Reflection and commissioning

I'm not quite sure how to start this post.

My time here at college is coming to an end. I can't believe it's been four years but at the same time, it feels like a long time ago that I lived in Hobbs as a freshman.

I've been doing so much reflection these past few days. It's hard not too.

God has brought me through SO much, and taught me, and done more IN me than I ever could have imagined possible when starting college.

When I started college as a freshman I was much more introverted and shy. I'm still an introverted person, and always will be, but I'm much more comfortable around people now. I've become so much more outgoing and I've learned how to be comfortable in my own skin. I've learned how to rely on who God has MADE me to be, and not who other people THINK I am.

God has brought me through so many hard, tough situations that, at the time, I could not stand. They really broke me. BUT now, I am SO thankful for those times. They made me who I am, and taught me things, and brought me SO much closer to God.
I was just kind of thinking of all the things that happened:
-My freshman year roommate basically left me hangin' the night before we left for summer.
-There were awkward, tough, sticky relationship incidences with people, involving so much brokenness.
-My early on group of "friends" went through so much drama and my sophomore year I felt so much loneliness like I'd never been through before. It may sound dumb, or like it couldn't have been that bad, but it was one of the hardest times I've ever been through. I felt like I had no friends, and I cried like, all the time first semester. That sounds really lame, but God was just breaking me and showing me how my main dependence, comfort, and joy can be found in HIM alone and no one else.
-I was stretched sooo much by being on our University Fellowship's leadership team my sophomore and junior years.
-God brought me to THE most amazing people ever who taught me even MORE how to be a friend, how God speaks through people, and what encouragement really means. I will forever be amazed at how God effects relationships.

I went to worship last night (called outlet) and I could hear God telling me that this is just the beginning. I have changed and grown so much, but there is so much more still to come. This is just the beginning.

Here, at my school, our Christian Fellowship (UCF) has a senior commissioning every year for the graduates. They always invite this man named Keith Yoder to come and pray over them in a prophetic prayer. This is something I had been anticipating my whole college career and this past Sunday, it was finally my turn! This guy is good. He is able to really hear from God and speak things about people that he otherwise would not be able to know. It's usually very affirming and encouraging.

I was so nervous but excited. They give us discs of the recordings so that we can listen to it as much as we want. My friend videoed mine with my camera so I get to listen to mine before disc is ready =)
The main biblical passage he prayed over me had to do with David and Goliath and how when David went to defeat Goliath he brought with him what he knew and what was comfortable. He said some things about five smooth stones that David brought and how those correspond to my five skills. He said that when I follow God's prompting He will add His power and favor so that I will see miracles happen in people's lives.

He also said that I can be confident about the future and that instead of thinking about what is ahead, I should think about what I already have and know.

I'm still processing it, and I want to look up the passages in more depth, but yeah :)) The commissioning was awesome and my best friend Christin even came from Shippensburg and totally surprised me!

Only two more days of student teaching and then grad on Saturday! AH! It is very bitter-sweet.

Here are a few pictures from this weekend. On Saturday there was a picnic type thing outside and we had fun taking pictures. Here's also one of me at the commissioning! :)

Me and my roommate Shelby:)


Me and my friend Courtney


Commissioning:)