You Are Here

Today marks 3 months since I moved into my dorm here at Southeastern University. I swear I blinked and woke up 12 weeks later. HOW?! Monday will start my final week of classes and then the week after I have a few finals and then it's back home.



Since being here I have only gone to the beach twice (I'm planning on going again tomorrow!!!!), joined Enactus, will have my first "gig" in monttthhssss this Thursday, gotten an A on a math test (wow miracles def still do happen ppl!!!), met wonderful people, experienced so so so much joy, definitely also experienced sadness, and while I haven't grown in height, I've made up for it in heart.

I've cried more tears than I care to admit (both joyous and sorrowful). I've faced encouragement and discouragement. I've learned to get up and keep going. I've learned that it's okay to have a different direction sometimes.

I can say with 100% certainty that no season in my life has looked exactly the same. Though it's not what I expected, I'm excited for what's happening in my present and I look forward to the future.

Sometimes I wonder how I got here; how I got to this point. BUT HERE I AM. I AM HERE!

Despite the stress, despite the fears, despite life situations, despite ALL ODDS...You are "here" too. Take a few moments to stop and breathe in. Take a few moments to remember everything you've faced to get to this point. Your life is beautiful because you've made it this far!

Thanks for praying for me, believing in me, and listening to me. I appreciate you! Get ready for some more sappy blog posts this month. I turn twenty in fifteen days and the new year is rapidly approaching! We have a lot to catch up on and discuss.

XO,
Lily

"...Yes, keep waiting—
For He will never disappoint you!" Psalm 27:14

adventure

adventure.
The google definition is:

1. an unusual and exciting, typically hazardous, experience or activity.

2. engage in hazardous and exciting activity, especially the exploration of unknown territory.

• put (something, especially money or one's life) at risk.

  
  

Apparently it comes from:

Middle English: from Old French aventure (noun), aventurer (verb), based on Latin adventurus ‘about to happen,’ from advenire ‘arrive.’


I like that it derives from "about to happen" and "arrive."
Usually I think of adventure as something I would never do because I'm not the kind to go bungee jumping off a cliff or go hike Mt. Everest.

Adventure, to me, is going to a new coffee shop or trying new food at the farmer's market. It's finding a quiet spot by a body of water. It's sharing a piece of my heart on my blog. It's going down a new trail in the woods. It's moving to Florida without my family and trying to find a new balance (tbh def the most adventurous thing I've done).

Maybe adventure isn't always risking your life for a rush or feeling, but letting your heart fly. 

Adventure is hard and it can be scary! Adventure is bold and soulful! Adventure is colorful!

What I'm finding is that you can feel fear and still be adventurous. 

It's not easy, but keep moving forward. 

be bold/be soulful,

Lily

P.S.
NEW SONG!!!!! Watch the video:

2 Corinthians 12:9New International Version (NIV)

9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

Just things I think about

It's been exactly a week since I moved in to my dorm over here at Southeastern University in Lakeland, FL. I'm so stoked to be here! Every day looks different and I love that. Of course, I miss my family, I miss my boyfriend, I miss my friends! Knowing that I have their support keeps me going.

As I sat in my first few classes on Wednesday I just knew, and I know, beyond a shadow of doubt that this is where I'm meant to be right now. I actually have many of those, "Oh! This is is why I'm here!" moments and it's only been a week. 

       

From classes, to meeting new people, adjusting to roommates (who are actually SO super sweet) and suitemates (love 'em!), going to chapel, to watercoloring outside, these are the things that have stuck with me.

1. "What God starts He will finish and He will sustain you through it." - Matthew H. {@ Talk Story}

2. You're not meant to walk someone else's journey.

My roomies!

3. "Some of the chapters in our lives won't have a title until much later." - Bob Goff

4."God is fully revealed when we are living life in abundance." {and omg I can't remember who I heard this from, but it was on this campus!}

5. "But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace." James 3:17-18


6. Jesus makes everything beautiful in His time.

One of my water coloring's from this past week! :) 

and finally #7

XO,
Lily

Here's a pic of all my roomies + suitemates!

on my way to the next 3 years

It's a windy, rainy day here in Ormond Beach, FL. Yesterday my dad, Anna (my bff), and myself drove down here to Florida and stayed with my family friends. Tonight we'll be driving to Lakeland to stay with Anna's parent's friends! They are professors at Southeastern University! Then we'll leave their house around 7:30am to go move me in at Southeastern!

