i blinked and the first semester of grad school is almost over. it went nowhere close to the way i thought it would go, but the peace, love and faithfulness of jesus has overwhelmed me every day since i moved into my little home here in san antonio.
lesson #1: it's okay to not know.
i started the semester with a stupid amount of self-induced pressure on my shoulders to be "good" at grad school. wake up early, spend time with jesus, drink my coffee, make my bed, look presentable, go to class, ask great questions, do homework all afternoon, then have the rest of the night to myself. sounds ideal, doesn't it? life never goes the way you plan it.
instead, i started the semester that way, then realized that everyone in my class seemed to be a lot smarter than me. they understood concepts that i was still having a hard time grasping. i was insecure because i possess strengths that didn't seem to be applicable to the traditional world of healthcare administration. why should anyone care that i'm empathetic, harmonious, a developer or love to connect with people? they can comprehend financial statements, understand payer mixes, and ace their statistics exams.
it turns out that when you're vulnerable and open with people, you discover that people "don't know" things just like you "don't know" things. when that happens, it becomes easier to trade knowledge with each other and work together to make one another better. if you don't know the answer to something, find somebody who does. learn. grow. do things. make mistakes. don't be afraid to fail. the only way you'll ever wind up learning is by doing these things.
lesson #2: hold your plans lightly in your hands.
it is okay to wrestle with, cry to, shout at and question jesus. it doesn't change the fact that he loves you more than you could ever imagine, and that all he has in store for your life is good. pain is an invitation to draw close to him. let him love on you... let him heal you. then pick yourself up, set your eyes on things above and walk in freedom. his plans far outweigh what we could conjure up for ourselves.
lesson #3: surrender leads to joy.
the more i want what jesus wants, the more my desires will come into alignment with his. every day this semester, i have had to surrender something. it hurts, it's hard, and at the same time it is the most freeing thing in the world. trusting that jesus loves me and remembering that he has never ever ever once been anything other than faithful allows me to follow him in joyful anticipation for what my future holds. and speaking of which, the future doesn't have to be scary. hallelujah!
lesson #4: people are fascinating.
i have loved getting to know everyone in my class. we are all united by the fact that we want to ultimately make a difference in the healthcare industry, but at the same time we are so different. we have different interests within the field. our upbringings were all different, we studied different things, we hold different religious and political views, some of us are married, some of us are dating, some of us are single. none of this changes the fact that we are all human beings who are deeply loved and are worthy of respect. everyone has a story. life is hard and it is messy, but when i take my eyes off of myself and focus
on jesus and the people that he has placed around me, it puts everything
in perspective.
lesson 5: discomfort is beautiful.
the words that are defining this season for me are "refinement" and "hope". despite uncertainties, newness and transitions, i can trust that i am not alone and that joy can be found in every circumstance. "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 a hope and a future."
Wednesday, November 9, 2016
Tuesday, July 26, 2016
Hospitals: a Place of Miracles
People often think of miracles as being supernatural events where no human could possibly be involved. People also think that the miracle of modern medicine is exclusive from these supernatural events, such as Jesus healing the blind or cleansing the leper with the sound of His voice.
Today I spent time in the trenches of the hospital and got to see things I never thought I would get to see. I watched a cardiologist perform two heart cath procedures where he so tediously threaded a catheter into people's hearts to ensure that the organ that keeps their blood pumping and bodies alive was working properly, and if there was a problem then he could do something to help heal that person. I also watched as an electrophysiologist performed an a-fibrillation procedure where a man's heartbeat was restored to its regular rhythm after dealing with a very irregular heartbeat.
I have always believed that God can perform miracles, but I always thought of them in the context of the Bible where Jesus would touch a person or say a word and that person would be immediately healed. But since Jesus is not here in the form of a man, and he still performs miracles today, then so often He will use His people to work through in order to heal people. He can use any method He pleases to perform his miracles, and there is no place I have seen this truth more clearly than in the hospital.
God has gifted each of us with unique abilities and skills and passions, as well as means by which we can heal people in both our professional and personal lives as well. It doesn't matter if it's a nurse, physician, surgeon, or administrator... All of these employees are reflections of the Great Physician.
