Things to be thankful for in College

Warning: I typed this really fast because I wanted to get it out on New Years Eve, so excuse the typos! But These are some things I have become thankful for during my first semester of college.

1) Oklahoma Baptist University

OBU is preparing me to become the woman of Christ I want to be. The academics of this school have been helping me attain skills that will benefit me for a successful future. But the best part is the teachers who really care about the students and how they incorporate faith in Christ in what they are teaching. My friends tease me that I am OBU’s spokesperson because when I am asked what my favorite part of OBU is, I say, “How they integrate faith and learning.” But, it’s true! I have always had a public education and now I am at a place where I can talk freely about Christ and really be challenged in my theological views. And to me that is an opportunity I want to take full advantage of!

The social aspect of OBU has also been wonderful! The most fun I had this semester was joining my flag football team, Victorious Secret. The girls I got to play with and the guys that agreed to coach made it an experience I will never forget! I never knew much about the game of football ( I mean, really, I thought a “fumble” was pronounced “thumble.” How embarrassing!) but the coaches were patient with the team and really helped us come together and have fun. And now I catch myself watching football games on TV and enjoying it because I really understand what’s going on! The best is that the girls that I played with and the guys that coached have really become like my sisters and brothers; it’s funny what playing sports can do!

 

                                                      
                                                              The exciting night when we made it into "A" League

2)  The fantastic girls that I have met

I prayed so much before college that the Lord would provide me with Godly Christian girls that would encourage me and always be reliable. And the Lord provided! My friends are SO much fun to be around! I can’t stop smiling when I think about how blessed I am because of them. And each girl I have gotten to know is unique, but at the same time have so much in common with me. And I know if I ever am having a really rough day with school they will be there to comfort me (and buy me a Twix bar!) and if I am ever having a boring day they will always find a way to make me laugh for hours. I have been able to have the most in depth and theological conversations I have ever had with these girls. They all have such genuine hearts and I am so privileged to have them in my life and get to see the amazing things they will do for Christ someday.

We also set up a girls bible study that met once a week at an OBU senior girls house. We went over a study about not putting idols before God in life and leaning on solely the Lord for comfort. And I feel like this journey through scripture and conversation has helped me grow stronger in my faith and in fellowship. It was great to discuss different issues or problems each girl was facing and talk through it. We even started to realize that some of the other girls were going through the same exact things!

I am excited to start this back up when I get back from break!

                                      The girls of our bible study!

3) My wonderful family that has been so supportive.

            

            They have been there to both encourage and rejoice about all the aspects of my first college semester. When I was crying about the first D I made on my Chemistry test they were there to comfort me. They would let me now that regardless God would make all things work out for his good.  (And somehow I ended up with an unexpected A in the class!) And when I found out I made it in Campus Activities Board they were there to congratulate and be excited for me because it was a new step in my journey. And when I just wanted a weekend to relax and unwind from all the busyness of college, I could always go home to Tulsa and expect a delicious home cooked meal waiting.  I couldn’t have made it through this semester without them. And as I am typing this they are in the other room getting ready to celebrate New Years and I can’t help thinking that they made not just this semester but this whole year an incredible one. 

                                     Mark and Kathryn, what a blessing they have been!

                                   4)  And the ministry the God has faithfully put in my life.

This semester God was able to use me in great ways. The Lord really taught me that if you really invest your time with people and genuinely care about their being, so many beneficial relationships can be formed. I have been able to have individual conversations with many different freshman girls that are going through the same dilemmas of college as me and also listen to their stories and testimonies. Just doing that has helped me grow in my own walk with God and expand my ministry. I can’t wait to meet even more girls during the spring!

I have had the opportunity to work with Spero Project, which is an urban refugee ministry in Oklahoma City. I have gotten to play with children from countries like Malaysia and Sudan, and hang out with their parents and have great conversations. Even though at times there can be a language barrier, it is great just to be able to sit in their apartments and enjoy company. It has been a very humbling experience and has been a great break for me during the craziness of the school week. The Wednesday before I left one little girl I have gotten to know asked what the exact day would be when I came back in January. And it made my heart melt just knowing that both the children and I have grown mutual love for each other. I am hoping to build more strong relationships with the families at the complex so I may share Jesus with them. So keep that in your prayers! 

