Stressed....

It has finally set in that I leave for Ethiopia in 3 days. THREE DAYS!! Can you say stressed? I think my brain has been on overdrive all day. I thought shopping this morning for my final supplies would relieve some of the stress, but it did not. I bought WAY more than I should have (because I was stressing over tiny things), which in turn made me very uneasy about how much money I'd spent. So the solution? I've spent the past 2 hours deciding which items were truly necessary and which were not (not an easy job when you're leaving the country and don't know what to expect). Needless to say, I've got 3 of the 5 bags I bought are going back to Wal-Mart tomorrow (Sorry Wal-Mart - blame it on my stress!).

I also realized, among my random thoughts today, that I did not bring home any dresses that are appropriate for Ethiopia's dress code. Here in the states my dresses are considered very modest. In Ethiopia however, everything between my neck and knees has to be covered. All of my dresses show either part of my chest or hit right above the knee. Yeah crap....I'm going to have to go get a dress tomorrow. I also don't have any dress shoes without heels - that may be a problem. So dress and shoes tomorrow? Guess so.

I would also really love to begin packing, I think that's the biggest thing stressing me out right now. However, that requires having all my laundry done (which it's not), and having all of my supplies organized and ready to pack (Ha!). Yeah I don't think that's going to happen tonight. Maybe tomorrow? Probably not.

Oh my. . .I've got so much to do. I'll share my list with you just because it will make me feel better to have it all written out. I love a good list. So here goes:

Tomorrow's To Do List:

• Laundry
• Return stuff to Wal-Mart
• Return stuff to Bed Bath and Beyond
• Put Christmas pictures onto a CD
• Clear camera memory card
• Find an appropriate dress
• Find comfortable dress shoes (do those exist?)
• Call in my prescription
• Start packing
• Team conference call at 4

I also have to find time to sleep and eat sometime between now and all of that stuff. Wish me luck!

On a more serious note:

Please pray for our team. Pray for our safety during travel and while we are there, timely travel, and that our luggage will arrive on time. Please pray that the Lord will continue to prepare us mentally, physically, and spiritually for this trip, as well as prepare the hearts of those we are going to reach. Pray that the Lord will use this trip in bigger ways than any of us could see possible. Pray that He will bless our time in Ethiopia. Pray that the Lord will give us the words we need during our trip. Please pray. We need your support in order for our trip to be a success.

Thank you to all of you who have supported me on this trip financially and through prayer. You have made this trip possible and I am so very grateful! Thank you all!

---If you would like to join our team as a prayer partner, please leave me a comment and let me know. It's great to know the support we have behind our trip. I can send you a list of things to pray about and a prayer schedule of when to do so. Thank you all SO much!

Now it's off to bed for me. I need to get some sleep before I tackle tomorrow's list! Goodnight :)

Merry Christmas!

It's Christmas Eve so let our celebrations begin!!!! Our family is off to celebrate with my mom's side of the family this afternoon and then to Grey Stone for the Christmas Eve Service tonight (my favorite service all year!!!). We'll do Christmas together here in the morning (our last Christmas morning with Erin. . .thats weird!) and then we'll head up to Grandma's to celebrate with my dad's family. Oh how I love Christmas and all it stands for! Let the celebrations begin!

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM OUR FAMILY TO YOURS!

Wow a Whole Year!

Wow. That's what keeps going through my mind when I think about this day. A year ago today, December 20th, I got a text from my ex telling me things were over. As you know from past posts, that was a VERY difficult time for me. So many questions, worries, fears, doubts, and thoughts went through my head those first couple of months. If you would have told me I'd be sitting here today happy as can be, I would have NEVER believed you. Honestly, a year ago, I thought my life had ended. Everything I knew and was comfortable with was ripped away leaving me bare and vulnerable. Let me tell you, God sure does know what He's doing! It could not have happened at a better time or in a better way. I needed that sudden jolt of things turning upside down to wake me up from the disastrous fantasy world I had been living in. I needed to be stripped bare of my comforts in order to recognize how far I had gotten from the woman God wanted me to be and the woman I wanted to be. WOW! I am so proud of how far I've come over the last year. I'm finally becoming the woman God wants me to be, I have friends in my life again, and I've gotten so much closer with my family throug this. I'm so glad I didn't give up and trusted God throughout this situation. It's not been easy but I did it!!!!! WOW! I DID IT!!! :-D

So what have I learned through this experience you may wonder? Well...