What really amazed me was the sweet reminder that Jesus gave me when I was walking through the shock/trauma ICU this afternoon. I was incredibly nervous to walk over there-- what would I see? Hear? Smell? I've seen almost every Grey's Anatomy episode ever made and could stomach that for the most part, but I had convinced myself that I couldn't deal with the stereotypical hospital/sick person smell, and don't even think about asking me to deal with blood and body fluids. It was just too much for me. But as He so often seems to do, Jesus so kindly, gently and patiently reminded me that not once has he ever backed away from me in my human state, in my sickness, or at any time that I reek of anything other than what flows directly from His spirit living inside of me. Each and every day, He presses in to me and cares for me, provides for me and loves me. How could I possibly tell myself that it was okay to just "hold my breath and look away" when I encountered a patient that looks deformed or smells bad?
So I will continue to press in. Even though I am not healing patients at the bedside, I want to press in to every person I encounter-- coworkers, patients, families and friends-- because Jesus has pressed in to me, loves me and has healed me.
Today I spent time in the trenches of the hospital and got to see things I never thought I would get to see. I watched a cardiologist perform two heart cath procedures where he so tediously threaded a catheter into people's hearts to ensure that the organ that keeps their blood pumping and bodies alive was working properly, and if there was a problem then he could do something to help heal that person. I also watched as an electrophysiologist performed an a-fibrillation procedure where a man's heartbeat was restored to its regular rhythm after dealing with a very irregular heartbeat.
I have always believed that God can perform miracles, but I always thought of them in the context of the Bible where Jesus would touch a person or say a word and that person would be immediately healed. But since Jesus is not here in the form of a man, and he still performs miracles today, then so often He will use His people to work through in order to heal people. He can use any method He pleases to perform his miracles, and there is no place I have seen this truth more clearly than in the hospital.
God has gifted each of us with unique abilities and skills and passions, as well as means by which we can heal people in both our professional and personal lives as well. It doesn't matter if it's a nurse, physician, surgeon, or administrator... All of these employees are reflections of the Great Physician.
What really amazed me was the sweet reminder that Jesus gave me when I was walking through the shock/trauma ICU this afternoon. I was incredibly nervous to walk over there-- what would I see? Hear? Smell? I've seen almost every Grey's Anatomy episode ever made and could stomach that for the most part, but I had convinced myself that I couldn't deal with the stereotypical hospital/sick person smell, and don't even think about asking me to deal with blood and body fluids. It was just too much for me. But as He so often seems to do, Jesus so kindly, gently and patiently reminded me that not once has he ever backed away from me in my human state, in my sickness, or at any time that I reek of anything other than what flows directly from His spirit living inside of me. Each and every day, He presses in to me and cares for me, provides for me and loves me. How could I possibly tell myself that it was okay to just "hold my breath and look away" when I encountered a patient that looks deformed or smells bad?
So I will continue to press in. Even though I am not healing patients at the bedside, I want to press in to every person I encounter-- coworkers, patients, families and friends-- because Jesus has pressed in to me, loves me and has healed me.
Sunday, August 23, 2015
dear freshman girl: advice from a sentimental senior
dear freshman girl,
tomorrow is your very first day of college classes, and if you're like i was the night before then you're pretty nervous about making sure you get it all right... not walking into the wrong class, making sure you show up on time, making sure you don't come off as TOO much of a freshman.
from a senior's perspective, here's some advice that i wish someone had told me when i was in your shoes:
it's okay to miss your parents. all those pretty, fun, outgoing girls you see in your dorm that seem to not have a care in the world? i promise-- they're missing their parents as much as you are. speaking of parents, they're your biggest fans. they're in your corner. they're your people! (try to) include them in what's happening in your new life. :)
lean into the loneliness. you know that gross, uncomfortable feeling that's making you want to run as fast as you can back to everything you knew at home? embrace it. be all here. all of this is just helping you form into the person God created you to be. i promise, the loneliness doesn't last forever! it takes time to find friends as good as you had in high school. you had four years to form those relationships. don't freak out because you haven't made them by the end of the first weekend! before you know it, you'll be friends with people you absolutely adore, and you'll have no idea how you lived 18 years without them. hang on to those people.
don't be worried about everyone else. it is so easy as girls to become insecure. so what if susie in collins 302 has perfect teeth, bright blue eyes and a magnetic personality? the biggest lesson i've learned in college is just because someone else has something we wish we had, doesn't mean we have to subtract something from ourselves. nothing good ever comes from comparing yourself to others. this is the time to figure out who you are, what your passions are and what kind of person you want to be. speaking of insecurity...
