Just a Fun Update.

Basically, this weekend was most definitely awesome! Steve surprised me with a trip to the coast and it was tons of fun! We stayed in Morro Bay for two nights and basically just chilled on the beach in Pismo. With everything that has been going on in Fresno it was a really nice break for the two of us. The weekend was filled with great food, tanning, freezing col ocean water, and so much more! We went to Shoreline Calvary Chapel this morning for the 11:15am service. Yeah, that was definitely a great sermon. The pastor was crazy energetic which really brought the sermon alive. I definitely will be going to to Shoreline the next time I'm on the coast. So, yeah, that was our weekend.

Just a small Disclaimer I guess you can say:

This blog is a personal account of my life and my personal growth. As you can tell, I am not perfect and no one is. I have made a lot of bad choices in my past but all of that doesn't matter now. The amazing thing about God is that he sent his son down to Earth to die on the cross; to die for OUR sins so that we may be forgiven. I am human, and with that comes flaws and mistakes that, hopefully, you learn from. This site is not meant for offense but if i do offend someone, oh well. Not everyone is comfortable writing about their struggles and their personal testimonies. To everyone out there who feels the need to write hateful comments, why do read my blog? If you don't like me and you are just here to judge me you are wasting your time. In the end, my Maker is the only judge of my life and I will continue to live my life for Him, not for you. I'll be praying for all of you, I'm sorry if that offends you.

An Amazing Story...

It's not always what it seems.

Last night Steve and i started to watch the movie Beta House, which is one from the American Pie series. Essentially, the movie is about college and about Greek life (sororities and fraternities). Well, we only made it through about half of this movie because, frankly, it disgusted me but it really made me think. Obviously, this movie was a horrible portrayal of college life. I think a lot of people come into college with the mindset of its just all about the party; drinking, smoking, sex, etc. In reality, if you're there for just that you're probably not going to make it past your first semester. Yeah, partying is usually a part of your college "experience" but that isn't the focus. College, as my AgEcon professor states, "...Should be about growth. If you aren't here to change and grow, you're just wasting your time and money." It relates to your life in general actually. Life is about change, about experiencing things and growing as a person. This means you're going to be tested, and tested often. I know I have already been tested quite a bit this semester. I must admit, I don't think I've really passed everything with flying colors. Just this weekend, one of Steve's roomies was being a royal jerk and said a whole load of stuff that was past inappropriate. He really crossed the line with me and i must say I haven't been that angry in a while. So, that night, i went to bed angry. I woke up angry, and have been pretty much holding a grudge since. I know that isn't what God wants me to do. Instead I should be praying for this man. I may not like him and I definitely don't agree with him but I know that I am suppose to love him regardless because we are all God's children. Also, I know this is a test for my relationship with Steve. Not everyone is going to accept us because I know some of his friends just plain don't like me. That's fine, but we can't let that affect our relationship. Steve and I are stronger than we've ever been and I plan to keep it that way, regardless of outside influences. I know God has a lot in store for us so instead of letting trash talkers get to me, to us, we need to pray and continually forgive. Life, relationships, experiences, aren't always what you think they're going to be. God has a plan and usually it's something very different from what you had in mind. When God moves, you move. I surrender everything to Him knowing that in the end, God is in control and will continue to bless me and my relationship.

New Semester, New Struggles...