1. Never, ever, EVER settle. I settled in SO many ways. I convinced myself that the qualities I thought were important were not so important anymore. I let myself believe that was the best I could do. I let myself believe that he was the best I deserved. I was wrong. So many people make this mistake; it's one of those you have to make in order to completely understand. But it was just that, a mistake. The qualities I dream of are there for a reason. They are to protect and guide me in my path to finding the right man. I will never make that mistake again. Life is too short to settle.
2. Never stop listening to God. As much as I hate to admit it, I ignored God multiple times. I knew He was telling me to run and run as fast as I could. I knew He was telling me that my ex was not the one and that it was not a good relationship. I knew. I just chose not to listen. I wish I would have. I know now, that if God's speaking to you, it's for a reason so LISTEN!
3. Don't expect people to change. Yeah yeah I know, people never change. In my mind however, I believed he could and that he should. Crazy I know. People don't change, they are who they are and I should not ever asked anyone to change. I know my actions and thoughts were wrong here. I won't make that mistake again.
4. Healthy relationships require open and equal communication. Communication is SOOO important and I realize that even more now. It was definitely a quality we both lacked in different ways. I've learned to be more open and willing to listen and i've also learned that I need a guy who will do the same. A relationship without communication is dead.
5. Be an individual. One of the biggest mistakes I made was distancing myself from my friends. This is probably the biggest thing I regret. I missed out and hurt so many friendships along the way and am saddened to see what all I lost. An individual life outside of a relationship is just as important if not more important than the relationship itself. I understand now that it is SO important to take time with friends, enjoy weekend getaways with the girls, and have that time to share and listen with each other. You have to have friends and keep those connections strong in order to have a healthy relationship with anyone else. I'm so happy now that I make time for those things. There is truly nothing better than enjoying time with my friends. I'm so thankful for the girls God has put in my life and I'm so grateful to call them my friends.
6. Respect. Respect is so important in a relationship. I've learned, in a relationship respect means respecting not just them but also, their time, interests, friends, family, and opinions. This had definitely been lacking.
7. Lean on God, always. During my past relationship, I stopped leaning on God. I stopped doing my devotions and I stopped praying. I got it in my mind that I had things under control and thought I understood everything. Boy was I wrong! There is nothing worse or scarier than being distant from God. You stop feeling his peace and love when you don't lean on Him. Being dependent upon God is where I find true comfort and happiness. I love being in the middle of His will for my life now.

Thank you Lord for your grace, guidance, and comfort through this journey. Thank you for showing me things I once refused to see. Thank you for watching over me and showing me what is best for my life. Thank you for this day and all you have taught me through this year. Thank you Lord, for getting me to this point. I am so happy with where you have me in life right now and I am so excited to see what's next!

And to all of you who have supported me along this journey:

Thank you so much for your love and support. Thank you for your prayers and encouraging words. It means so much more to me then you will ever know. I love you and am thankful for you all!

Bring on next year!!!!!!!

Ethiopia

I am SOOOOOOO excited to go to Ethiopia. 17 days and counting!

Random Thoughts

WARNING: This posts consists of random thoughts, rambling, and venting. You've been warned...

It's finals time and the stress is in full force. This semester has been really easy up until now. I still don't understand why teachers wait until the last minute to throw in every project possible. My English teacher assigned us an 8 page paper, 2 take home essays, and 2 other essays to write on the final- is that necessary? I think not. But on a positive note, I finished all 5 essays and my English final and am proud to say that I will never have to take another English class in my life! HALLELUJAH!!!

On another note, Christmas break is just around the corner. Where has this year gone??? Almost a year ago I was a mess over my break up and now I'm happier than I've ever been (more to come on that later). Crazy how time flies! I'm so thankful for all I've experienced this year and I can't wait for Christmas- it's my favorite holiday! Plus I get to enjoy a whole month at home. Oh how I love being home!

Also, it hit me today- I'm going to Ethiopia in a few days!!! Ethiopia! What?? I've been preparing and raising money but up till now, the reality of this trip has not set in. In 21 days I will be boarding a plane to Ethiopia with Chris, Jamison, and Trey. Have I lost my mind? This is going to be the most interesting mission trip ever. I plan on taking a pen and paper everywhere with me to write down all the ridiculous things that happen- should make for some fun blog posts! I just can't believe I'm going to Ethiopia! So much to do before our trip!

And can I please point out that half of my Junior year is over! College is going by too fast! I'm not ready to live in the real world yet. I enjoy our piece of heaven here at HPU. I mean who wouldn't love being able to walk down stairs to a movie theater and arcade, or down the hall to a sports bar and bakery, and just upstairs to a 5-star steakhouse! I mean come on, this should be real life!

3 more exams stand between me and home! Oh how I miss home!

Ok I think that's all for now.

Not me Monday (on Wednesday)

I did not go shopping instead of working on my paper yesterday. I am always studious and never procrastinate. Therefore I am not writing this post instead of working on my paper.

I did not eat in my room last night because it was too cold to walk to the Cafe. I would never be that lazy.

I did not go to Food Lion tonight with my roommate just to find out why there were 4 fire trucks, and ambulance, and 2 police cars outside. And there is no way we would pretend to have money and come up with an excuse to go inside. We'd never be that pathetic or nosey.