instagram isn't real life. no one ever posts an ugly picture of themselves on social media. i'm a big fan of artsy photos with deep and profound song lyrics and/or quotes. i've had to gut check myself about my motivations for posting photos. but don't let that picture of the girls on your hall having tons of fun at a party give you FOMO or the insta of your best friend's perfectly arranged picture of her bible, journal and coffee cup at common grounds make you think less of yourself. because that's the enemy trying to plant lies about your self-worth in your head.
your faith will probably be tested. if not by other people, then you yourself will start to have questions. if you were raised in a christian home, then you know how easy it is to have "your parents' faith". now is the time to make your faith your own. there's never been a time when God has flipped me around more than college. he loves you more than you can imagine, and he's better than any other thing you think could bring you fulfillment. i hope that you experience him in powerful ways over the next four years, because there is nothing sweeter than seeing the evidence that God is right there with you, walking you through everything you could possibly experience in college!
find a church or campus ministry to get involved in. i church hopped my first two years of college and couldn't find a place to settle, but once i did, it made ALL the difference. my church is one of my safe places. i absolutely love it. join a small group. these people will sharpen you, encourage you and push you to be everything God has called you to be.
go to class. need i say more? don't let the professor who doesn't take attendance trick you into thinking you don't need to be there. if you don't go to class, you're going to end up at home because i highly doubt your parents are going to want to continue to pay baylor tuition if you're failing your classes due to a lack of trying. trust me, those conversations are not fun.
finally, have fun. these are some of the best years of your life. meet people-- there is something to learn from every single person you encounter. take a road trip to dallas or austin with your roommates. go watch the sunset from the top of a parking garage. take naps. order pizza late at night while you're watching a movie with your friends. roll down the windows in the car and sing really loudly. ask to hang out with that older girl that seems cool. who knows? she might end up being a mentor to you.
i would go back and do college again, with all of its ups and downs, in a heartbeat. it goes by way too fast so please don't wish away these days!
love, a very sentimental senior
tomorrow is your very first day of college classes, and if you're like i was the night before then you're pretty nervous about making sure you get it all right... not walking into the wrong class, making sure you show up on time, making sure you don't come off as TOO much of a freshman.
from a senior's perspective, here's some advice that i wish someone had told me when i was in your shoes:
it's okay to miss your parents. all those pretty, fun, outgoing girls you see in your dorm that seem to not have a care in the world? i promise-- they're missing their parents as much as you are. speaking of parents, they're your biggest fans. they're in your corner. they're your people! (try to) include them in what's happening in your new life. :)
lean into the loneliness. you know that gross, uncomfortable feeling that's making you want to run as fast as you can back to everything you knew at home? embrace it. be all here. all of this is just helping you form into the person God created you to be. i promise, the loneliness doesn't last forever! it takes time to find friends as good as you had in high school. you had four years to form those relationships. don't freak out because you haven't made them by the end of the first weekend! before you know it, you'll be friends with people you absolutely adore, and you'll have no idea how you lived 18 years without them. hang on to those people.
don't be worried about everyone else. it is so easy as girls to become insecure. so what if susie in collins 302 has perfect teeth, bright blue eyes and a magnetic personality? the biggest lesson i've learned in college is just because someone else has something we wish we had, doesn't mean we have to subtract something from ourselves. nothing good ever comes from comparing yourself to others. this is the time to figure out who you are, what your passions are and what kind of person you want to be. speaking of insecurity...
instagram isn't real life. no one ever posts an ugly picture of themselves on social media. i'm a big fan of artsy photos with deep and profound song lyrics and/or quotes. i've had to gut check myself about my motivations for posting photos. but don't let that picture of the girls on your hall having tons of fun at a party give you FOMO or the insta of your best friend's perfectly arranged picture of her bible, journal and coffee cup at common grounds make you think less of yourself. because that's the enemy trying to plant lies about your self-worth in your head.
your faith will probably be tested. if not by other people, then you yourself will start to have questions. if you were raised in a christian home, then you know how easy it is to have "your parents' faith". now is the time to make your faith your own. there's never been a time when God has flipped me around more than college. he loves you more than you can imagine, and he's better than any other thing you think could bring you fulfillment. i hope that you experience him in powerful ways over the next four years, because there is nothing sweeter than seeing the evidence that God is right there with you, walking you through everything you could possibly experience in college!
