This weekend was a hard one! I am now officially mentally and emotionally drained and the week hasn’t even begun. Lord give me the strength to make through the week. It is always hard to start a week off so drained. A word of advice, try your very best to at least Sunday night get a good night’s sleep and feel farley prepared for the coming week. I have found that if you start feeling tired and behind you won’t be able to catch up the entire week. I hope you guys had great weeks, just wanted to remind you guys to let me know if you have any questions about Covenant. I would love to help with anything you might be interested in learning about Covenant.

Covenant requires students to have a cross-cultural experience before he or she graduates. This can look several different ways. You can go on a short-term mission trip. Many students go on the mission trips that Covenant organizes during Spring Break. They’re called Break on Impact trips and they send teams to places such as Berlin, Germany; Brussels, Belgium; Huanta, Peru; Madrid, Spain; Mexico City, Mexico; and Yakama Indian Reservation. 

Some people do internships or research practicums with their chosen major. Covenant’s Chalmers Center has community development learning labs in the Dominican Republic and the Philippines.

Lastly, some students chose to study abroad. I have had several friends who have done this and loved the experience. One of my friends studied in Israel last semester and another friend is studying in Southern Africa. I love getting update emails from them! Covenant has teamed up with the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities in Nizhni Novgorod, Russia; Oxford, England; Xiamen, China; Cairo, Egypt; San Jose, Costa Rica and many more to make it an easier process for you to study abroad.

I thought it would be interesting to include an email from my friend who studied in Israel last semester. This is just a glimpse of the type of experience you get by studying abroad.

Dear friends.
Life here in Israel is non other then amazing. Though I wish to return back and be on the mountain with everyone, I’m not going to lie, this has been great. There’s so much to tell about what’s been going on here in the Israel life and about the school and classes and the culture. It’s like a new world but not at the same time. I know that’s a contradiction in itself but you I know what I mean. I’ve learned so much since I’ve been here that it’s amazing to think that I was ever hesitant on coming out here. The people are amazing out here. My teachers are so great, hard, but great at what they know and how they teach. I wish we had a few of them at Covenant to teach some of the classes they have here. One of my professors is only 25years old and is teaching a life of Christ class and also working on his doctric. His name is Abner Chou. Most brilliant man I’ve met so far in college. He knows so much yet he’s so humble in how he presents his knowledge and wisdom to others.
Events: Well I have just returned from a week in Galilee. It’s way too much to put into this letter but as a summary we basically went everywhere that Jesus taught and historical sights. Anywhere from Tiberius, to Cana, to Mt. Carmel, to Caesarea Philippi, to the Jordan River…it was amazing seeing these places and understand the context of scripture that accompany each location. The ibex group was able to see so many sights and each day we ended our field trips with a beautiful sunset over the Sea of Galilee. One point while I was there I got to sleep outside on the beach and even fish the very next day.  Believe it or not I actually caught two fish during my 5hrs of swimming in the sea and be hopeful. It was intense.

We’ve had several speakers come to the campus and tell their stories here also. One man was named Meno who is a Christian here and is the head pastor of a church down in the Jerusalem area. It was amazing hearing him talk and share his passion for the Lord. It was also astounding to hear the trials and persecution he has undergone from being a Jewish believer. Furthermore his father Vi came talk with us just other the night and gave his testimony about being a Jew during the Holocaust. That man had a story to tell, which is very inspiring, especially as a Christian. He was originally from Poland then moved to Germany and then was moved again to Israel, where he has been for 60years. It was amazing to listen to his testimony.

Well people I have to go now because I now have to get to reading some satellite maps of this place for class. I have a big test this coming Friday, so be praying for me. Hope all is well back home.
Take care.

Studying abroad stretches an individual in ways one can’t even imagine. I studied abroad my junior year in high school and never before have I been pushed so much. I think the best thing a studying abroad experience gives you is it reshapes your worldview. I really appreciate the value Covenant puts on having a cross-cultural experience. For many people this is the only time they will ever have to go on a mission trip or study abroad. I just encourage you guys that wherever your planning on going to college to make it a priority to do some type of cross cultural experience, trust me you won’t regret it.

