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Top Ten Things to Know: Cru Summer Mission Ocean City, MD

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1. Growing Closer to God The best night of the week is two hour reflection. It gives you time to read your Bible, listen to worship music, journal, and pray. 2. Building Community   Sharing a house with 35 students quickly enables friendships to form. Spending a lot of time together allows for meaningful conversations. These people will become a part of your family. 3. Meeting International Students Having the opportunity to meet international students is a blessing. You  read scripture together and play board games. And of course, EAT PLENTY OF JUNK FOOD! 4.  Assategue State Park The park has a beautiful scenery as wild horses graze the land. The sandy beaches and calming water make the park very peaceful. 5.  Dumser's Ice Cream There is nothing better than grabbing a local yummy...

My definition of home.

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Happy New Year!!!!!! It's 2018.  The year I graduate college. WHATTTT?!?! During winter break, I have really reflected on what defines home in my life.  Is it a physical place, is it the people I'm with, or is it something else?  Looking back at 2017, I don't even think I was at my parent's house for 20 given nights between being at college, visiting relatives in Michigan, and living in Ocean City, MD for ten week with Cru this past summer.  So can my parent's house be defined as my home? In 2017, I felt the sense of home when... Watching Hallmark movies with my parents and sisters in our living room of my permanent residence in West Virginia Cooking with my grandma in her country house in the corn fields of Michigan Traveling across the earthly waters to serve others with love Walking around campus knowing I am getting a degree to teach students Line dancing with my friends on a late Wednesday night in a small Ohio town Living in a house full of laug...

5 Months Later...

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Woah... So, I can't believe it has actually been five months since I have last been on my blog site.  Sometimes I even forget I created this thing.  Maybe I will update you on the rest of my trip to Jamaica, but for now I have some new news to share. New news, haha. Anyways.. The night I flew out to Jamaica, I decided to apply for summer mission with Cru.  Summer mission is something I had heard about several times at fall retreat, winter conference, and weekly Cru meetings.  After this past winter conference in January, God clearly put it on my heart to apply and go on mission specially to Ocean City, MD for ten weeks. A month later, I received a text to set-up an "interview" to further discuss my application.  After my conversation with the women's director, she told me I had been accepted to attend the mission this summer in OCMD.  I almost couldn't believe it, I was chosen to go on mission and fulfill my passion to walk deeper with the Lord. ...

Jamaica - January 8, 2017

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Second full day in Jamaica! {Church, Chill Time, Welcome Dinner, Game Night} Church - Today we had breakfast at 7:00am. Palmer (Mama Whyte's cousin) made us banana pancakes with syrup, bread and butter, bananas, and watermelon.  The pancakes had a different texture from American pancakes, but they were still delicious.  Mama Whyte drove us to church at 8:30am.  As soon as we got there, we joined the adult Sunday School where the message talked about living in faith.  The scripture was Romans 5:1-5.  It was Youth Sunday today, and TJ (my brother) played the drums in the praise band.  The songs were good, and I recognized one called Holiness.  There was a lot of hallelujahs and amens.  It was so neat to watch the congregation worship in a way that is different than when I'm at church.  The message was preached by a guest speaker.  The theme of the message was New Year, New Task, New Flame, New Beginning.  Throug...

Jamaica - January 7, 2017

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First full day in Jamaica! {Beach, New Sister, & Community Center} Beach - We woke-up to have breakfast ready at 10:00am.  For our meal we had eggs, bread and butter,  mandarin oranges, plantains, and orange juice. I tried the plantains, but was not a fan.  You have to remember, I'm a picky eater to began with.  But I challenged myself to try everything while I was in Jamaica to embrace the culture.  The bus picked us up at 10:45, then we headed to Bluefield Beach .   It's a local beach in the area.  We played Marco Polo with everyone.  It was great to talk to Aneif and just ask him questions about his love for Jamaica.  He was very willing to help us understand the Jamaican lifestyle.  We enjoyed the water, then the mama's cooked us lunch.  We had jerked chicken and pork, festival (fried break), vegetables, and pasta salad.  The food was wonderful.  Then, we headed back to the beach. We enj...

Sometimes God Blows My Mind.

Just the other day a sermon appeared on my youtube home screen for the first time ever.  I clicked the video and began watching.  Her name was Heather Lindsey, and I knew nothing about her.  I was a couple minutes in and realized I needed to save it for later.  I kept the tab open until I had enough time to watch the 42 minute sermon.  Tonight was the night I decided to watch it, and man does God place things in your life that you need to hear.  I have typed out my notes that I jotted down during the sermon, and I will link the video below.  If you need a Jesus pick-me-up, then please do not hesitate to watch this sermon.  It is truly amazing to see God work through this message. Heather Lindsey - Stormy Seasons: Trusting God In the Midst of the Storms of Life. It is easier to forgive at church, but we walk out the door and still sin. Luke 8:22 God tests us. In the middle of the trial, have faith and hope in God. God wants to know w...

Jamaica - January 6, 2017

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Over my winter break, I had the pleasure of traveling to Petersfield, Jamaica with a group of thirteen people from my university.  We arrived as strangers, and left as family.  I journaled daily of our adventures, so free feel to keep up with my next few blog posts about the trip. Travel day to Jamaica!! {Airport, Accompong Maroon Festival, & Meeting Host Family} Airport - Sydney, Dani, and I arrived at the airport at 2:30am.  We waited for the rest of the group to arrive at the main entrance.  We all said our hellos, got our boarding passes, and went through security just fine.  Our plane was supposed to depart at 5:55am, but we ended up departing a hour later because crew had to deice the aircraft.  When we arrived in Orlando, I had a quick breakfast at McDonald's. Soon after that we got on our flight to Jamaica, and I sat by Sydney.  Flying over the sea was beautiful.  When we arrived, we went through customs.  The desk worke...