find a church or campus ministry to get involved in. i church hopped my first two years of college and couldn't find a place to settle, but once i did, it made ALL the difference. my church is one of my safe places. i absolutely love it. join a small group. these people will sharpen you, encourage you and push you to be everything God has called you to be.
go to class. need i say more? don't let the professor who doesn't take attendance trick you into thinking you don't need to be there. if you don't go to class, you're going to end up at home because i highly doubt your parents are going to want to continue to pay baylor tuition if you're failing your classes due to a lack of trying. trust me, those conversations are not fun.
finally, have fun. these are some of the best years of your life. meet people-- there is something to learn from every single person you encounter. take a road trip to dallas or austin with your roommates. go watch the sunset from the top of a parking garage. take naps. order pizza late at night while you're watching a movie with your friends. roll down the windows in the car and sing really loudly. ask to hang out with that older girl that seems cool. who knows? she might end up being a mentor to you.
i would go back and do college again, with all of its ups and downs, in a heartbeat. it goes by way too fast so please don't wish away these days!
love, a very sentimental senior
Tuesday, March 31, 2015
start dreamin' big, people
i'm in a class this semester on career management. it's really very insightful- i initially registered for it because my advisor told me that it is a GPA booster (there aren't enough of those in the business school) and that i would probably find it pretty interesting. i unassumingly signed up for it, not knowing what i was going to get myself in to.
my professor is a cool guy- former baylor football player, funny and hard of hearing, like myself (the hard of hearing part.. ha). he has recently been asking us if we know what we want to do post-college and talking to us about what we would do if we could do anything in the world. it's gotten the wheels in my head turning without a doubt. for as long as i've been at baylor, the path after college has been pretty clear. i never gave much thought to doing anything other than getting my degree in HR and then going to get my masters of health care administration and hopefully work in a children's hospital in texas. i'm passionate about people, i love the idea of how rewarding being in the health care industry is, the job is secure and it pays well. sounds like a good gig to me.
it wasn't until recently that i came to the realization that there is not just one perfect job for me. i just figured that my current degree plan was the result of a bunch of little decisions i made that were now adding up: i applied to baylor as a business major, i got in, i registered for those business classes, i decided that accounting/finance/economics/management sounded awful (sorry to all of my accounting/econ/management professors- you're all lovely people but i think you'd be the first to tell me that i shouldn't pursue those fields) and so now i find myself looking at human resources, the most people-oriented major in the business school.
is there one option that is better for me than another? certainly so.. but is there a right option? that i'm not so sure of. over the past month, i've had random people who all mean a great deal to me, but don't know each other mention that they see creativity in me. that makes sense- ever since i was a little girl, i've been drawing and taking pictures of people and writing. my mind has always drifted to the romantic, the idealistic, the dreamy. truthfully, i've never considered those things as a career option... but why?
that now puts me at a place of thinking about what it is that i want to do with my life. i want to do something that i love, but more than that, i want to do the thing that will bring God the most glory possible by utilizing the gifts that he has given specifically to me. whether that's in a hospital or in front of a canvas or behind a camera or something else i'm completely unaware of at this time will be fun to watch unfold. because He always has something fun up His sleeve.
please don't ignore the dreams you have and the things you want to do that you're not sure are realistic. emily p. freeman, author of 'a million little ways', pushes her readers to think about why it is that we so often assume that pursuing the things that we want to pursue can only be done at the expense of our responsibilities. really though- what if we each desire to do certain things because God created us a certain way- not to make us miserable or tease us while we do something we hate, but to actually mold us into becoming more like him, for his glory and for the benefit of others? what if the thing that we most long for, those things that we can't stop thinking about or keep wishing we could do, is the thing we were actually made for and are being equipped to do?
