in Forest Lake with another coordinator and two counselors.  Most of our campers have been exposed to the gospel and know a lot about Jesus.  Nevertheless it has been sweet to challenge them to dig deeper and live out their faith in Jesus.  It also has been a ton of fun to sing songs with these kids!  They love the songs and every day (especially at the end of the day) we've been having so much fun dancing and singing for Jesus.  It seems like the kids are really present at camp and excited.  Every week of day camps that has been the case, but maybe I'm just more present with them as the weeks go by.

As far as my life outside of Trout Lake Camps goes there are just a few things happening.  My best friend gets married in 18 days!!!  And, Praise the Lord, I got to see her on Monday :).  Love that woman.  I take my licensure exam (again...) on August 10th, so I am attempting to study for that bad boy.  Job hunting is kind of existent, but very hard to do when I am working at camp.  Prayers for that would be fabulous.

This summer I have been learning about my need to apologize after I feel I may have hurt someone just by being me.  I've been called out on it numerous times.  Being aware of my habit is eye opening and has challenged me to check myself before I say sorry.  I am not responsible for other people's emotions, therefore I need not say sorry for fear that they would be upset with me and reject me.  It's true that they could be upset with me and that is perfectly okay.  What I am trying to hold on to is that I am accepted by God and that's enough.  There's more that I'm learning from God about how I operate, especially with others.  For now that is the only thing that seems significant enough to share.

This was good.  The whole blogging thing.

Until next time,

Jamie

Week 1/Trip 1

This week I traveled with two other coordinators and one counselor.  We ended up in Iowa so that meant a 7.5 hour drive without traffic.  I have to say that it was completely worth it.  The moment we entered the church I was reminded of why I love Iowa -- It is the people.  I'm sorry, but the silos and fields of corn aren't at the top of my list.  This city (Iowa City) is in great need of the truth of Jesus Christ.  They need to know what is true based off of what the bible says.  And these kids come from all different kinds of socioeconomic backgrounds.  Iowa City has a good amount of poverty.  It was pretty clear to me and my staff that many of these kids don't know the fundamental truths about God - he loves us and will never leave us.  God has been bringing that simple message back to us counselors/coordinators each day and we have seen the campers begin to retain those truths.  I know it all starts from there.  The gospel is all about God's love and I am overjoyed that we have the opportunity to share that with these campers in Iowa City.  It has been very fun to stay with our host family of six as well!  The husband and wife have four kids who all are cute as can be!  It's been fun to hang out with them, go on walks through the neighborhood, and finally have them warm up to you ;).  The most significant thing that I am taking away from this trip is being able to incorporate my teaching skills into children's ministry.  I am seeing more how God has wired me, and how that can serve the kids I encounter.  It is so sweet to finally see a group of kids understand a simple, yet very important truth.  That's what has marked my week.

Some other fun things that have happened this week are that us counselors went to Chick fil-a (some for the first time) and enjoyed it!  We also found out that Josie (counselor) loves soap...like loves soap.  We had some fun downtown Iowa City and the only store that was open after 7pm was Soap Opera -- Josie was in heaven.  It's been really fun getting to know my staff members more and doing what we love together.

It looks like God has a lot in store for this summer!

-Jamie

p.s.--
The city of Iowa is filled with advertisement for the Hawkeyes so in honor of Iowa this is the picture I choose to share!

gold and black baby.

