Growing Up: Anna's Journey Through Liberty University: May 2015

Hello all!

I finished my 2nd semester of Freshman year on May 4th. I am home now for about another 3 and 1/2 weeks till I head off to West Virginia to work at Camp Sandy Cove with 12-15 year old girls as a counselor. I'm so excited!

This semester has been such a learning process and just changed my life in so many ways so I thought I would share with you some things that I have learned.

1. Recovery is a life long process.

This semester I got involved with Celebrate Recovery which is a Christian based twelve step program that is based on overcoming life's hurt, habits, and hang ups. I signed up for training to become a leader this semester and little did I know, I was going to be doing the program myself. I got to do a step study with 8 other amazing ladies who love the Lord. I got to watch their lives transform while my life was transforming as well. I learned a lot about God's grace and how we are all in recovery for our own issues. I also learned a lot about God's grace being sufficient for my weaknesses. (2 Corinthians 12:9) God has given me such an amazing love and passion for this ministry. And I'm so honored to I will be a small group leader in the fall ON CAMPUS LU students! Come check it out y'all!

2. Some friends are for a season, a reason, or a lifetime.

I was so blessed to take on 2nd semester with the amazing 12 friends in our "squad" along with 2 new additions! I kept a lot of the same friends this semester, but some I became closer to and some I grew less close to. It's sad, but God takes people and puts people in our lives for specific reasons. He's so good and I've made some friends I know I will have the joy and privilege of growing closer to Christ for many years to come. I never imagined when I prayed for Christ-centered friendships in college I would get so many and such great ones.

3. Grades are important, they come before friends at times no matter what people say.

I will not lie I struggled with my classes this semester. I didn't expect to have such a rough semester and in the end, my grades were not what I wanted. I had to remind myself that next semester I will put school before friends when I have a big test the next day. Friends will always be there. But then again, I was reminded in the end, it's about getting a quality education and learning more about myself, God, and social work everyday.

4. God uses broken people.

This semester God's theme in my life can be summed up in one quote: "God doesn't call the qualified, He qualifies the call." Man is that just AWESOME. I often feel so inadequate when I see the hurt in this world, but I remember that I once was one of those people on a path of destruction, out to just find love in anything or anyone. Now I'm redeemed, healed, and on a path of redemption. I screw up everyday, I don't love enough, I don't share God's love enough, the Devil says. But God says "He is enough to cover all of my weaknesses."

5. If you don't mention God in every conversation with an unbeliever, the conversation is not a lost cause.

One of the biggest things I struggle with is feeling like I don't share my faith enough. But I'm slowly learning and becoming less stubborn. We are called to make relationships, to plant seeds, but ultimately it is God who wins souls for Jesus Christ. I'm learning that it is often not what I say, but what I do that shows my faith and what I'm living for. They will know Christians by their love. I am seeing God work in my communities and it's awesome to just be able to watch.

I'm not the same person I was 9 months ago and I'm thankful for that. Liberty University is honestly radically creating Champions for Christ. I love my school. I love its motto. I love the work it's doing for Heaven. I can't wait to be back in 91 days, but I can't wait to continue doing God's work at home and at camp.

Here's some pictures from this semester!