"the Shepherd laughed too. 'I love doing preposterous things,' He replied. 'why, I don't know anything more exhilarating and delightful than turning weakness into strength, and fear into faith, and that which has been marred into perfection.. that is my special work,' He added with the light of a great joy in his face. 'transforming things- to take Much-Afraid, for instance, and to transform her into-" He broke off and then went on laughingly. 'well, we shall see later on what she finds herself transformed into." -hinds' feet on high places
my professor is a cool guy- former baylor football player, funny and hard of hearing, like myself (the hard of hearing part.. ha). he has recently been asking us if we know what we want to do post-college and talking to us about what we would do if we could do anything in the world. it's gotten the wheels in my head turning without a doubt. for as long as i've been at baylor, the path after college has been pretty clear. i never gave much thought to doing anything other than getting my degree in HR and then going to get my masters of health care administration and hopefully work in a children's hospital in texas. i'm passionate about people, i love the idea of how rewarding being in the health care industry is, the job is secure and it pays well. sounds like a good gig to me.
it wasn't until recently that i came to the realization that there is not just one perfect job for me. i just figured that my current degree plan was the result of a bunch of little decisions i made that were now adding up: i applied to baylor as a business major, i got in, i registered for those business classes, i decided that accounting/finance/economics/management sounded awful (sorry to all of my accounting/econ/management professors- you're all lovely people but i think you'd be the first to tell me that i shouldn't pursue those fields) and so now i find myself looking at human resources, the most people-oriented major in the business school.
is there one option that is better for me than another? certainly so.. but is there a right option? that i'm not so sure of. over the past month, i've had random people who all mean a great deal to me, but don't know each other mention that they see creativity in me. that makes sense- ever since i was a little girl, i've been drawing and taking pictures of people and writing. my mind has always drifted to the romantic, the idealistic, the dreamy. truthfully, i've never considered those things as a career option... but why?
that now puts me at a place of thinking about what it is that i want to do with my life. i want to do something that i love, but more than that, i want to do the thing that will bring God the most glory possible by utilizing the gifts that he has given specifically to me. whether that's in a hospital or in front of a canvas or behind a camera or something else i'm completely unaware of at this time will be fun to watch unfold. because He always has something fun up His sleeve.
please don't ignore the dreams you have and the things you want to do that you're not sure are realistic. emily p. freeman, author of 'a million little ways', pushes her readers to think about why it is that we so often assume that pursuing the things that we want to pursue can only be done at the expense of our responsibilities. really though- what if we each desire to do certain things because God created us a certain way- not to make us miserable or tease us while we do something we hate, but to actually mold us into becoming more like him, for his glory and for the benefit of others? what if the thing that we most long for, those things that we can't stop thinking about or keep wishing we could do, is the thing we were actually made for and are being equipped to do?
"the Shepherd laughed too. 'I love doing preposterous things,' He replied. 'why, I don't know anything more exhilarating and delightful than turning weakness into strength, and fear into faith, and that which has been marred into perfection.. that is my special work,' He added with the light of a great joy in his face. 'transforming things- to take Much-Afraid, for instance, and to transform her into-" He broke off and then went on laughingly. 'well, we shall see later on what she finds herself transformed into." -hinds' feet on high places
Tuesday, February 17, 2015
no longer a slave to fear
if i can be straight up, fear is something that i struggle with on a daily basis. fear of the unknown, fear of sickness, fear of poor performance, fear of missing out on things... fear is rampant in our culture and is a reminder that we live in a fallen world and that things aren't exactly as they should be.
i know i'm not the only person that is fearful of things, but sometimes it can feel as though i'm the only one. fear is a part of human nature, but i'm (slowly) learning that it's how i deal with my fears that determines how i live my life.
the pastor at my church gave a sermon on fear a couple of weeks ago and he made some incredible points on the topic of fear:
1. first and most importantly, fear is NOT FROM GOD. you can rest assured that God DOES NOT SPEAK TO YOU THROUGH FEAR, but through promise: "for though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. the weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. on the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. we demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." (2 corinthians 10:3-5). the same power that raised Christ from the dead lives inside of me; He who lives in me is greater than he who is in the world.
taking every thought captive is incredibly difficult for me to do. the thoughts of fear creep in and before i know it, they've infested my mind and i've come up with the worst possible scenario. it's something that is definitely a work in progress.
2. i am fearful when Christ is not central in my life. i find that when i am at my most fearful, it's because i haven't been spending as much time with Him as i should be. by saturating my mind with Jesus and memorizing scripture and rejecting fearful thoughts, i can prevent a lot of worry from invading my mind.