I did not wear jeans and a t-shirt to class today so I could sleep in an extra 10 minutes. And I was definitely not late because I slept in. I always get up early enough to make myself look presentable and still get to class on time. I'm never late.

Nope. Not me.

Christmas Re-Decoration

I read the blog of a woman that used to go to our church, and it completely changed my view of Christmas. She pointed out facts that all of us know, I had just never put them together properly. You can read her blog post here.

Here is what I already knew:

1. In the US everyone celebrates their loved ones' birthdays like a national holiday.

2. When it is someone's birthday we give them gifts.

3. Christmas is Jesus' birthday.

4. On Christmas we give each other gifts.

Stop right there......Do you see where we've all been getting it wrong???? We give each other gifts on Jesus' birthday instead of giving Him gifts. Why do we treat His birthday differently than everyone else's??? According to our other customs, the person receiving the gifts should be the one who's birthday it is. I don't know why I never realized or thought of this before. It makes so much sense. I guess I just got so used to how people think this birthday should be celebrated that I never questioned it. Of all the birthdays in the world, Jesus' is by far the most important. He came to this earth to save us all from our sins and died on a cross so that we could have eternal life. So why are we taking one of the most incredible days of the year to celebrate ourselves??

Now don't get me wrong, I have been guilty every year of giving gifts to everyone but Jesus. And honestly, I don't think there is anything wrong with giving gifts to your loved ones. But after reading this, I do believe that our biggest gifts and the ones we spend the most time focusing on, should be the gifts we give to Jesus. We should give more gifts to the Birthday boy, than the attendants at his party.

So how do we give presents to Jesus, a man who doesn't walk this earth anymore you may ask? Well simple, it is spelled out in His word:

³⁴ “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. ³⁵ For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, ³⁶ I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

³⁷ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? ³⁸ When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? ³⁹ When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

⁴⁰ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

-Matthew 25:34-40

God tells us, that the small things we do for the least of us, we also do for Him. So this Christmas, I have challenged myself, and I also challenge you to celebrate Jesus' birthday properly this year. Give to those less fortunate, and in turn you also give to Jesus- the birthday boy!

Need some ideas of what to give? Well check out these organizations: Samaritan's Purse,Partners International Harvest of Hope, World Vision, Gospel for Asia. They each have an online or mailable brochure where you can look through and buy all sorts of things to help people all over the world. A few of the things that stuck out to me were:

-For $9 you can feed a hungry baby for a week

-For $75 you can rescue a child from exploitation

-For $15 you can teach a child to read and write

-For $45 you can provide fruit tree seeds to a family providing them with food and an income

-For $85 you can provide clean water for a family

-For $7 you can provide a hot meal

Also, consider gathering your family and volunteering at a local shelter or organization near your home. Adopt a family and help them have an amazing Christmas, provide clothes or food to your local shelters. There are SO many ways you can help, and these ideas are a good place to start. There are gifts ranging in price from $4-$1000 dollars. Consider celebrating this holiday, i'm sorry BIRTHDAY, correctly this year. I know I will be! Happy Birthday Jesus!

Blogging Block

I have had a mental blog block for a few weeks now. I've been very uninspired to write and i'm kind of out of ideas about what to write about. Sooo to solve this problem- leave me a comment and let me know what you enjoy reading about the most, if there's anything you'd like me to write about, or any blog post ideas.

thanks! :) i'm in serious need of inspiration right now!

12 Signs that I'm getting old...

1. I find myself thinking "when did they get so big, I still remember when they were babies"

2. It seems completely wrong that my cousins are teenagers, getting mustaches, and becoming young adults.

3. I can no longer ride all the fast spinning rides at the fair without regretting it.

4. I'm graduating college in a year and a half!

5. I turn 21 in less than 6 months!

6. I can no longer make a spur of the moment purchases. I have to carefully plan out and really decide if what i'm buying is a necessity.

7. I buy my own groceries, clean my own bathroom, and do my own laundry.

8. I've realized that real life can and will hurt, but it does get better.

9. I find myself thinking "I hope I didn't do that when I was their age"

10. My relationship with my mom and sister has gone to a whole new level, to that special relationship it should be.

11. I choose comfort over style more each day.

12. I've realized i'm growing up and as scary as it is, I'm really excited to continue the journey!

Want to make a donation?