Keep Calm AND Camp On

Hello Friends,
Tomorrow I embark on yet another adventure.  One that is familiar to me, but still I sit with a mix of anticipation, anxiety, sadness, excitement, etc.  I love home like nobody's business - I especially have appreciated home in the past week or so, because of the finality of this season that I am in.  I am a graduate of Northwestern College (soon to be The University of Northwestern - St. Paul).  I have a degree in Elementary Education, a minor in bible and an emphasis in special education.  Of course going off to college meant leaving the season of being a kid to a certain extent, but for most of us there was still some "kid like moments" we have been able to experience.  Care packages, long breaks home, parents paying for gas, groceries once in a while and other things we just forgot we needed.
In April I began to think about this season of college being done.  To be a bit more honest I began to feel all that there is to feel about graduating.  Mostly, I realized that graduating college means that I am OFFICIALLY an adult. Being at home for a while - I wanted to soak it all up.  But there is much of me that wanted to hold on to the actual place of home, because home symbolizes being a kid.  The truth is that I am no longer a kid.  A wise woman once said, "I don't know about you, but I'm feeling 22," and I couldn't agree with her more.  22 definitely means adulthood.  Graduating and being home brought this feeling of finality.
And now, I have left home again.  This time with the feeling of unknown for what happens after camp, and a longing to have more of home.  Nevertheless I have a peace about going back to a place that brings me so much peace.  While I'm at camp I will need to look for jobs, apply for jobs, maybe interview at schools if possible.  And all of that has produced some anxiety.
The more I look at that poster "Keep Calm and Camp On." the more I believe that's so true. I am going to keep calm: trust God with my future, trust him that he is my stability, my home, my father and camp on: serve others, take in the beautiful landscape of camp, invest in relationship and simply BE in the present where He has so generously placed me.

Like last summer I would love to write a little about each church we go to.  These opportunities we get to experience are filled with such rich blessings and I don't think it would be fair to keep them to myself.  If you're interested in keeping track of my journey I will try my best to be faithful in writing a post about each church we attend.

Please be praying for the churches, host families, campers, and counselors.  That we would have good communication between churches.  That we would be so grateful to the host families and show them Jesus and experience who Jesus is to them.  That the campers would come to know Jesus Christ as their Savior and that he counselors would be strengthened to serve the campers in every situation: only through the strength of Jesus Christ.

He IS our example of servent leadership.

Keep Calm and Camp On,
Jamie

Graduation

On March 13th I wrote the following:

"I think that when college graduation comes around, grad. candidates feel pressure to keep moving in a pressure-filled way.  I know that I do.  There's this unspoken rule that one needs to accomplish something just as great, if not greater, than the four years of studying at a college.  So doing something that would seem to fit into the "college years" category doesn't satisfy.  So many of my good friends have told me that life after graduation is very hard.  I wonder if that pressure to fulfill all the dreams one had in college once they graduate has made that season of life hard.  I'm unsure, and really it could be a number of things that make it hard.

Life after graduation doesn't need to look a certain way.  It just gets to be what it is, and dreams get to be dreams.  They get to be pursued without pressure.  Passions get to be ignited in unexpected and expected ways.  Desires get to be fulfilled, yet not.  In the midst of it ALL, God is still God and is always good."

 

Life after graduation doesn't need to look a certain way.  I need to hear those words again.  If you are at this same season in life, or a season of unknown maybe these words are helpful to you too.  I graduated College...woah.  I'm working at Trout again this summer and after that...I don't know.  One thing I do know is that God knows.  It's been my simple prayer over these past couple months: God Knows.  

God is good & He loves me

Over the past 4 years I have experienced so much.  There have been joyful times and times of great despair. In the aftermath of it all I find myself more thankful for the painful seasons of life as a college student, because I have walked through the fire and come out refined.  (hopefully not burnt and smelly...)  Not for a moment did He forsake me (Meridith Andrews, I kinda stole your song lyrics).  There was always a purpose and it was always for my good.  Even if it was painful.  My 4 years at Northwestern College (soon to be The University of Northwestern - St. Paul) have been beautiful.  Beautiful describes the season of life rightly.  I went through periods of depression and anxiety.  I experienced deep healing of my soul.  I was in a wonderful, hard and serious relationship that taught me so much about life and love.  I had the opportunity to be an RA my sophomore year.  I was able to serve the girls in my hall to the best of my ability as a sophomore juggling a relationship and education classes could.  I taught 3rd graders, 5th graders, kindergarteners and most of all my lovely 4th grade students who got 14 weeks with me (lucky them ;)).   I lived on my own, paid rent and worked at a restaurant in order to pay the bills.  One of my most favorite times during this 4 year experience was being a day camps coordinator at Trout Lake Camps.  It was exactly what I needed.  Not because all my wants were met.  No, because this is when I truly began to learn how to put my desires to the side and love others.  I am so grateful to God for blessing me with that experience.  The friendships I made that summer were such a blessing.  Some of my closests friends in my life as of now are from camp.  As I reflect I think about the summer before I came to Northwestern.  All my fears, concerns and questions.  Now, according to my app (t-zero), I have 4 days and 13 hours until I graduate.  I was so afraid, and I had no idea that God had showers of blessings to poor upon me.  Now more than ever I see His goodness and grace.  I see how these last 4 years have changed who I am positively.  I believe I see the Lord differently and the way I view the world has changed.  Fear doesn't mark me, but as I walk through each day I fight for love to be the tape that plays in my brain.  My passion for teaching has come alive and there is nothing that I'd rather do.  Nothing.  My heart feels open to loving students and pouring myself out to them.  I hope that as I walk that stage and get my diploma, and walk out the doors of Maranatha Hall that I may walk away knowing two things: God is good and He always loves me.  Those two lessons are what I carry with me from my 4 years at Northwestern.  From that I am more open to saying "thy will be done."

