6 Months?!?!?

I honestly had no idea that it has been 6 months since I have posted on this blog!! WHOA! I am going to assume that at this point no one still reads this blog, haha, since apparently I don't either. I am still in shock, I can't believe that I went this long... sorry!!I will use the two most cliche (but also very true) excuses that I have been extremely busy and that even when I had down time, I could never really think of anything to say that is blog worthy. Actually, I still don't really have anything blog worthy to say, haha, but I felt like I should post something now so I can keep this thing going at least a little longer.

I guess I can quickly catch you up on the last few months.

I think the easiest way to update the summer is with my newsletter! So, here is my newsletter from August:



Between 5 VBS groups, hosting my own mission group, Reading Rocks, a 9 day mission training program with the teens, my 30 hour a week part time job and all the regular Cornerstone activities (Kids Club, God Squad, etc.), you can understand why I didn't have much time to write, can't you? Well, things didn't really slow down for me in the fall either!

In September I began my first semester of graduate school at Temple University. Yup, for some unknown reason (God) I decided to go back to school and try for my MSW (Masters in Social Work). I applied to Temple but wasn't accepted right away (something about having taken almost 0 liberal arts classes in college and them not being sure I could handle the work load of grad school... blah, blah, blah...). So, I signed up for 2 classes (both on Saturdays) in the fall and I needed to get at least a 3.0 to be considered for entrance to the MSW program.

Of course, along with my two new graduate school classes as well as still working my 30 hour a week part time job, I was also promoted to Children's Ministries Director at church! Crazy!!! With my new title does come increased responsibilities, though I am still working my way through those (I don't always like being in charge). So, for this fall I basically worked 50-60 hours a week, plus went to class for 6 hours every Saturday and had approximately 8-10 hours of homework to do each week (so many papers to write!). Again, see why I have been too busy to write??

I hope I don't sound like I am complaining, because I am definitely NOT! I have had a really awesome time this fall. I am LOVING my work at CASA, LOVING the kids at church, LOVING my classes (seriously, I do!) and I even got to go on another cruise in November!! (Okay, so the vacation wasn't exactly a high point, but more on that in another post). And to top it all off, I somehow (God) managed to get A's in BOTH of my graduate classes and finish the semester with a 4.0!!!! I won't find out until February whether or not I am accepted into the program, but I think it have a pretty good shot at it. :)

So, here we are; after 6 of the busiest months I have probably ever had, I am finally taking a few minutes to update my blog. Whew!

Okay, now that you have an update on the activities of the last half a year, here is the reality of where I am. Life hasn't been perfect over the last 6 months and I have experienced some significant struggle. As much as I have loved so much of what God has been doing, I have also battled through (and am still battling) serious depression, a lot of questions about myself and my faith, and even more questions about where my life is headed and what God's plans for my next steps are. I would even say that I have come very close to the edge of burn out and I'm working my way off that edge. (Before you make a comment on my schedule as the cause of my burn out, please remember that in September I started my 10th year as a single, full-time missionary in inner-city Philadelphia. I have been through a lot in that time while never, in all my 9 years here, being fully financially supported. Simply living here for 9 years is enough to drain you...).

Thankfully, God has been MORE than faithful, even in (especially in) my times of little to no faith. I have no stories of miraculous revelations, just six months of my roots growing deeper even as my leaves seem to wither. The light in my darkness has been very faint for a while now, but it has never disappeared. I know that doesn't sound awe inspiring to you, but it's all I have and exactly what I need.

So, there you have a VERY condensed version of the last 6 months for me. I am on break right now from school and from Cornerstone clubs, and my CASA work is slowing down for the holidays, so I may have some more time to write in the coming weeks. I make no promises once everything kicks back into full gear, however. I definitely want to write an update on my vacation soon; if for no other reason than to make sure I never forget the ridiculousness that was my "vacation", though "not so funny comedy of errors" might be a better description, haha.

Hopefully you will be hearing from me again soon!