If you would like to make a donation to support my trip to Ethiopia you can do so through this ChipIn meter. It is safe, secure, and all funds will go to directly to me through my paypal account. Thanks for your support!!! :)

Change This World: Ethiopia

As many of you may know, I worked at my church's kids camp this summer. All summer we asked the kids to bring in spare change to help provide meals to children in Ethiopia. We showed them pictures and videos, and explained the starvation issue taking place in Ethiopia. We explained to our kids that the children there, unlike them, did not get three meals a day that the children in Ethiopia are lucky if they receive just one meal. We also told them that they could help solve this problem, because it only cost 25 cents to package and send a meal to Ethiopia. The kids at our camp got very excited at the opportunity to help change lives, and all summer they brought in all their spare change so that they could make a difference. By the end of the summer our kids had raised enough money to send over 5,000 meals to Ethiopia. That in and of itself was incredible, but then our church paired with other churches in the area teamed up with Change This World to send a total of 250,000 meals to Ethiopia. We held a packaging event at Grey Stone one Sunday where we got to package over 70,000 of those meals ourselves. Well now, it is time to send those meals and I am SOOO excited because I have been blessed with the opportunity to help deliver those meals. On January 2nd, I will join Chris Leader (Our kids camp director), Jamison Berthold (our 3rd & 4th grade kids camp counselor), Trey Fletcher (our 5th & 6th grade kids camp counselor), and some of the team members from Change this World to Ethiopia where we will be delivering those 250,000 meals to some of the local villages. But, we need your support, both through prayer and financial support. To learn more, about what we will be doing and how to aid our mission read this letter that I sent out:


Hello everyone,

I am so excited to inform you that God has blessed me with another incredible opportunity to serve through missions this year in Ethiopia. Through the support from many of you last year, I was able to travel to Haiti and work in some of the local schools and orphanages. God placed a true passion for missions on my heart that week and I believe this trip to Ethiopia is the next step in God’s plan for my life.

I will travel with a small team from Change This World January 2nd -12th (dates are tentative) to Ethiopia, where we will be delivering over 200,000 meals to some of the local churches and villages. I was able to help package over 70,000 of those meals at Grey Stone Baptist Church this summer, and will now get the incredible opportunity to see those meals delivered. Our team will also work with a local Ethiopian pastor in the area to help plant new churches in some of the villages that have not yet been reached with the Gospel. Our goal is to bring more people into the local churches so that they will get the opportunity to hear the Word of God. We will also help end the hunger problems by providing enough meals to feed approximately 15 villages for an entire year. This trip will truly be life-changing for the people of Ethiopia and for our team.

Recent statistics show that 8 million people die each year from a lack of food and nutrition. That means that 16,000 people today, or one person every 3 seconds, will die because they are not receiving adequate nutrition. So what can you do to help? Well, there are two ways you can help our team end this problem. First and most importantly, we need your prayers. We ask that you pray for the people of Ethiopia. Pray that the Lord will begin to work in their lives and open their minds to the message we will be bringing. We also ask that you pray for our team. Pray that the Lord will prepare our hearts and minds; pray for our safety; and, pray that the Lord will bless our time in Ethiopia. Ephesians 6:18-20 says, “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given to me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. And pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.”

The second way you can help is through financial support. The cost of our trip is $2,700 per person. As a student, I cannot come up with this money on my own. However, I can, and am trusting the Lord to provide the financial contributions that will allow me to take part in this mission trip. I ask that you would prayerfully consider supporting our mission through financial support. Any extra money I receive will go to Change This World to package meals for other countries. If you would like to make a donation, please make a check out to Innovative Mission Opportunities and return it in the enclosed envelope. All checks made out to Innovative Mission opportunites are tax deductible.

If you are unable to contribute financially, I ask that you please continue to pray for our team. It is the support from people like you that make mission trips possible, and allow the great news of Jesus Christ to be spread all over the world. Thank you again, and God Bless!
Love in Christ,
Allyson Hemric

Here is also a link to the news clip taken of our kids raising money:

----> One correction to the news clip, the website is actually www.hope4ethiopia.net

To learn more about Change This World visit their website

If you would like to make a donation please send it to 1219 Infinity Rd Durham, NC 27712

How I Did It: Part 4

The third and most important/successful way I got through everything was by digging into the Bible. When I was at my lowest points where hope seemed unattainable, I would dig into God's Word. Each and every time, God would reveal his love, compassion, support, and comfort to me. I also found a lot of love and support at church. The church is where I had people who loved me unconditionally, that would pray for me, and help guide me through the hard times. I also found that taking the time to worship God and thank him for getting me through each day, drew me closer to Him which made everything a little bit easier. The pain didn't go away for good, but I can honestly say that in those moments where I just sat and focused on God and my relationship with Him was where I found the most happiness. Happiness more incredible than anything I've ever experienced. God truly poured his love and mercy over me during those times. So my advice for you, during those times where the pain seems endless, is to draw close to God. Lean on Him, talk to Him, trust Him, and find your strength in Him. He promises to take care of the brokenhearted and I'm living proof of that.