God is good & He loves me.

The Right Way to View a Box.

I have learned that each one of us carries with us a box.  Inside our box we carry the troubles, joys, sorrows, and excitements of our lives.  There are two ways I have misunderstood how to view my box, as well as those closest to me.  I have thought that I can hold my box and everything in it.  I've thought that it's my job to open up each item in the box and fix that item.  Wrong.  Then when others show me their box, and unload their items I have thought it right and possible to pick up the items in their box as well.  Wrong.
As it pertains to my box, God gets to hold it.  We open it up together, and I bring each item to him.  When others share their boxes with me I get to watch as they unpack, and validate what I see.  Why would I try to pick something up that God already is holding?

Do you feel responsible for the hardships of others?  You're not.  It is so important to be there for the ones The Lord has placed in our lives.  And when its appropriate we should speak into their lives with grace and truth.  But more than anything I believe that making room for Jesus to be Jesus gives miles on end for me to be me, and the other next to me to be them.

I believe carrying someone's burdens is very different than trying to fix their burdens.  I'd much rather sit with someone in their pain and see them, rather then try to fix their heart and life circumstances.  I believe that Jesus came to heal us, and set us free to live for Him.  It's His job to heal the broken parts of me, and comfort me.  And that doesn't change for the other beside me.

Life doesn't stop

"And from His fullness we have ALL received grace upon grace." - John 1:16

It will have been two months that I have been student teaching on March 15th.  It has went by incredibly fast, and I have grown mentally, emotionally and spiritually in ways I never thought I would.  Right now I am home for my spring break.  I italicized this, because this break is and will be filled with mountains of studying.  

It is scary and exciting to think that in a little more than two months I graduate college.  The reality of this major event in my life is actually beginning to feel real.  Can I just tell you how relieving, and at the same time daunting this feels?!  Graduating college feels like it's something for "big kids," and well I don't feel like a "big kid."  ha.  "Well, kiddo, you are and life is just going to keep moving," is what I think would be fitting to tell myself at this point.

Life. Does. Not. Stop.  

The clock continues to tick, seasons change, babies are born, others are lost, and each day the sun sets and rises.  That sounds kind of depressing, but that's not my purpose in writing this.  If life keeps going, I want to as well.  I want to be present in each moment, because that is where the Lord is.  I believe that's where I see all that He is doing (well...all he chooses to show me).

I think that when college graduation comes around, grad. candidates feel pressure to keep moving in a pressure-filled way.  I know that I do.  There's this unspoken rule that one needs to accomplish something just as great, if not greater, than the four years of studying at a college.  So doing something that would seem to fit into the "college years" category doesn't satisfy.  So many of my good friends have told me that life after graduation is very hard.  I wonder if that pressure to fulfill all the dreams one had in college once they graduate has made that season of life hard.  I'm unsure, and really it could be a number of things that make it hard.

