This first week of college classes has been eye-opening, thought-provoking and hard. I go to Lewis-Clark State College, and this coming May, I will be graduating with a Bachelor's in Elementary Education. This semester I am starting my first internship in a second-grade classroom. The majority of this last week has been spent working on getting us ready for basically being in the elementary schools full time. I have met with Mrs. Woods, the teacher that I will be working under, a few times already, and I’ve been helping her get her classroom ready for the kids.

In between getting ready for internship, college classes, and leadership in a Christian group on campus called CRU, I am wondering when am I going to have any time to just even breathe! I am getting more and more excited about helping Mrs. Wood get ready in her classroom, though, and for myself to be in the school closer to full time. I'm also pumped that it finally feels like my hard work at school is becoming worth it. (Sidenote: it is odd to hear Miss McFarland rather than Jourdan or some nickname that my friends have given me. I better get used to that one quickly.)

Over this last week I have visited all areas on the spectrum of stress, ranging from overwhelmed far beyond normal limits to feeling like I can handle things for a minute. The elementary schools haven’t even started school yet, so I’m just sort of waiting for all those overwhelmed feeling to come back in due time. I’ve been told that questioning my sanity and my career choice is natural and everything will come easier once the kids start school and I have been with them for a while. There is, in fact, a light at the end of the tunnel. That's encouraging, for sure!

Many of my college professors have made mention this week of keeping ourselves healthy since there's always tons of sickness going around during the fall in schools everywhere. Rather than throwing up my hands this week, my two saving graces have been time with my close friends and my time with Christ.

If you were to ask any of my close friends how much I over stress or over think things going on in my life, they would all say that I have a high tendency of doing one if not both of those. As sad as it is to say, I have to agree with them. However, something I do think has helped me take a deep breath and lift my head up is reminding myself that there is someone out there who, no matter how much I have or will screw up, He loves me unconditionally. No matter how frustrated I get at the little petty things, He is my peace . No matter how lost I feel thinking that there is no possible way I can do this, He has shown me how strong I am with Him in my life. Something that He adores is just me spending some quality time with Him and listening for his still small voice.

This 'He' I’m talking about is Christ Jesus! I am so thankful that He cares for me to go before me and give me things that ,yes, will be hard and challenging (like this internship) but never too hard to handle with Him by my side.

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow,

for tomorrow will worry about itself.

Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Matthew 6:34

Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith,

who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross,

despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Hebrews 12:1-2

I will go before you and will level the mountains;

I will break down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron.

Isaiah 45:2

God loves and cares deeply for each and every one of us.