Here are some of the bible verses that helped me during my hard times. I wrote these out and put them on my mirror, in my car, on my dresser, on my notebooks, above my bed, and on my desk. That way, no matter where I was, I had a constant reminder of God's unfailing love for me. I hope they will give you some encouragement too :)

"And the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast." - 1 Peter 5:10

"Those who know Your name will trust in You, for you Lord have never forsaken those who seek You." -Psalm 9:10

"The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." -Psalm 34:18

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose." -Romans 8:28

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails." -1 Corinthians 13:4-8

"Evening, morning, and noon I cry out in distress, and He hears my voice." -Psalm 55:17

"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." -Isaiah 41:10

Some other verses that helped me out are: Hebrews 13:5, Psalm 147:3, James 1:19-20, Psalm 145:14, Ecclesiastes 3:1,4, Matthew 7:7, Psalm 37:8, Psalm 138:3, Psalm 94:19, Isaiah 66:12-13, James: 1:3, 2 Timothy 2:10

Trust God- He knows what's best for you and will get you through anything that comes your way!

Thursday Thoughts

Figuring out God's plan for my life has been weighing heavily on my heart and mind lately. I'm at the point of my life where every wants me to figure out what I want to do for the rest of my life. What I want to be, what I want my career to be, what my next step will be, etc. And although I decided freshman year that I wanted to make Interior Design my career path, I cannot shake the feeling that I'm supposed to be doing more with my life.

I often find myself thinking about where I want my interior design career to go. A few months ago I heard of a woman who makes over homeless shelters, and I find myself quite often wanting to explore that pathway. I'd love to find someway to use my talent in Interior Design to bring glory to God. I don't want to just be an ordinary woman in an ordinary career just going through life with out thinking. I feel like, no I know, I'm supposed to do more in life. Missions work in interior design- I figure its not common but possible.

Also ever since I left Haiti a year ago, there has not been a single day that I have not longed to be back there. I'm beginning to believe that God may be calling me to missions in Haiti. I desperately want to go back and spend time with Dorothy, one of the missionaries we worked with in Haiti. I fell in love with the work she's doing and I fell in love with the kids she's helping. I'm actually hoping to go back next summer and spend a week or two with her.

I honestly don't know what God's plans are exactly for my life. I'm beginning to see the possibilities slowly unfold, and I'm excited to see what he has in store for me. Please pray for me as I go along this journey. Pray that I will be receptive to God's plans for my life, that I will be faithfully willing to go where ever He leads me, and that I will be patient and faithful as I wait on His timing.

Contentment

Contentment is one of those qualities I struggle to achieve. The world tells us we need and should strive for more everyday. God simply asks us to be content with where we are and what we have, and in that moment is where we will find His blessings. I was reading one of my favorite devotion sites, Proverbs31.org, and in their devotion they described contentment perfectly. "When I stop striving to create a life for myself, I find the life God created for me." This truth is so simple, basic, and even a bit obvious, but I forget it so easily. Thank you Lord for this reminder today.

"You're blessed when you're content with just who you are—no more, no less. That's the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can't be bought." Matthew 5:5 (MSG)

Haiti Rewind: Day Two

On our first official day in Haiti we were awakened at 2am by our lovely friends the Roosters. They obviously were not on the same time clock as us. Around 6:30am we got up, did our quiet times, and went down stairs for breakfast. They had fresh fruit and toast for breakfast and it was so delicious. I had been worried about the food, because when I went to Ecuador years ago the food was definitely a challenge. But they served delicious food all week. After breakfast we loaded up in the tap-tap and headed over to Sherri's.

Sherri runs a school/orphanage from her home, where hundreds of kids are given the opportunity to receive a quality education. She is an incredibly sweet and passionate woman and has done so many wonderful things for the people and children in Haiti.

When we got to her house we were greeted by a group of kids and dogs who were so excited to see us, and acted like they had known us their entire lives. Around 9am we headed over to this little 2nd floor church. Everyone was in their very best clothing, kids dressed in their best dresses, and so passionate about hearing the Word of God. They had one wire that could either power the light or the microphone but made it work. The whole service was in Creole but I have never heard such joyful singing to the Lord before. There were probably 50 of them in the room and they sang louder then any performance i've ever heard. It would give me chills listening to them praise God. At the end of the service our team lined up at the front of the church and we sang Amazing Grace in english, while they sang it in Creole. Absolutely the most beautiful version of Amazing Grace i've ever heard. After church, we went back to Sherri's, had lunch, and then packed up to walk the revine.

Our journey through the revine was indescribable. The poverty was overwhelming, like nothing I had ever seen before. There were houses upon houses, small dirty roads, trash filled river, and people everywhere. It made me very aware of just how spoiled americans are and how much we take for grantid. These people live in a one room concrete brick home with 10-15 people per home, and a tin roof. And here we are in america with mansions, multiple cars, money in our wallets, good health, and we go about each day with out thinking twice. In most cases we find ourselves thinking we need more. I remember feeling so incredibly guilty for my unthankful attitude back home. After we crossed the ravine- this trash filled river that they use as their drinking, cleaning, and bathing water- groups of parents and children would come rushing up to Sherri. They did this because Sherri has set up a program in the ravine that keeps all the children there from becoming sick or malnourished. So parents would bring their kids to her to get medicine, food and clothing for newborns, etc. They are all so grateful for Sherri and I felt blessed to have the opportunity to be able to help a small bit in her mission.