Well, the title is pretty self explanatory. It's a brand new semester accompanied by some brand new struggles. First off, putting my faith first isn't going to be the easiest thing for me. Believe it or not, i can actually be a fairly shy person and i really don't like to offend anyone. Standing up for my faith means that, most likely, I'm going to offend someone somewhere down the line. That is why I am becoming a part of InterVarsity. I think this campus ministry will really help me grow in my faith and be able to stand up for God in every circumstance. Our topic this semester will be "Get Real, Not Religious". Great topic for what's going on in my life right now! Basically, get real not religious means being real with yourself and your faith. Sometimes we get stuck into religious stereotypes and we feel that we must change to fit that perfect Christianity mold. That's not really true. God created us, flaws and all, for a reason. We have unique personalities and experiences that should help us further spread the word of our Heavenly Father. Getting real means getting out there, standing up for your faith whether it be in a casual conversation with a friend or a discussion in class with a professor. Don't shut up just because you're afraid that people will think you're a freak for having faith in God. This will really test me this semester. I have a strong faith in God, i trust Him and i put my life in Him but i am ashamed to say that i don't always stand up for him. I don't openly pray for m y food in the cafeteria because i am afraid of the way people may perceive me. I don't openly pray at night because i am afraid that my roommate or someone else may become offended. I don't stand up for God in social situations, and that really bugs me. For instance, i was watching TV with Audra before winter break and a commercial came on about the true meaning of the season. Basically the commercial was about Jesus' birth and how he is our savior. After the commercial Audra was kind of disgusted and said something along the lines of, "I hate that commercial. You're not religious or anything are you?" Instead of saying, "That commercial shows us how we should celebrate the holidays and i am a firm believer in Christ" i simply said, "No". So that is just one of my struggles this semester: Not being afraid to speak up for my God and show that He is among us and He is an Almighty God and i have complete faith in him.

Getting Back Into The Swing Of Things...

So, it is now the second week of school and everyone is settling into their usual routines. This semester will be really challenging for me. I have six classes, five of which require mandatory attendance. Not extremely happy about that but at the same time it will keep me motivated to go to class. Because of this, i am hoping to pull off a 3.5 this semester. Sounds doable, i just need to keep on motivating myself. Along with school, I am dedicating more time to Justa. At the very least, i will be with her Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings. I kind of neglected her a bit last semester so i want to make sure that she stays fit and healthy this semester. Also, I am going to start going to InterVarsity's "Encounter" (a large group bible study held every tuesday @ 7). I really need to keep my faith strong, i don't want to become wishy washy again, so doing a weekly (at least weekly, maybe I'll do a small group as well) bible study should help me to grow in my faith and keep my faith strong. Okay, the scheduling doesn't stop there, i also want to keep fit so i am dedicating more time to rock climbing. I am hoping to do this three to four times a week. So, my days are gonna be pretty full. Not to mention all the studying in between, can ya tell I'm oh so excited about that? So, i definitely will not be working this semester, i don't think i can fit that in, lol. I like this schedule this semester though. It'll keep me busy, more productive, and overall it should keep me on track and make me more responsible. I'm actually pretty excited for this semester. I know God has a lot in store for me and I can't wait to see how He molds me. So, that's my update for now. Just getting into the swing of things.

Blessings from God

Wow, there is so much to write about!!!!
So, first off, I went to SLO (San Luis Obispo) for the weekend. We spent 2 nights there and it was just amazing! A great time full of old friends, waves, sand, bonfires, and great new friends! It was truly a great trip, I don't think we could have had a better time. God truly blessed us.
So, from there, school started on yesterday. i got back Monday and i was so excited to see everyone! I successfully moved back into the dorms and I am enjoying spending time with all the people that I missed so much. School has been good so far. Almost all of my classes have mandatory attendance so i will definitely be going to class this semester! That's a good thing though because it will keep me focused and hopefully i can pull off a 3.5 this semester!
Another great update is how God continues to bless me and fill me with his spirit. He has been so good to me. I'm not saying that everything is perfect, because it never can be, but God has filled me with so much peace and love it's just so amazing! He truly is an Almighty God!
One great blessing that God has given me is Steve. I missed him incredibly over break and I am so excited to be back and spending time with him. We have both grown and I beleive it has made us that much stronger. Right now, we are taking things slow and are just friends and I am absolutely loving that. I really beleive God placed Steve in my life and not temporarily. I'm so excited that this time around God can be the center of Steve and I's relationship.It just makes me so excited and so happy! Nothing is more important to me than God,and I am so happy that I can grow sprititually with someone and put God first. This is a new feeling and it is amazing!