Hey y'all! Hope all is going well! Sorry its been so long but of course you come home and after not seeing your family for a long time and not hanging out with them, your schedule tends to fill up quick! But now that I have some down time, I can let y'all know what's going on...

So yeah I came home and pretty much just crashed for a couple of days and not really wanting to do anything but read, play on Facebook and watch some episodes of "How I Met Your Mother". In between all that, my schedule filled up quick: little siblings wanted me to hang out with them, mom and older sister wanted me to go out with them and dad wanted me to watch movies with him (usually with me rubbing his back while we were watching them). Then friends and extended family wanted to see me so of course I went out and enjoyed some awesome food and socializing time! Now I'm getting to the point where I'm just beat and I just want time to myself again so I can go curl up in a place somewhere and just relax and read some. Of course, that's easier said than done... :S Oh well, now that Christmas is over, I can actually wind down some and slowly get ready to return to TFC...



Yep, I actually have only a few days left before I head back to school and start into my Winterim class, Western Thought and Culture. I can't wait to get back up to TFC and see all my friends and back to routine! Yes, I said it! I like routine, school and the like.... Its usually when I have to go on breaks and vacations and stuff that I kinda don't know what to do. :S I know, its weird but that's just the kind of girl I am. Anywho, I'm really excited about starting into the new program and really seeing where God is leading me in all of this! :D



So when it comes to my quiet times and what God is showing me and talking to me about is discipline. Yep... I'm getting back to the basics of my spiritual disciplines and practices with God. Right now I'm reading a couple of books: "My Utmost For His Highest" by Oswald Chambers (I'm still using this during my quiet times) and "Celebration of Discipline" by Richard J. Foster. I'm also hoping to read a book my boyfriend, Rich got me as a somewhat early Christmas present, "The Cost of Discipleship" by Dietrich Bonhoeffer (I've never read anything of his but I've always wanted to so I'm uber excited). The thing is for the past several weeks (over a month really) God has been gently bring this to my attention as something I really need to look into and get a better understanding and practice of. I see know that if I really want to do and be a part of the things that God is leading me towards (ministry, relationships, serving others, etc.) I need to really start developing a stronger relationship with him and begin seriously disciplining myself in my times with him and not just inwardly but also in outward and corporate spiritual disciplines (as Mr. Foster would call them). As I write this I can't help but think of the Shane and Shane song, "May the Words of My Mouth". Its worth a listen...



After listening to this song, I know that in my heart of hearts that I have this desire and I truly wish for this but I know that I don't have what it takes right now and it will only be when I developed the different disciplines that I will get there. Here's hoping for the best...

Well that's it for now! Hope all of y'all had a grand Christmas and I hope for a safe and happy New Year for y'all! Later days!

~Jeanne;)

Hey there gang! Its been quite a while... sorry about that but that just means there's more stuff to tell... ;)

Well lets start with this week: Finals Week! Yep... studying; cramming knowledge, coffee and junk food (usually in that order), freaking out and praying that God not only would pull multiple epiphanies as you take your tests but that He would soften the hearts (and minds) of your professors so that you could get the best grade possible... yep, in the very middle of that right now. >.< I've already got one test out of the way and will be studying for tomorrow's two tests today. Right now, I'm just taking it one day at a time, not getting too overwhelmed and hoping that I don't die of a heart attack or anxiety attack... :)



So as soon as Finals are over, I will be heading home and I really can't wait to see my family and hang out with them! Although Christmas will be a bit rough for us, I'm just glad we can be together and be able to unwind and enjoy each others' company and not have to worry about work, school or anything else. Christmas has always been a very big and special time for all of us in my house; many of me and my family's fondest memories usually took place around Christmas. So of course when the time comes, we love sitting around in the den, looking over old photo albums or watching old family home videos and reminisce about the "good ol' days". For me, these times are also times to reflect and see where God has brought me and my family through and I can't help but feel loved, blessed and that's its been quite an adventure thus far. Also, these times have become more and more sparse as I've gotten older and had to start finding my place in this world so of course they've become more and more precious to me. But I also can't wait to see and experience the future ones to come... :)



Well many of y'all who are friends with me on Facebook have already heard the news but for those of you who haven't heard or don't know... I'm in a relationship now! XD I'm dating my best friend, Rich who I've known for quite a while now and was one of the people who told me about and encouraged me to come to Toccoa Falls College (he's an alumni from the school so who better to tell me about the school?). We have been talking for quite a while now about a relationship and we made it official this past weekend. Of course we have had a TON of people praying and encouraging us in this direction so when it happened it was very exciting for everyone! :D I really can't thank God enough for blessing me by putting such an incredible, Godly man in my life and how I've been blessed with his friendship and support as much as he has! In all honesty, I am a bit scared but I also know that all right now all I can do is to continue putting God and his will first and putting into practice more and more the things that he has been teaching all these months about love, supporting others and continuing in daily obedience in God. If you really want more details about how it happened, just get in touch with me... ;)



So I guess the next question in my head right now with finals, Christmas time and a new relationship now here is: What's coming, God? What is on the horizon for me? I know for sure that school will be different for me because of the new major in Family and Children's Ministry I have; life will be different now that I have a boyfriend and I'm beginning to find myself apart from my family so... what now? Only God knows... and you know what, maybe that how it needs to be. Think about it: if we did know about every little thing that comes our way what will make life fun, adventurous and memorable? As much as I want to know the future, I can't help but feel a small part of me doesn't really want to know. Not because I'm afraid of all the horrible and sad things that will come but more so because it ruins the unexpectedness. As a person who is very organized and punctual and all, you would think I wouldn't be like that all and really I wasn't. But now I've learned that those kinds of situations, things and experiences are usually when God shows up the most and you are able to learn something about yourself, about him and about others. So I keep looking to the horizon, but I don't look too far ahead; I'm trying to keep in perspective the people and the situations around me in the here and now as well so that I may learn and so that I may be able to teach others... :)

Well that's it for now! Hope y'all have a great rest of the week (especially those of my friends who are taking Finals), take care and later days!

~Jeanne;)