I'm excited. I'm sad.

I'm excited to be starting this new journey at school. I'm excited to study, to learn, and to get my degree. I don't doubt that this will be an excellent experience as long as I work hard, persevere, and have a good attitude. I'm also praying for a heart that is willing to be changed and mature. 

I'm sad because I'm homesick for my people. My beautiful family couldn't come down with me. My dad was able to be there for the drive down, but he has a work thing in Orlando so he had to mozy out of OB this morning. I'm also missing my person a lotta bit. I started dating Jordan almost 3 months ago! And we've spent most of those days together. He's truly my best friend.

I'm nervous about this whole roommate situation :o I have 3..that's right..THREE other roommates plus 4 suitemates! CRAZY I know.

ALL that being said. God is good. I'm grateful for where He has placed me and the decisions that have brought me to where I am today.

Please pray for me.
Please send me care packages (?!?!?!?!?!).
Please pray for my family and my boyfriend.

XO,

Lily

send me, I'll go

"He who calls you is faithful; He will surely do it." 

1 Thessalonians 5:24

On December 18, 1996 a beautiful little girl was born into this world in the

busy city of Miami, Florida. That girl was none other than mua. A couple of years later her parents moved to Charlottesville, Virginia. Your extra basic/preppy/southern small town. While I've had my struggles with "fitting in" to the culture here, I've had many great moments! I've had much success, much joy, and much adventure! 

Over the past two years (since I graduated high school in May 2014:) I have been learning so much about who I am and who God has called me to be. It's been amazing. I've done so. many. things. I've prayed many prayers. I've asked God to show me the way. I've questioned whether or not I'm even meant to go to a 4-year college! I don't think that university is for everyone or that's it's a necessary thing to be successful in life. 

Oh man oh man oh man. Trust me. I know that what I'm about to say makes me sound like a totally crazy person. God has graciously and patiently watched me wander and float these past two years. Through it I've learned much about commitment and establishing roots in Christ.

I'm excited about committing to finishing by bachelor's degree at Southeastern University and making a return to my birth-state of Florida. 

Here's the radical part: Even though I've never toured the school I know that this is where God wants me to be for the next few years. 

God is calling me to do things with my life that I never imagined I would be doing. He's aligning my thoughts and desire with the ones that He has for my life. 

Friends, I have never felt so much peace about a decision.

I have felt much resistance and much doubt..at some points it feels as though I'm fighting a battle and I know that I am fighting one spiritually. My heart is still and at peace. 

There's a scripture that I love that says

"Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, 'Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?' And I said, 'Here am I. Send me!'"

Isaiah 6:8

Yes, I realize I am totally taking this scripture out of context, but I love that last part..."Here am I. Send me!" I feel like God is definitely saying, "Okay, Lily. I'm sending you to go back to school to be trained up even more!" It's a little scary because the spirit filled part of me wants to jump all in while the human nature part says, "Chill, Lily! Let's analyze how this decision might affect your independence. How much money does that cost? You're not even good at that so why bother?! You're going to lose everything you've built in Charlottesville."

Guys..it freaks. me. out. that I have to take math classes again!! It's 100% scary that I have to leave behind the my friend group, my immediate family, my work. I am trusting that by obeying the Lord's direction for my life that everything will be not only be okay but that it'll be the most fulfilling thing ever. I'm trusting that so far I've built my roots in Him and not in my own vanity. 

I've realized that my life is so not about me. It's about building the kingdom. It's about asking God where He wants me now and next and saying, "Okay!" And not only saying yes, but actually taking action even if I'm in a season of waiting. 

So here's to saying saying "Yes, I'll go!" to Southeastern. I have great expectation that God will teach me, grow me, use me, ground me, and so much more through this experience! 

xo,
lilylove9620