My love for the game

As many people know, basketball became a job in high school. The word basketball automatically included other words such as pain, frustration, anger, and confusion. I was thrilled and so thankful I could play my senior year after years of physical therapy and doctors, but I was at peace when the season ended. I had learned a lot about myself, God and life through my basketball career. I felt as if this chapter in my life was complete and God had other exciting and challenging things to come.
During the first few weeks at UNC I started to really miss the game. I missed the "swoosh" and the sound of shoes squeaking on the gym floor. So I started playing basketball on the court outside my dorm and at the gym. I played HORSE with my guy friends and won a few bucks :) People kept asking me why I did not try out for the Club team. I could not explain it to them well, but I was having fun just playing the game- no rules, no structure, no pressure to suck up the physical pain I was in. If my body started to hurt I could just sit out and it was totally ok. Whenever I was frustrated with a test grade or was having a hard time understanding my homework, I would go to the gym and shoot around. I could go and use basketball to release my frustration instead of basketball being the reason for my frustration.
About a month ago I made a coed IM team. We are 4-1 and are in the semi-finals. I cant't even begin to explain the joy I have when I am on the court. I feel so free and just... happy. I love the game. I love talking, reading, watching and playing it. It has become a huge blessing in my life. Yeah it would have been nice if I was never injured and could play without the constant pain, but I would not change it. Without those hard years, I would not be the person I am today. I would not be as close to God, would not appreciate the gifts God blessed with me, and might not even be at UNC. I am thankful for those years, because God molded and shaped me into who I am today. Do not get me wrong... it sucked. I have a stronger relationship with my parents, family and God because of those years.
I am thankful for those painful times, but amazed at how God works. I never thought I would be able to have as much fun playing as I used to, but once again He came through. Once again, our God provided. He always comes through. 

“Forget the former things;    do not dwell on the past; 
See, I am doing a new thing!" - Isaiah 43: 18-19a

"we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance"
- Romans 5:3

New Beginnings

So today I became a College Life leader @ UNC. Honestly, there is no real good way to describe what this is because we are trying to figure out what God has in store for College Life and what He wants our mission to be. I do know that next year as a sophomore I will be leading a freshmen girls bible study!! Tons of my friends got placed to be young life or wild life leaders in high schools or middle schools today and I am so excited for the Lord to work through them to reach a ton of kids. I am nervous to see how the community of college life will be changing since lots of freshmen are on YL teams now. There are people who did not get placed and people who chose that it was not for them, so it is going to be interesting to see how the dynamic shifts. I hope as a leader I can help keep the community strong within the ministry no matter if the unc student is a leader or not.

I am just excited to see what the Lord has in store for this college campus, all the high schools and middle schools. I am also excited to see God work in my life and heart as I depend and rely on him more and more. I am praying that the Lord gives me a new heart every morning that wants to love every student, see how every unc student is broken, and show them God's love.

These are the 3 other freshmen girls who got placed on the College Life Team
Kennedy, Hannah, Kiana, Me

The CL team including all our wonderful adult leaders!