Hey there! Following this last year of blog updates, I felt like I should give one last and final update. This update is a little different because it doesn’t have to do with what the ministry I’m doing looks like on the other side of the world, but this update has to do with my life here in Alabama! I feel like the Lord is with me in this transition and new season of life and I wanted to share some of what that looks like and what my life may or may not look like moving forward so that you can know where this world race has brought me to. Here are some shortened bullet points of where my life is including some involvements followed by a little bit more details if you’d like to read some more! Hope this sheds some light on my life and what you may or may not be curious about following this trip!
- I’m a current sophomore at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa
- Pre-Med Student hoping to go on to be an orthopedic surgeon
- Involved in International Students Events through UA and Capstone Church
- Involved in AED [Pre-Health Society]
- Co-leading a Small Group centered on the verse Galatians 5:1
- Seeking to serve the community well in a way that shows the love of Jesus
- Seeking to build and form an intentional community with a group of friends that encourage me and push me to be the best person I can be
- Attending Sunday Services and supporting College Ministries with a heart for Unity in the body of Christ
Here’s some more details on what these involvements actually look like!
- I’m a current sophomore at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa
I’m actually a junior with 63 hours but I’ll be here at UA for another 2 and a half years at least studying either psychology or electrical engineering with a minor in biology and chemistry. This fall I’m taking 5 classes: Psychological Statistics, Organic Chem 1, Biology 1, General Business Intro to Finances, and Intro to Music. At this pace, I will graduate in December of 2020.
- Pre-Med Student hoping to go on to be an orthopedic surgeon
I’m a current pre-med student, which means that I hope to graduate from UA with my undergrad and go on to go to med school for another 4 years. Following that would be 3 years of specialization in orthopedic surgery. And following that would be 5 years of residency. I know it’s a lot of school and it makes some people gag but I want more than anything in life to be an orthopedic surgeon and use that as a way to serve the Lord and the people He created!
- Involved in International Students Events through UA and Capstone Church
Throughout the Fall, I will be a part of hanging out with and having events with international students here at the University. This is a big heart of mine as I feel I know what it’s like to feel similar to a foreigner in a culture you’ve never been in far from home. I hope that I’m able to love and serve them in a way that they feel comfortable and have a smooth transition into a new culture. Here’s a picture with three of my friends after we got to watch the Alabama Crimson Tide dominate game 1 of the season.
- Involved in AED [Pre-Health Society]
This society will help me to better prepare for my path to med school as well as surround me with people that also are embarking on this same path.
- Co-leading a Small Group centered on the verse Galatians 5:1
I am co-leading a small group called a Freedom Group Sunday afternoons with two other leaders. I once attended this small group and it impacted my life in ways I won’t forget and so I hope the Lord is able to do the same with those that attend.
- Seeking to serve the community well in a way that shows the love of Jesus
This is another big heart of mine and has already shown forth in a couple different ways. I was able to go out and serve the community alongside some members of my church where we got to play games with some neighborhood kids, begin to take names for families so that they can have a thanksgiving, pray with families, provide food and clothing, and on top of that we got to see five people experience the love of God and decide to give their lives to him!
- Seeking to build and form an intentional community with a group of friends that encourage me and push me to be the best person I can be
God has already blessed me with a great group of friends that will hold me accountable to my responsibilities in life while at the same time let loose and have fun. I will do the same for them and I’m excited for the memories that will be made.
- Attending Sunday Services and supporting College Ministries with a heart for Unity
Sundays I will be going to Church of the Highlands with some of my friends. This is actually the same church that I gave my life to God in and also found discipleship in small groups in a way that brought me to a genuine relationship with God. I never thought I would be so in love with God! He truly transforms hearts. And lastly, I have friends in many college ministries and altogether we have a big heart for unity and hope to be a light to the campus of UA.
And so, moving forward, none of this can be done on my own but only with a willingness of heart and a supply of strength and guidance from the Lord that comes from prayers offered by you and I. With this in mind, I thought I’d bring you in on this season of life by sharing my prayer requests as relates to this season! Maybe pick just a random one that sticks out to you and if you’d want, pray that with me over this next season. Here they are.
- Prayers for guidance from the Lord and for heart to be attentive to where He is leading me
- Prayers for wisdom in the bigger (and smaller) decisions that I’ll be making throughout the semester
- Prayers for discipline and for me to be able to stay focused on what the Lord has set before me and the heart He’s given me. Also practically as relates to this, for me to maintain good health and well-being by strengthening my body through rest, eating well, and hopefully getting into a routine of working out
- Prayers for my education and schooling and that I would study as much as I need and stay on top of homework, studying, and resting so that I may do this to the best of my ability and that (haha) if the Lord wills, He would help me to make all A+’s
- Prayers for my small group that I’ll be co-leading and for the members to experience the freedom in Christ that He died for us to experience and live in
- Prayers that I will stay rooted in devotion and prayer as a way to keep myself and my strength connected to Him who richly provides
- Prayers for my relationships with international students and that I will be able to love them and serve them in a way that they see Jesus in me and that God would open doors for me to communicate the gospel in a clear way to them and their hearts would be receptive to His seed
- Prayers that I would be able to serve the community well in a way that I can represent Jesus by loving those that society that does not accept and reach out to the reached. And as relates to this that I would be able to bless others in physical and tangible ways through connecting to them to food provisions and clothing provisions.
- Prayers that God would surround me with godly friends that bring out the best in me and push me and love me and encourage me so that I may serve Him best. That God would use them to sharpen me and that I would sharpen them as well as iron sharpens iron
- Prayers that I would find a job as I am currently looking and need to find one that fits with my schooling hours. That God would help make this happen and I would be able to see it and do it! Also that when I get a job God would help me be a light pointing to Him in that environment
- And lastly, some Christlike qualities that I’m trying to grow in during this season are humility and to value others above myself, serving the Lord, allowing His strength to work through me, and the joy of the Lord
So this is where I’m currently moving into this next season of life! Thank you so much for being there right alongside me through this journey whether that having been financial support, praying, encouraging, or even just following blogs or pictures!!