After we walked the ravine, we headed back to our guest house for dinner. They served spaghetti which was delicious and then we had our group devotion time. I remember being completely exhausted during that devotion time. The sinus infection I was battling combined with the heat and the day's activities had warn me out. I tried my best to stay awake but it was difficult. After devotion we separated out all of the supplies we had brought and then they told me I should go to bed. So I gladly left, took a shower, and headed to bed.

It was an incredible day- and just the beginning of me falling in love with Haiti!

(The pictures posted in the opposite order of how they happened. Start from the bottom to get proper order)

Haiti Rewind: Day One

Day one of our Haiti trip started off pretty rough. The night before we were to head to the airport, I started feeling really bad and realized I had gotten a sinus infection. I asked dad to take me to urgent care (which he was not at all happy about), but luckily he had an extra z-pack I was able to take. So the next morning we packed the car and headed off to the airport. Our first flight, from Raleigh to Miami went very smooth. I was worried that the pressure in the cabin would make me miserable because I was so stuffed up, but it wasn't a problem at all on our first flight. The flight from Miami to Haiti however, was a completely different story. Once we reached altitude I had the most excruciating pain in my ears from the pressure. It was so bad that I started feeling sick from the pain. By the time we landed I was about ready to rip my ears off. The worst part was that I couldn't get my ears to unclog, so for the first few days in Haiti, it felt and sounded like I was under water -- MISERABLE! I decided right then, I will never get on a plane sick again.

The flight from Miami to Haiti also had some other troubles. Before we loaded, they switched us between 3 different gates and we weren't able to load until 3pm. Once everyone had boarded the plane we thought we we're good to go. Wrong- they made us all get off the plane because a lady with 5 kids, lost one of her child's passports. We ended up sitting in the airport for another 3 hours. Jim, Jeremiah's dad, thought they would cancel the flight because air crews don't like being in Port Au Prince that late at night. Luckily we re-boarded the plane around 6 and were finally on our way to Haiti. I remember looking around at all the Haitians on the plane, and it really began to set in where we were going, and who we would be helping. When we got to Haiti, we made it through customs pretty easy, and all but one of our bags made it. (We think we forgot to check that bag when we were in Raleigh)

Our next hurdle was to make it out of the airport. Jim had told us that when we left the airport in Haiti, to expect a ton of men wanting to push our carts for us. He told us to tell them no, because to them if they just lay a hand on your stuff then you owe them money for "helping," and boy was he right. There were tons of people wanting to help, and no matter how many times we said no, they wouldn't give up. We eventually just let them so we could get to our tap-tap (Haitian transportation) quicker.

Our ride to the guesthouse was pretty quiet from what I remember, but that could be because I couldn't hear much anyways. I just took everything in and began praying for our week and all the people we would be reaching. The guest house was SO much nicer than I had expected, and to my surprise I felt completely safe. They served us beef stew for dinner, we all showered, and headed to bed with ear plugs in hand ready to take on the next day.

Haiti Rewind

I was cleaning out some old notebooks today and ran across the notes I wrote each day during my time in Haiti last year. I had planned at some point to write out everything more in depth but obviously forgot all about it. So now that i've run across them again, I figured this would be the best place to write. So the next couple of days, I will write out my thoughts from my week in Haiti. Until then, here are some pictures that highlight some of my favorite memories in Haiti.

How to leave a Comment

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How I Did It: Part 3

One of the best ways I got through everything, was by leaning on my support system. For me that system consisted of three of the most important women in my life. My mom, my sister, and best friend Cassie. I was able to call them anytime, for any reason, for however long I needed them, and they would listen even if all I could do was cry. I would have never made it through without them.

For Example: There was one night, where I had been laying in bed crying for hours feeling like my world had come crumbling down upon me. It was around 1am and I didn't think any of them would still be awake so I thought I'd have to face the night alone. Finally around 2am I texted my mom, thinking I wouldn't get a response but having no idea what else to do. To my surprise, she called me within 10 minutes of that text message and stayed up for over an hour listening to me cry and talk about everything going on that night. It meant the world that she was willing to do that for me, and she truly was the reason I made it through that night and was able to get some sleep.

So my advice to anyone going through a really hard time right now is to get a support system, and keep them close. There is nothing more comforting to know that you have people in your life that love and support you. They gave me advice, hope, love, encouragement, and the strength I needed to face the next day. I am so grateful for all of them.

So thank you Mom, Erin, and Cassie. Thank you for sacrificing your time all those days/nights I needed you. I couldn't have done it without you - Yall are the best! I love you all :)

"If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up." - Ecclesiastes 4:10

I miss you!

