Home.

It's so funny how you view things can change so quickly in just a few months.

At the beginning of the semester, there had been some tough things I was going through. Largely because of those things, despite the high that people might get when they go off to college, I was almost literally kicking and screaming the first few weeks of school. Why were things the way they were? Why did God even want me to go to JBU? Why did He have to make this so HARD? Why don't I feel like I belong there yet? Little did I realize that these things can't be rushed, and that I needed to be patient.

John Brown University was the school I wanted to go to, honestly. However, I was fighting with myself, telling myself that the other school would've been better. It was cheaper. I would be on my own in a way. I had family living moderately close to campus that I would almost never get to see otherwise. And a host of other reasons.

The first few weeks, I found friends, new and old, to spend some time with. But somehow, I managed to find myself mentally, socially, and emotionally isolated from them. Why? I still have no clue. Maybe it had something to do with what I had just gone through. Still, I had unconsciously, if not unintentionally, shut others out. I kept telling myself that I didn't belong there, that people didn't want to have anything to do with me, and that I was not worth getting to know.

By the grace of God, I got close to most of my closest friends at JBU all at once. Now that I look at it, I realized that I had met them almost all at once, as well. The first day of spirit week at JBU (Monday), somehow Robbie, Shane, Alisha, and I met up with each other in Walker Student Center. I remember it was PJ day, and we were all wearing PJ's (however, I was just wearing sweats with a hoodie). I had never gotten to spend very much time with any of them and hadn't gotten to know them that well either. We sat around a table talking, and then someone (I can't remember who) got the brilliant idea that we should all dress up for movie character day that Thursday. None of us had any ideas, so we all decided to make an almost last-minute Walmart run that night to look for costume ideas. We decided on being the Pevensie siblings, pre-Narnia. It was perfect.

That night, a deep friendship with each one of them was produced.

After that, we were all inseparable. About the same time that happened, DJ and Amanda joined in with us, and a few weeks later, so did Ariel. Nathan kinda snuck in there for the last few weeks of the semester. :) Of course I have made many other amazing friends besides them and hope to grow closer with each one of them like that (like Sean, Samara, Makayla, Erynn, Laura, Madison, and the ones I didn't name, that means you too!)

All of this to say, because of you guys, and by God's grace and patience with me, JBU has become my second home. I could have NEVER made it through my first semester of college without you guys. Not only do I feel like God brought you all to me, but I think He brought us all together, because we all needed each other. I have never felt so loved, and for the first time in years, I finally feel like I belong somewhere (besides with my family, of course). Not to sound cheesy or anything, but it's all true. To every one of you, please know that you are loved very much!!!

I still don't know why exactly I'm at JBU, but I sure am glad that God guided me here to this wonderful place. Thank You, Lord!