Who Am I?
Such a loaded question, really.
Well, here's the brief bio:
I was born in the Virginia Beach/ Norfolk, VA area, where all my extended family currently lives. I also spent last summer working on the Eastern Shore of Virginia… VA holds a big part of my heart. I moved to the Atlanta area in middle school, after a stint in Asheville, NC and seven years in Richmond, VA, and have been here ever since. I like to think of myself as a regular Georgia peach, but considering my roots, I suppose im more of a beach child. People tell me this often. However… I am all about some sweet tea and chick fil a- and that's the truth, y'all! When I am surrounded by people from the north, I defend the South (particularly chick-fil-a) like its my job. Cuz it seriously is pretty fantastic. I have two wonderful parents who really love me a lot, even when we drive each other crazy, and a little brother who is a freshmen at Carson Newman University on a tennis scholarship! I attend the University of Georgia (Go Dawgs!!) and am currently a senior here living in Athens. I absolutely LOVE it here. I live in a house with 3 amazing girls, and have some of the best friends and community in the world. I am a Child and Family Development major and Communication studies minor, and work at Athens First United Methodist doing childcare (best job ever!). I am in a small group that has been together since the beginning of freshmen year, and these girls are my HEART. They are my best friends. We live together, learn together, worship together, take trips together, and make absolute fools of ourselves together (really, I have plenty of pictures and videos to prove it). One of these amazing girls is going on the Race too….how crazy is that?!
So now for the juicy stuff:
I began following Jesus at the age of 14. I had some amazing friends in middle school who changed my perspective on the whole "Christian" thing and made me desperate to seek out an answer to who this Jesus was. To say the least, life wasn't exactly a bed of roses after that. But it has been an amazing adventure- I have experienced inexplicable joy, physical and emotional healing, overwhelming peace in the hardest of circumstances, freedom from all kinds of bondage, the power of prayer– I have experienced God's faithfulness in unimaginable ways- I have begun to understand my identity as a child of the King- I have come alive in Him.
I have also struggled. I've been hurt. I've messed up. I've been through trials. I have felt like an absolute failure. In many ways, I have been. At times, I have felt abandoned. I have been quite close to giving up.
But He always has grace for me. He continues to love me. Despite everything. He has never let go of me.
It's a bit a LOT overwhelming.
I am sitting here trying to explain what He has done for me, what He's taught me, what He means to me, how much He loves me…and it is literally impossible. Even if I went over the character limit for this blog, even if I showed you the 20 or 30 something journals I've kept since middle school- it still wouldn't capture it. That being said- I would love to talk more, & share my experiences and stories… just ask. 🙂
so now some more random facts! (in case you still wanna know more 🙂 )
-My favorite color is black. Yes, black.
– I love to run…im not athletic, sadly, but I do love to be active
-I like to be outside- eat outside, play outside, sleep outside, hammock outside, sit outside… you name it. Probably appropriate considering how I'm going to spend the next year!
-I love horses & horseback riding. Two summers ago I worked at a Christian sports camp teaching horseback riding lessons- even spent a little time working on a farm.
-I love kids- every job ive ever had has been caring for kids in some way. Really, I love them.
-I love big kids too….everyones worst nightmare..teenagers! I have a big heart for youth ministry. I spent the past 3 years working with the most amazing youth group of high schoolers- they probably taught me more than I could have ever hoped to teach them.
-I love art. Dream: to see all the art in Vatican city.
-I love other cultures. and people of other cultures. not to mention the languages, clothes, food, music…
-My groceries are weird, organicy type foods that my friends make fun of. I wish I was completely opposed to junk food, but unfortunately I have not yet figured out how to do that.
-I spend an absolutely ridiculous amount of time reading. My kindle is one of my best friends. I love to write too- so blogging is no chore for me 🙂
-I have a laugh for every occasion and every emotion! (seriously)
-I spent last summer as Program Staff for Youthworks in Onancock, VA, aka the Eastern Shore- leading mission trips for high schoolers with 3 other (incredible) staff members. We worked with the kids in the Latino immigrant community there, and I also worked in a state group home. It was an amazing, challenging, life-changing summer. I miss it a lot.
-I love animals- big, small, cuddly, fierce. I WILL stop and help the turtle cross the road.
-my style- my friends like to debate on this. They settled on something between "hippie" and "free spirit." I choose to take this as a compliment?
Keep browsing to learn more!- a blog will soon be up about my call to the mission field!
God Bless,
Courtney 🙂