So my first week of class is officially over and the weekend has begun. This week has been a little exhausting. I hate having to adjust back to school life after being home for so long. Ill admit i'm a little home-sick. I miss being at home with my family, dog, and friends. Life is just so calm, relaxing, and fun at home. Don't get me wrong, I love school, and I love hanging out with everyone here, I just miss the comforts of home. I know this home-sickness will go away the longer i'm here, but I miss the comforts of home. I just miss home :(

Back at School

I got back to High Point on Sunday, got all moved in, and had my first classes today. Its been a lot of fun but a little exhausting. I'm trying to get back into the swing of things but my mind and body still think its summer. Catching up with all the design girls has been awesome and filled with lots of laughs. And my roommate/suitemates are awesome this year. It's looking like it could be a really great year. Junior year has begun :) (below are some pics of my room this year)

Our bathroom

My closet/our kitchenette

Our wardrobes/my desk/tv area

Our room

My side of the room

Excited for HPU!

2 weeks and counting until I return to High Point. I had been dreading it, but after talking to the girls from design i'm so excited to go back!!! I'm almost on the verge of saying I miss norton (shocking i know!!)t. I don't know if I'm there quite yet, but I can definitely say I miss all the fun and laughing that takes place in norton every night. I miss the hilarious break-downs from stress, the unbelievably funny quotes/stories that come from meredith, our 2am diner/I-Hop runs, dinner dates, shopping trips, singing/dancing concerts on the CAD tables from Jodi, long late nights of procrastinating with Megan Steele, and unbelievably crazy searches for the magic purple roads. I can't wait!! Let Junior year begin :) :) :)

Plans...or Lack there of

Anyone that knows me, knows that I love having a plan. I like to know what's coming next and what to expect around the corner. I just preferred to be in control. I want things a certain way and have always been determined to get there one way or another. Well during the last year, God has definitely put me in my place on this situation. He took all the plans I made without Him, and erased them. I'll be honest, I fought Him a little while (never a good idea), and struggled to give up that control. But I have come to realize over the last few months that putting God as the center of my plans and following His will for my life is the only thing that will work and bring me joy. I was doing my bible study the other night and read a sentence that took everything I was learning and summed it up into one simple but incredibly powerful sentence.

"God's plans for your life will bring you more joy, than any plan you can come up with on your own."

I had known this for a long time, but to have it written out so simply and boldly was very inspirational. Any time I get scared about not knowing the future, I say this sentence to myself. It's become my reminder to look to God for His guidance, and to remind myself to trust in Him. As scary as it is for me to give up control, I'm doing it because I know His plans are what will bring me ultimate joy. He knows what is best for me. After all, God knows better then anyone what's to come and can help me avoid the bad turns. I'm letting Him take the driver's seat and I trust God will get me where He wants, in His own time, and I trust His plans will bring me to a place where my life is overflowing with joy.

" 'I know the plans I have for you,' says the Lord. 'They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.' " --- Jeremiah 29:11

I Passed!!! :)

As many of you know, I'm studying interior design. The program is fun, exhilarating, and more challenging then I think any of us had ever imagined. This past year definitely showed all of us just how much we have to be willing to do and sacrifice for this major, but we all made it through. I push through it though because I truly do love Interior Design. That being said, we knew we had one last hurdle to overcome before making it to junior year, and that was our Sophomore Design Review. This is where our design professors go through our portfolio of all the work we'd done over that year and decide whether we should continue on in the program or look for another major. We've all dreaded that review and have waited anxiously all summer to get the letter. Well I got mine today, and although I don't particularly agree with everything in the review, the last box they checked said that I SHOULD continue in the program. I can't tell you how great that feels!!!! My family and I both know I can succeed in this major but it feels so good to know my professors agree. Any doubt I've ever felt about the major is now gone. Bring on Junior year and all the sleepless nights in Norton. Oh the memories we've built in that building! (Below are some pictures of me and a few of my good friends from design)

I love the Lake!

I've decided that the lake is by far my most favorite place to be in the whole world. It's so relaxing and peaceful. When I'm there, I can't help but be reminded of how amazing God's creation really is. This weekend we spent our nights out on the pier watching fireworks and i spent some time staring up at the stars. I've always loved stars, but out there with no light polution, there are seemingly endless amounts of stars. It's so humbling to be reminded of how small we are and how large God is by something so beautiful as a sky filled with stars. I just love the lake. (Thanks for sharing your lake house with me Cassie!! You're the best!)

How I Did It: Part 2

It's been a while since my first post so just as a reminder; I'm writing this series of posts to tell how I got through, and am continuing to move forward through, my breakup. My hope is that someone, someday will find hope and encouragement through the things I write and hopefully help them find their way through their grief a little easier. I wanted a starting point to moving on and had trouble finding it, so my hope is that I can remove that step of the process for anyone out there hurting, and help them to find hope again.

