FOCUS CONFERENCE!

Holy cow. i don't even know how to begin to explain this week except for the fact that if anyone out there does not believe in God, or has doubts...please find your way to this conference next time we have one. being surrounded by thousands of people your age...wanting, desiring, thirsting for the same thing you are. for God, for His love, His word, His entire being.

How beautiful is that?! How stinking incredible?!

I have been so blessed with this trip. God has given me more than I could have hoped for. I have learned so much more about Him, and the more I learn, the more I want to learn. I feel like this week has shown me that the most beautiful type of love is sacrificial love. and how fitting? seeing as God sacrificed His ONLY son, for us -- for our sins.

Jesus took on all that suffering. for us! so when we are asked to do the same, when we are given challenges in life, when we are asked to give of ourselves when we do not want to...those are the moments when we need to pick up our cross and walk. because it is the most beautiful kind of love out there. when we can physically give up ourselves for the well-being of another. i feel so blessed. God was so present at this Conference....He was working through and in the hearts of so many, and I know they are forever changed. I love being a witness to this, seeing hearts and minds and most importantly SOULS change right before my eyes?!

this was so much more than a conference to me....i'm just still amazed and in awe of God's constant presence and work in the lives of everyone around me.

the theme of this Conference was "made for more" -- and what a necessary reminder for college students?! i know i for one get so discouraged, so let down, so defeated. there are constant outlets in our society today that tell us we are not good enough. we need to do this better, or change who we are to get what we want. but that is not true. God created us for GREATNESS. and as long as we stay on the path He has provided for us, we will achieve that greatness. no matter how far we think we are, no matter where we are, God is bigger than it all. He is bigger than anything we can imagine. even if you think that you are not worthy of His love (which none of us really are) -God loves us anyway- no sin is too big in His eyes.

Just think, if God stopped thinking about us for ONE SECOND we'd cease to exist. why do we worry about anything when our lives our in such huge, gentle, loving, hands? we have nothing to fear. nothing to worry about.

I feel so thankful for this week. I feel so thankful for God, for the missionaries, for the students that said yes to this week, and for everyone who made it possible for me to get to Florida for this life-changing experience.

ALSO!!! Super exciting: i finally got to meet up with EMILY! from show me Your way i was so excited for us to meet IRL! she is such a beautiful sister in Christ, and I am so excited to see all the work that God does through her and in her. i can already see it happening. she's such a sweetheart! :) Emily - we definitely need to visit each other sooooooon!

"I have come that they might have life; and that they might have it to the FULLEST."
-John 10:10

i just want to go tell the world about everything i learned this week. :)