In the Beginning...

I had orientation on Monday and it was a loooooooooong day. We started out having a group orientation with all of the graduates and then we broke off into departmental meetings. In the meetings we introduced ourselves and met the faculty and were informed of the overview of our program, dismissed to registration and administrative related things. I bought my books and to my dismay my 5 classes came with 12 books! Now obviously to some that is no big deal... but to me... that is totally new. Later that evening we, the 1st year students were given a party by the 2nd years. The get-together was so much fun. We socialized for a while and ate and then we played ice-breaker name remembering type games and then some fun stuff and finally broke to again socialize. I met a lot of very interesting people from all over. Diversity is so prevalent in our school. My cohort represents the U.S., Peru, Columbia, Kenya, Korea, Philippine, & Malaysia. Within the U.S. we represent IN, IL, CA, MA, MI, GA, AL, AZ, TN, NC, WI, & MN. Talk about culture shock! LOL! It’s great because we have the chance to learn SO much more than "our way" of worshipping and just totally different experiences. At the party I had the chance to talk to so many wonderful 2nd years that gave us advice and "what to expect" type of talks. More than anything you see the love in Christ burning within. Consistently what I heard (from both men and women) that I was going to cry like I've never cried before, that I am going to be challenged to the very depths of my faith and being, that I will NOT be able to handle it on my own BUT that the faculty and 2nd years are there to support us in this first year where we'll be totally torn down for lack of a better term. It caused a fear to arise in quite a few of us and then the thought came to me. If He can bring us to it, He can bring us through it! If suffering or sacrifice for a small season will get me to the place in Christ where He desires me to be and knowing that He won't leave me alone and that I can do all things through Him... who am I to tell God that I can't handle it... am I calling Him a liar... Obviously I can handle it because He's put me in position, directly in place to handle it! What a mighty, awesome God! So as we walked back to campus to our cars after leaving the party my colleague was anxious and afraid that she may not be able to handle it due to her children and not wanting to be emotionally unavailable for them. Its amazing the words God can give us to encourage one another... but the bottom line. We've been "stressed" about one aspect or another since we met back in November last year... so why is suddenly we can't make it through this patch... Of course I'm strong now... but I'm sure my time will come when I'll be the one needing the encouraging but that is what I told her. God created us for such a time as this... to be here together to encourage one another because my experience wouldn't be the same without her and vice versa. God always gives us what we need. He always makes provisions for us... why? Because He has already walked out our steps and He knows what we have need of even before we ask. A lot of the things we discuss will be confidential so unless I'm divulging on my own awareness’s I won't be talking about other people too often and if I do mention anything it won't be revealing in anyway of who they really are... Mary this day may be Martha the next... so even if you know me... that's all you'll know from my postings... and with that I'll end this post.