Life after graduation doesn't need to look a certain way.  It just gets to be what it is, and dreams get to be dreams.  They get to be pursued without pressure.  Passions get to be ignited in unexpected and expected ways.  Desires get to be fulfilled, yet not.  In the midst of it ALL, God is still God and is always good.  

"You're the ground that doesn't shake

You're the branch that doesn't break

You're the light that never fades

and You're holding on

There's never been a time

You've ever left my side

You're love never dies

and You're holding on"

- Lindsay McCaul

"Hold on to Me"

Cultivating a heart of JOY

  One part of teaching that I have been reflecting on in the past few days is that it gives me so much life.  I remember hearing that whatever gives us passion gives God glory.  It’s always been hard for me to think of things I would want to do in my life through the lense of reality.  I find myself looking at my current situation thinking that I don’t fully enjoy what I am doing now, but this other career would be amazing.  In the past few years I’ve had to reflect, and think about whether I like the idea of certain careers verses the reality of doing that job.  When I decided that I wanted to go to school to become a teacher I had an unrealistic idea of the job.  Once I began working in classrooms, I really doubted whether it was for me or not.  The more I mature, I realize that nothing will come without challenges and parts that aren’t enjoyable.  The question that I need to ask myself is “even though this is hard, do I still love it?”  At first I couldn’t say that about teaching.  I knew that there were times of enjoyment while I taught, but I have found that in the past few months that even though this is hard I do love it.  There are other experiences in my life where this is true, and in each one I have been working with youth, and teaching them something.  I believe what makes the difference is that it’s not about what I feel, because emotions are fleeting.  It is from the underlying joy of doing what I am passionate about, and knowing that I am serving God through that.

Here. We. Go. ((Ready or Not))

*So I may have stolen that title from a friend and fellow blogger of mine.

It is January 8th, 2013, for those of you who didn't read the date at the head of the blog post ;).  The point is, that in two days I will be heading back to Minnesota to move in with a mentor or host family, if you will.  This is my last semester of college, and I will be student teaching this semester.  On January 14th, and 15th I will have student teaching orientation.  On the 16th I begin.  wow.  I find myself pausing for a few moments to take it in.  I think I need more than a few moments though.  This feels big.  It is another date that I never thought I would experience.  2009 felt far off in the distance, but it happened and that year I graduated high school.  09 was part of my username for school, and every time I signed in my e-mail, that year didn't ever seem like it would come.  Then it did, and I entered college: Northwestern.  2013 has always been the expiration date on my ID card.  Most people end up breaking their ID card, or losing it sometime within their two to four years at Northwestern.  I have had the same one for these last four years, and it is not until this year that it has a few bruises.  Hmm, but 2013, that is SO far away.  Nope, eight days ago the new year began: 2013.

Now, teaching.  Here it comes.  I will be in a suburb of Minnesota, teaching fourth graders.  There will be a time period where I teach full-time for 10 consecutive days. Now that is a good chunk of time.  There are many other tasks I will need to accomplish, and I'm sure that you will hear about them one way or the other.  I want to say that I will blog about my experiences like once a week.  Come on, anyone who reads my blog knows that won't happen.  So, if I get a chance I will blog, but this is my blog post to express this new season of life before it begins.  If that's all you get, I do apologize, it's just a crazy life that I'm living.

Anyway, at church a friend asked how I felt about student teaching.  And the best way I could describe it (as cheesy as it sounds) is the feeling right before you jump off a diving board: scared and excited.

There has been so much preparation, but there are so many things that are unknown.  I know that I do come prepared, but I also come with nothing, and that is where Jesus gives me strength, joy, and motivation for each day.

Please be praying for me, as I begin this new experience.  I really desire to give it my everything, and grow in my teaching abilities.  I will be living somewhere new, and I really want that to be a smooth transition.  Prayer in that area would be wonderful.  And, I am transferring to a different restaurant closer to where I live.  I won't be working much, but I know that will be something I need to figure out how to balance.  Lastly, right now I absolutely need my community.  I am fully aware that community may look different, but I believe God is faithful, and will provide for me in that way as he already has!

Praise, Praise, Praise Him.

Jamie