Two week hiatus in a nutshell (but, I'm long-winded)

I never thought I would be busier or more consumed by my surroundings than I was in college. I thought wrong. The Kanakuk Institute has changed my life. That might be a little bit of an overstatement, but my view of the world, the Bible, relationships, and God have all changed in the past month. I could leave this place today, and the month I’ve spent here would have been worth it. That is the power God’s Word has on lives and has had on mine thus far. I’m not done learning yet by any stretch of imagination (and won’t be until the day I die), but the past month has changed my entire life. The way I will live as a single woman, a wife and a mother (Lord willing), a daughter, a friend and a Christ follower have all changed or have at least been refined. For the first time in my life, I have realized the importance of being grounded in truth, which is the Word of God.

It has been an eventful couple of weeks since my last post, and there is no way for me to fill you in on everything, nor would you want me to. Extremely exciting news to my life…I got my computer back after a two week hiatus! She was having some major issues and needed some repair, so I have been computerless. Thankfully, I have great friends here that let me borrow theirs when needed for school, but I haven’t had one for much extracurricular activity. Case in point: lack of blogging. I apologize if anyone has been checking daily to see if I had updated on my exciting life….Here’s a quick rundown:

Funny/Random happenings:

1) This is probably the highlight of my hiatus: About 40 of us went camping. Let’s just say, I had never been camping before…ever (if you don’t count the fact that I live essentially outdoors in a cabin for three months every summer). Deprived childhood…I know, I’ve already talked to my parents about it, and they apologized! This was full out cook food on a fire, sleep in a sleeping bag kind of camping. Not to mention, the main part of our adventure included a 22 mile canoe trip (never done this either…How I was athletic director at camp this summer, I’m not sure). Well, within two miles of our trip…you guessed it…Laine (great new friend of mine from the ‘Tute) and I are headed straight for a stump in the middle of a rapid. We hit it, the canoe is perpendicular in the river, I attempt to steady it, but there is no hope. We flipped the canoe! I was sucked underwater and washed down river. I finally got my feet under me and our paddles, dry bags, really everything is floating past me. I wade through the river, grab our stuff, look back and thankfully Laine has the canoe (mind you, she is only wet waist down because she somehow made it out of the canoe safely). We finally get resituated and head down the river again, but at this point we are freezing (It’s already in the 40’s here at times). Long story short, we survived and got warmed up at the camp site, but we were one of only two canoes on the entire trip to flip. Miserable body temperature the rest of the way, but it was hands down worth every minute of it. It was hysterical, and made the trip that much more memorable. Missouri countryside is gorgeous, the next day was perfect weather and we didn’t flip our canoe day two. It was a weekend of firsts for me, and I loved them all. I’m not saying that I’m becoming some outdoors girl, but I would definitely do it again, and I want to go camping with my family when I have one.

2) Sunday brunch at Starvin’ Marvin’s (Starvin’ like Marvin, girl….line from some old school rap song)All-You-Can-Eat Breakfast Buffet with Brooke and Caroline (two of my funniest friends from the ‘Tute). Driving down the Strip of Shady B, see a billboard saying it’s only $4.99, and immediately whipped into the parking lot. Surprisingly great food. Even better company. Definitely visiting again.

3) Every student gives two talks throughout the year here in order to prepare us to speak in a large group setting. Never fear: reverse ABC order=my talk was the first week (actually thankful it’s out of the way)! In honor of the Greatest Homecoming Celebration in the nation, OSU, I related studying the Bible to pomping. Who would have ever thought those countless hours would have come into use later on in life?!

4) For those of you who know me, I have a tendency to be pretty honest in the majority of life situations. It’s official: I’ve been labeled brutally honest!! Firmly believe it’s one of the biggest blessings and biggest curses in my life…I’ll keep you posted on which one wins out.

5) Pyrotechnics convention invaded Shady B, which resulted in me witnessing the biggest and best fireworks show of my life. People of this world: thank you for having strange hobbies that allow me to enjoy myself…especially free!!!

Ok, a bit more serious happenings in my life:

1) Made an A on my first JBU assignment. I don’t say this to brag. I say this to say, if I can make an A in a master’s level class, then anyone who wants to go to grad school can! Be encouraged!

2) Favorite part of the Institute so far: Bible overview. Newsflash….the Bible is one book made up of 66 individual books…but guess what? They all fit together. There’s logic to the order. Nobody tells you these things growing up. Better newsflash: it’s not rocket science to understand at all. I already understand things in the Bible that I didn’t before simply because I can now grasp the big picture of the Bible in its’ entirety. Interested in gaining this knowledge? Read Max Ander’s 30 Days to Understanding the Bible and Mitch Mahor’s Clarifying the Bible.

3) I have been here for one month…I have learned more this month than most likely my entire life combined. This excites me, but the fact that I grew up in church and didn’t learn much at all both upsets me and breaks my heart. Lord, let me be a woman who knows Truth and teaches it to others. Let our churches be places that teach Truth and lead their congregations well. Please don’t let us continue to drop the ball. We must know what we believe to really believe it. Seek out Truth because it’s probably not going to be handed to you.

4) On Sunday, I attended the most uncomfortable, doctrinally unsound church I’ve ever attended. I was warned that it was going to be before I went, but I wanted to be able to discern for myself what this looks like in order to be aware of it when I am living on my own next year looking for a church. I don’t exactly know what the prosperity gospel is, but that is what I would have equated this church to. It was all based on works, giving and essentially making ourselves our own god. Jesus was mentioned but the need of a Savior was not; Scripture was used but it was out of context; it was “church,” but these people were being led astray and wholeheartedly buying into it. My heart was broken for these people. This idea of needing to know Truth and apply it to our lives is once again a theme in my life. I want and need Truth for a variety of reasons, but one of them is to discern whether or not what I am being taught is true. Is the church that you are attending teaching Truth? It’s scary to think how easily one can get sucked into lies and false teaching without knowing Truth.

5) We had to write our vision statements for our lives this week. Considering I don’t have a clue what I want to do after the Institute, this was a difficult task. I have been wrestling through it for a week and still don’t have my final product, but I’ve decided that my vision shouldn’t be determined by my career. What I do with my life doesn’t define who I am…Hopefully who I am will change the way I do life. I simply want to be a legit disciple of Christ and know and live out the Word of God. I then want to teach others the Word (specifically college-aged women). I can do this on a daily basis, with or without the perfect career. So, Mom and Dad, I know you’re wondering if I’m ever going to get a job…I will eventually! But, my vision for the way I will live my life will not have to do with the career that I end up doing.

That was a ton of information summed up very briefly, but, to an extent, this is where I am. I am having the time of my life, but I am also being challenged daily. My hope is that maybe one of you will be challenged by something that I am challenged with. Looking forward to what lies ahead for sure. This week is marriage and family week…who knows what I’ll take away from this. Oh and if you care, I’ve finally decided that I’m coming to walkarounds for Homecoming on Friday, and I’m bringing some of my Institute friends!!! After doing my talk on OSU Homecoming, I decided I couldn’t miss my first Homecoming as an alum. Can’t wait to see any of you that will be there!