3. fear is meant by the enemy to immobilize us. satan's job is to do whatever he can to keep us inactive and destroy our relationship with God. he uses confusion to paralyze our emotions and if left unchecked, fear can literally make us sick. i'm learning how to reject fear by reciting scripture.. "God is not the author of confusion but of peace." the great thing is is that satan isn't creative. he's actually pretty dumb. my pastor told us that to the degree that we feel fear, we should beat it with double the amount of prayer. (that's a lot of prayer for me..)
i was talking to my parents yesterday about fear and they reminded me that you can't sweep fear under the rug. you have to face your fears head on and you have to replace it with Christ and his promises.. and you definitely shouldn't dwell on future problems that may or may not ever happen. are they wise or what?
i know i'm not the only person that is fearful of things, but sometimes it can feel as though i'm the only one. fear is a part of human nature, but i'm (slowly) learning that it's how i deal with my fears that determines how i live my life.
the pastor at my church gave a sermon on fear a couple of weeks ago and he made some incredible points on the topic of fear:
1. first and most importantly, fear is NOT FROM GOD. you can rest assured that God DOES NOT SPEAK TO YOU THROUGH FEAR, but through promise: "for though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. the weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. on the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. we demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." (2 corinthians 10:3-5). the same power that raised Christ from the dead lives inside of me; He who lives in me is greater than he who is in the world.
taking every thought captive is incredibly difficult for me to do. the thoughts of fear creep in and before i know it, they've infested my mind and i've come up with the worst possible scenario. it's something that is definitely a work in progress.
2. i am fearful when Christ is not central in my life. i find that when i am at my most fearful, it's because i haven't been spending as much time with Him as i should be. by saturating my mind with Jesus and memorizing scripture and rejecting fearful thoughts, i can prevent a lot of worry from invading my mind.
3. fear is meant by the enemy to immobilize us. satan's job is to do whatever he can to keep us inactive and destroy our relationship with God. he uses confusion to paralyze our emotions and if left unchecked, fear can literally make us sick. i'm learning how to reject fear by reciting scripture.. "God is not the author of confusion but of peace." the great thing is is that satan isn't creative. he's actually pretty dumb. my pastor told us that to the degree that we feel fear, we should beat it with double the amount of prayer. (that's a lot of prayer for me..)
i was talking to my parents yesterday about fear and they reminded me that you can't sweep fear under the rug. you have to face your fears head on and you have to replace it with Christ and his promises.. and you definitely shouldn't dwell on future problems that may or may not ever happen. are they wise or what?
"you will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are fixed on you..." isaiah 26:3
"for God has not given us a spirit of fear; but of power, love and of a sound mind." 2 timothy 1:7
"do not fear, for i am with you; do not be dismayed, for i am your God. i will strengthen you and help you; i will uphold you with my righteous right hand." isaiah 41:10
"now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way." 2 thessalonians 3:16
Friday, December 19, 2014
Choosing Tri Delta
I love that God's hand of provision is over whatever we do and wherever we go. I have been reflecting on this semester over the past few days, thanking Him for all of the friendships He's continued to strengthen and the new relationships that have been forged. Now that I've had some time to slow down and process some of what He was up to, I'm already excited about what next semester has in store, starting with recruitment.
These are the girls that I've grown to love, the girls that I spend my weekends with and the girls I eat way too much Torchy's queso with. They are my prayer warriors, my home team, my middle-of-the-night, no-matter-what people. I didn't have the opportunity to go through recruitment at Baylor, and that is what makes being a Baylor Tri Delta all the more remarkable. These women are an answer to months of prayer-- they will never have any idea how refreshing and reassuring their placement in my life has been (although I hope to try and let them know)!
When you think about it, the sorority that you join becomes a lot of who you are in your 4 years at Baylor. You want to make sure to pick a group of girls that will help you grow into the best version of yourself. When I was going through recruitment, my mom told me it was like when you're starting to date a boy: "When it's right, you just know it." When it came to pref night, I just knew. I made my choice and walked out of the voting room confident that I had made the right decision.
So why pick Tri Delta, you ask? Where do I even begin?
First of all, I love what we stand for. The very beginnings of Tri Delta were founded on the idea of being a society that is "kind alike to all members and think of a woman's inner self rather than her personal appearance." In a world full of negative stereotypes about sororities, it's nice to remember that the foundation of this group that I associate myself with has its roots in something deeper than the physical.
The members of this chapter are undoubtedly some of the best people I've ever met. The very first time I hung out with them, I could tell that this was what college was supposed to be about. They are quick to take an interest in you, hear your story and ask you questions. They are genuinely kind people. They love others so well.
