Graduation

Sorry it has been quite awhile since I blogged. I seem to always take a break while life is either: very busy or not going how I planned... which I guess has been both for the last month.

But today we shall focus on the fact that I graduated from college yesterday! Hooray!

I have been waiting for this for some time. But I truly have mixed feelings regarding ending my time at Ozark. Ozark has very easily become my home. I was just sharing with Tyler that it is going to be so strange to leave Joplin and not really have reasons to come back... once we leave we will be visiting Owasso, Stillwater, and Fayetteville... not Joplin. What a weird feeling to consider leaving the place that has morphed me in to who I need to be.

Graduation was a wonderful ceremony. At the Baccalaureate service on Friday night my parents were asked to share a testimony regarding how Ozark has influenced our family. It was so much fun to have my parents personally involved. They did such a good job sharing and also challenging my class to influence people in a good way- a way that will make them thirst for God and hopefully lead them to Ozark. It was a really really cool thing that I will never forget. It was a pretty cool thing for my parents to give my lifelong blessing to my whole graduating class. Oh yeah, not to mention that I was able to sit by Kara during Baccalaureate... how very appropriate and wonderful to reunite with her!

Commencement was also a great ceremony. Almost all of my family was there and honestly, that might have been what I looked forward to most! Having everyone (minus Joely) together is such a wonderful thing. It was nice to finally have things come to a close. The only time that made me very emotional was when we were asked to appreciate our professors. My professors are the reason why I don't want to leave this place. They care so deeply for each and every student and I feel like I still have so much to learn from them. What a blessing to be led by Godly men and women who want nothing but the best for me.

So, I can't believe it is done. I can't believe I won't be attending classes there again. I also can't believe we aren't on our way to a new adventure. Tyler and I are still waiting patiently for guidance and leading to wherever God wants us to go. We are so committed to serving him wholeheartedly where he can best use us... but waiting is definitely hard. At least for now we have had some great blessings through family and kindhearted bosses that want to help take care of us while our life is in an in between stage. God has definitely shown himself through this process. We are very certain that he is brewing something for us but that his timing is different than ours.

Until then we will love where we are and love the people here. We have a lesser role in the youth group now... but we have new opportunity to spend time with couples our age and I have a new opportunity for a Bible study. We will definitely be taking advantage of where we are and the great church that surrounds us. We know God is keeping us here right now for a reason, so we will use that. We want to bloom wherever we are planted, but we are still looking forward to whatever is next for us.

"May the Lord bless you and keep you and make his face shine upon you, may he be compassionate and gracious, and give you peace." Numbers 6:24