I was also presented with the wonderful opportunity to go on another mission trip. This time I am getting to go to India and work with girls saved from sex trafficking and be able to show them the love of Christ. And oh, I am SOOO excited! I have caught myself spending hours looking on Google search at pictures of India or researching the organization I am going to be working with. I just get really excited when I think about more people being introduced to the hope that the gospel brings. Even though some won’t admit it, everyone needs a little hope in the midst of the world we live in and Jesus Christ is the only one that can give it. And I’m so thankful that I get to be a messenger of that news.

                                      My friends and I wearing the headbands the Spero kids made for us!

I can’t even begin to list everything that I am thankful about my first semester of college and I’m so excited to see the blessings that the Lord will provide during the spring!

I hope everyone is having a great New Years and starting to get excited for the fresh start of 2012!

    He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end. - Ecclesiastes 3:11

Thanks for reading!

Karlie

How Would You Define Yourself?

Being “you” can be one of the most challenging things to do. Heck, even just finding “you” can be a terribly hard task.  There is so much influence in this world telling you what to be, and ironically enough it actually can impede people from just simply being.       

I want to be who I am, but  who am I? How would I define myself? I would say I am bubbly, encouraging, and hardworking (I am my father’s daughter). I am sometimes stubborn, loud (yet with the tendency to sometimes be shy), easily frightened, and quick to worry. I am also optimistic, diligent, fond of meaningful long talks and quality time, and a Christ follower; I can think of a long list of things.

Lately I have been thinking about everything that makes me, me. I have meditated on those descriptions and how they have been affected, for good or bad,  by others since I have been at college. And in this process of pondering I started to dwell on what it really meant to be defined as a “Christ follower.” And as I did I started to understand more than I have ever understood before that my identity is really found in Christ ALONE.

Two things have been a key influence in my life for Christ and in how to be myself. Those two things are: the book “So Long Insecurity” By Beth Moore and the most influential of the two, my best friend and mentor, Kathryn Johnson. 

I read the book “So Long Insecurity” this past summer for a women’s bible study and it greatly impacted me. It really taught me what it means to be secure in who I am, and that regardless of trials I will always be “clothed with strength and dignity” that comes from Christ.  I began to understand the persistent fear in people of not being secure, and this can cause one to follow what society presents as comfort and appealing. And if you truly replace fear with God you find fulfilling comfort and a strong identity.

Perhaps more than anyone else, Kathryn Johnson has helped me understand what it truly means to be a genuine spirit. While this is only one aspect of my life this wonderful woman has changed forever, it is likely the most significant.  She is a “free spirit” in every sense of the word.  She shows me that it is okay to be, well, kind of weird. (But everyone is weird in some way!) The best part about Kathryn is that Jesus is always at the center of who she is. She passionately loves him and follows his guidance. At the end of the day, she does not care what world tells her to be. She only cares about who God wants her to be. Witnessing this has been such an encouragement and blessing to me. She helped guide me back to finding myself again when life had let me forgotten. I love her, and I love most of all that she let God use her to speak to and mentor me.

So now I am at the point to where I am starting to fully comprehend what it is to be fully defined by Christ. And I’m not going to let others restrict me from being unique since that’s how the Lord has made me. I use to want to worry about how people perceive me and if they agreed with path I’m taking for my life. But now, I have come to the realization that I shouldn’t worry since everyday I do make the conscious decision to die to my sinful self so that Christ can live within me.  So If I make this confession with all sincerity and follow His ways I am following His will regardless if it fits others standards. And additionally I don’t believe society should be intertwined with this claimed identity anyways.

The acceptance from humans is so fragile, but God’s acceptance is never-ending. So no longer should I ask myself if I fit the mold that others expect. I would much rather be happy than perfect. I don’t need the pressure to have qualities the world says to be desirable because the one quality I should be relentlessly seeking is to be like Jesus. I’m appreciative for the fact I can always rely on God for any situation; but especially when I doubt who I am. In His word I‘m constantly reminded of His sovereignty and because of Him I will always be a beautiful, complete, and fulfilled me! 

So, now that I have said my piece I am going to go rock out to Demi Lovato's song "This is Me (Acoustic Version)" on my iTunes :)

Thanks for reading!

Karlie