I also love Tri Delta's commitment to St. Jude. It's the thing that links all Tri Delta chapters together. Every single member has a personal reason why they love that hospital and it's inspiring to listen to how passionate they are about it. And with good reason: Tri Delta as a whole is currently in the middle of raising $60 million in 10 years for the children of St. Jude to open Tri Delta Place, a short-term housing facility for the families of patients undergoing treatment. Families never have to pay a dime whenever their kids are receiving treatment, and that includes their housing. Baylor's chapter raised over $100,000 last year, and we're so proud to serve St. Jude by doing our part to keep the doors open for another day.
Social events, football games and Sing have formed some of my favorite Baylor memories. We've had a Gatsby themed semi-formal, a glow in the dark themed semi, formals, a Boots and Bowties themed take a date, Country Christmas and a date dash to Cameron Park Zoo. We had Tri Delts all over the TV during College GameDay and I rushed the field with a bunch of my friends after we beat TCU. And we placed 2nd in Sing this year! It's been the best year and a half and I can't wait for the next year and a half.
If you can't tell already, I love these people and this sorority with all of my heart. They are hilarious, caring, fun women who are truly a reflection of Jesus' love. If you're a freshman reading this, I hope you will come to love Tri Delta as much as we do! We can't wait to meet all of you in a couple of weeks.
These are the girls that I've grown to love, the girls that I spend my weekends with and the girls I eat way too much Torchy's queso with. They are my prayer warriors, my home team, my middle-of-the-night, no-matter-what people. I didn't have the opportunity to go through recruitment at Baylor, and that is what makes being a Baylor Tri Delta all the more remarkable. These women are an answer to months of prayer-- they will never have any idea how refreshing and reassuring their placement in my life has been (although I hope to try and let them know)!
When you think about it, the sorority that you join becomes a lot of who you are in your 4 years at Baylor. You want to make sure to pick a group of girls that will help you grow into the best version of yourself. When I was going through recruitment, my mom told me it was like when you're starting to date a boy: "When it's right, you just know it." When it came to pref night, I just knew. I made my choice and walked out of the voting room confident that I had made the right decision.
So why pick Tri Delta, you ask? Where do I even begin?
First of all, I love what we stand for. The very beginnings of Tri Delta were founded on the idea of being a society that is "kind alike to all members and think of a woman's inner self rather than her personal appearance." In a world full of negative stereotypes about sororities, it's nice to remember that the foundation of this group that I associate myself with has its roots in something deeper than the physical.
The members of this chapter are undoubtedly some of the best people I've ever met. The very first time I hung out with them, I could tell that this was what college was supposed to be about. They are quick to take an interest in you, hear your story and ask you questions. They are genuinely kind people. They love others so well.
I also love Tri Delta's commitment to St. Jude. It's the thing that links all Tri Delta chapters together. Every single member has a personal reason why they love that hospital and it's inspiring to listen to how passionate they are about it. And with good reason: Tri Delta as a whole is currently in the middle of raising $60 million in 10 years for the children of St. Jude to open Tri Delta Place, a short-term housing facility for the families of patients undergoing treatment. Families never have to pay a dime whenever their kids are receiving treatment, and that includes their housing. Baylor's chapter raised over $100,000 last year, and we're so proud to serve St. Jude by doing our part to keep the doors open for another day.
Social events, football games and Sing have formed some of my favorite Baylor memories. We've had a Gatsby themed semi-formal, a glow in the dark themed semi, formals, a Boots and Bowties themed take a date, Country Christmas and a date dash to Cameron Park Zoo. We had Tri Delts all over the TV during College GameDay and I rushed the field with a bunch of my friends after we beat TCU. And we placed 2nd in Sing this year! It's been the best year and a half and I can't wait for the next year and a half.
If you can't tell already, I love these people and this sorority with all of my heart. They are hilarious, caring, fun women who are truly a reflection of Jesus' love. If you're a freshman reading this, I hope you will come to love Tri Delta as much as we do! We can't wait to meet all of you in a couple of weeks.
