Hello all!

I hope you had a great winter break, because it's over!

Time to pack everything up and head back to our home away from home, or in some people's cases (commuters), simply time to head back. (I'm honestly envious of commuters. They get to live at home still. I have to say though, living on campus is convenient.

That's right! College!

(Yes, it's back already)

As the Christmas and New Years season comes to a close, we ready ourselves for another semester of college. It's hard to believe only a semester has gone by. To me, it seems as if it were a full school year! (College is crazy stuff man...)

I, among others, are switching living quarters as well as roommates, so some extra stress comes from having to move and reorganize our belongings.

Not only that, but if you're like me, a freshman returning from having barely survived the first semester and has no idea what he's doing, you may just have a long, bumpy ride ahead of you. I'm already nervous about my new classes, not to mention the thought of doing worse this time around.

New rooms, new roommates, new classes and a new year. Each of these potentially causing new stresses. Among all the stress, however, we find small pleasures and have many distractions.

Something I need to constantly remind myself is that being able to go to college is a privilege. A glamorous privilege? No, at least that's what my experience in the schooling system has taught me. However, if we wish to go certain ways in life, there are often certain ways we must go about it. It's not always fun, nor glamorous or enjoyable, but it's tolerable. How? Because we have God.

Above all these certain ways, and requirements, ultimately, God has His plan for us as individuals set in motion. We set out upon this journey of faith believing God has us learning and experiencing what we are for reasons unknown to us. Rest assured, all that math you learned that has absolutely no real-world application (unless of course you're working on being a scientist or math teacher) has a purpose in God's plan. The fact of the matter is that God has much in store for us if we simply persevere. God has us go through things so that we may grow, that we come closer to being the people He needs us to be, who He is making us into even now.

So to all my fellow Christians and college students, I encourage you to never give up, and to always trust God.

Have a good semester everyone! God Bless!

Isaiah 40:31 (NIV)

³¹ but those who hope in the Lord
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.

Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.