So how'd I do it? Well step one for me was to cry, cry, cry, and cry some more. Now this may seem a bit obvious to you, and maybe it is. But crying helps so much. It's your body's way of releasing all the hurt and stress your feeling inside. I know for me, during the first month not a single day went by that I didn't breakdown halfway through the day or cry myself to sleep at night. There were days I wanted to give up, I'd stay in bed all day sometimes, I'd find myself pleading with God to take my pain away and begging for His comfort. I eventually got to the point that I had cried so much that I found myself unable to cry anymore.

I don't say those things to scare or discourage you, I tell you them to make you realize that it IS ok and important to cry. I remember thinking it wasn't ok for me to be upset and thinking that everyone expected me to over it. I thought at times that it wasn't ok for me to be crying at all, that I should just slap a smile on my face and get over it. That was not the case though. Don't bottle up your emotions, don't think people are looking down on you for grieving. Everyone has to grieve in their own way and in their own time. It's not a fun thing to go through and it's most definitely not easy, but it's one step of the process you just have to endure. Accepting that will make things a little bit easier. You'll eventually get to the point that you will make it through an entire day without crying and those days will turn into weeks. Push through the hard times, and don't give up. I promise it doesn't last forever.

Happily Ever After

Today was movie day at day camp. The whole time all I could think about was how when I was their age I used to watch fairy tales and dream up all sorts of wonderful dreams. And I kept thinking how great would it be to be that age again where a movie can make you believe anything and everything is possible, believe that everything will work perfectly and that every story will have a happy ending. I watched some of the little girls faces and I could just see their little minds dreaming up their own dreams. It would be awesome if we could keep that child-like innocence forever, but it was so cool to see those little girls and be reminded of how awesome growing up is.

Power Button?

I wish my brain had a power button and I could just turn it off anytime thoughts of my ex passed through my mind. This past week I have not been able to stop thinking about him. I have no idea why it just seems like stuff keeps bringing him to mind. I don't want to think about him anymore, I don't like the anger I feel when his name crosses my mind, I don't like still being linked to him in any way possible. I just want total freedom from him. And I want the anger and hurt to stop.

And when he's not passing through my mind, Chris is. I've got a battle going on with my mind and heart when it comes to Chris. My heart really misses him and wants another chance, but my brain says leave things how they are. The time we spent together was awesome and I really liked him. Maybe that was just us trying to be what we thought each other wanted us to be. I honestly don't know. My heart says talk to him and figure this whole thing out and my brain says leave him alone. Which one do I listen to? Is he feeling the same way?

Hopefully the day that my ex becomes nothing more than a faint memory will come soon, and things will get figured out between Chris and I. Until then, I'll keep wishing for that power button.

I could use your prayers this week. I'm really struggling.

Patience.

Patience has never been one of my strongest qualities. I have always struggled with it, and find as I get older that being patient gets harder every day. One of my goals this summer is to become more patient but I am already struggling with it. My impatience keeps getting me into trouble, but I am definitely trying my best to improve. I would love if you could keep me in your prayers as I go through this, and would love any advice or tips you may have on how to be more patient.

"Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you." --- Colosians 3:12-13

"A hot-tempered man stirs up dissension, but a patient man calms a quarrel." ---Proverbs 15:18

How I Did It: Part 1

One of the inspirations and goals behind writing this blog was to not only share my story, but to hopefully help someone else get through the pain of heartbreak one day too. I remember when my ex and I first broke up, I kept wishing, asking, and begging for someone to tell me how to get through this pain. I needed someone to tell me where to start. All the advice I kept getting was time. "Time will heal all," "It just takes time." One person even told me "It takes 6 months to get over every year you were with someone, so you just have to push through it." What?? Are you kidding me?!? That would mean I'd have to deal with this for 2 1/2 years!! That quite frankly, was not optional. I knew it would take time, but I needed a way to get through that time. I was grateful that I had people who cared and wanted to help me out, but I needed a little bit more. I needed someone to give me that first stepping stone.

So now that I've worked my way through most of the pain and found a way to get through this, I figured I might as well write down what I did. Maybe it will help someone else, maybe I'll be pulling this out for my own kids one day. I don't know how God will use this, but I figure if I can give someone hope and help them out of their pain, then I should.

So, I'm going to post a series of the steps I took throughout the next few days. Most of these steps overlapped with each other, but I have to split them apart so you're not reading a 5 page paper lol. And as a disclaimer, these are the steps I took, they may not all work for you and I'm sure there will be steps you add to your own process. This is just meant to give you somewhere to start. After all, everyone was right, it does take time, and you will have to find and push your way through this. My goal is to just give you a place to start and to find hope of a happier future. I'm getting through it, you will too!

"All praise to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us." --- 2 Corinthians 1:3-4