“Everybody has a home team: It’s the people you call when you get a flat
tire or when something terrible happens. It’s the people who, near or
far, know everything that’s wrong with you and love you anyways. These
are the ones who tell you their secrets, who get themselves a glass of
water without asking when they’re at your house. These are the people
who cry when you cry. These are your people, your middle-of-the-night,
no-matter-what people.” -Shauna Niequist
Friday, May 9, 2014
immeasurably, immeasurably more
monday is my last day of sophomore year. where did the time go? i feel like it was just yesterday that i was driving from nashville to waco completely unsure of what was ahead of me for the next 9 months. Jesus had a lot of surprises in store & lots of lessons to teach me! i'm freaking out as i think about being halfway done with college.
adventuring has become one of my hobbies this year. it makes life exciting! at the end of the day, it's not the countless hours that i spent in the library that i'll remember-- it's the little, out of the ordinary things-- the concerts, the weekends spent with friends, the football games, the lunch dates that turned into hour-long conversations-- that made this year as wonderful as it was.
"forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, i press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." philippians 3:13-14
upon arriving at here, i was bombarded with
a LOT of new faces that i quickly grew to love. from people i met
around campus, to new tri delta's i met by the dozens, to professors and
roommates, these people have been
consistent in loving me as Christ loves. they love without condition;
they live with the overflow of the holy spirit in them. it has been inspiring to
watch as i've learned what it means to love others the same way.
on a more serious note, i realized that i worship my schedule. i glorify busyness. just when i thought that there was no way that Jesus could strip me of my pride any more than he had my freshman year at ole miss, He found another way to pull it off... and even though i'm suffering the consequences now, i am glad He did :) i naively over-committed myself in my classes, participated in sing, held an officer position in tri delta and tried to have a social life and let me tell ya... it doesn't work if you're trying to make it on your own.
i thought that i could handle financial accounting, microeconomics and quantitative business analysis by my own strength. YEAH RIGHT. i've never been a straight-A student, but i've certainly found a significant amount of security in my grades. the Lord was faithful to humble me. i came to the realization last week as i was writing a paper for one of my classes that i am a slave to my schedule, and this will never carry me far as a Christ follower. psalm 46:10 says to be still and know that He is God. rarely do i take the time to simply rest in His presence and be reminded of His love and peace that passes all understanding. it is way too easy to get wrapped up in my own little world and rely on my own sufficiency to accomplish my tasks. there is an enormous amount of pressure placed on us as college students to get good grades, know what we're doing with our lives and know the steps we need to take to get to where we want to be. consequently, it causes me to picture my life five, ten or even fifteen years down the road: where will i be living? what will my job be? what will my position be within that job? what will my salary be? will i be married, and will i still be friends with the people i'm friends with now? then i have to stop and remind myself that this is not where my identity lies. my identity is in Christ and who He says i am. i am not what my GPA says, and i am not what my future job title says. i won't wake up and have my problems of being too self-sufficient and too fearful of the future solved overnight. it will probably always be something that is a struggle to surrender, but by His grace, little by little, He will mold me into someone who mirrors Himself. i am so excited to return to baylor in august for another year of immeasurably more.
i thought that i could handle financial accounting, microeconomics and quantitative business analysis by my own strength. YEAH RIGHT. i've never been a straight-A student, but i've certainly found a significant amount of security in my grades. the Lord was faithful to humble me. i came to the realization last week as i was writing a paper for one of my classes that i am a slave to my schedule, and this will never carry me far as a Christ follower. psalm 46:10 says to be still and know that He is God. rarely do i take the time to simply rest in His presence and be reminded of His love and peace that passes all understanding. it is way too easy to get wrapped up in my own little world and rely on my own sufficiency to accomplish my tasks. there is an enormous amount of pressure placed on us as college students to get good grades, know what we're doing with our lives and know the steps we need to take to get to where we want to be. consequently, it causes me to picture my life five, ten or even fifteen years down the road: where will i be living? what will my job be? what will my position be within that job? what will my salary be? will i be married, and will i still be friends with the people i'm friends with now? then i have to stop and remind myself that this is not where my identity lies. my identity is in Christ and who He says i am. i am not what my GPA says, and i am not what my future job title says. i won't wake up and have my problems of being too self-sufficient and too fearful of the future solved overnight. it will probably always be something that is a struggle to surrender, but by His grace, little by little, He will mold me into someone who mirrors Himself. i am so excited to return to baylor in august for another year of immeasurably more.
"great is thy faithfulness! morning by morning new mercies i see. ALL i have needed thy hands have provided-- great is thy faithfulness, lord, unto me!"
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