A day of recuperation and refocusing is something we all need every once in a while. God blessed me with one of those days yesterday. Because of ice all classes were cancelled, which to me meant a day of catch up. I finally feel now that I have everything in order for the semester…only a couple weeks late I know. :) But finally I have folders for each class, my calendars are completed, my lists of things to do are made out, and I am caught up on my reading. God definitely knew that I needed a day to catch up and he is so gracious! Yesterday wasn’t just a day to catch up on school stuff though; it was a day to catch up on life. To meet with friends I haven’t seen in awhile and to have overdue conversations about life. It was a day to catch me up emotionally as well. Now feeling refocused, today has been such a better day. I know what needs to get done and I have a plan to get it done. Now, don’t let me fool you. The formula is definitely not calculated yet…however God is definitely teaching me how to figure it out! I just have to keep pushing aside my own agenda for my days.

This weekend my mom has been on my mind a lot and it occurred to me that I have never told you guys about my family really. I mean you know who they are but you don’t know much about them. Well, I have a big family but I thought that I could start of with my mom and dad. Click to continue »

 So the other day I got a comment asking for some follow up about my sister Nicole’s miscarriage. I was shocked that I hadn’t given you guys and update on the situation so forgive me! Three months after my sister’s miscarriage she became pregnant again! We were all so excited but very cautious at the same time. It wasn’t long after the news that the doctor told her she had a sac of blood near the baby and that she would be on bed rest for at least a month. This was very difficult for my sister, being the busy homemaker she was and having a one-year-old boy running around. My mother helped her through the month though and after taking it easy for a while she was doing much better and all we heard was good news about how the baby was doing. Click to continue »

Yesterday we had snow on the mountain. It is so beautiful when it snows. The campus is covered with a thick white sheet, however this never lasts long at all. As soon as there is enough snow on the ground to cover up the green grass below everyone pulls out their gloves, boots, and sleds. The white sheet is torn through with snowball wars and sled races all over campus.  The snow has definitely been a treat!

Tonight was such a great night. Dani, our hall Discipleship Coordinator, planned a prayer and praise for us girls on the hall. It is so nice having a hall discipleship coordinator. I know she is praying for the hall and is encouraging me to pray for it as well. So tonight we met and sang a few songs. Among the songs we sang was, “I’m coming back to the heart of worship.” The chorus went like this,

“I’m coming back to the heart of worship
 And it’s all about You
 All about You, Jesus
 I’m sorry Lord for the thing I’ve made it
 When it’s all about You
 It’s all about You Jesus” Click to continue »

Covenant had around 30 transfers this year and we got four of them on our hall. It’s fun getting to see new faces around! I have to say, I am so impressed with how they’re able to handle everything. They seem very calm as they finish registration, get all their paperwork done, and begin forming new relationships. Perhaps the most amazing testimony is not how much they are able to get done but their attitude while doing it. They never seem to get discouraged with the load. The girls have settled in so well onto our hall and they already feel like family. Are any of you planning on transferring? If so I would love to answer any questions you might have about it.

Oh goodness! Hello my long lost friends. It has been far too long since I have talked with you guys! So it’s a new semester here at Covenant and it’s really great to be back. I missed everyone so much during the break. It’s funny how this is my second semester of my second year at Covenant and it really has become home to me. And of course along with getting to come back and see everyone I came back to schoolwork as well.  But I’m really excited about some of the classes I’m taking this semester. I’m taking Intro to Philosophy, Theology of Missions, and Teaching in a Pluralistic Society. All classes that will definitely challenge me but I think will be well worth it.
So with New Years just passed I thought I would set some goals for this next semester, as sort of New Year Resolutions.
 #1 I am actually going to make a calendar the first week of classes writing down all my papers and tests due. I’m also going to use my calendar I make.
#2 Along with keeping to my calendar I’m going to keep up with my to do lists I make. I‘m great at making to do lists, just horrible at following through with them.
#3 Be more purposeful with spending time with people. I have all these great ambitions to have lunch dates with friends or hang out with people and yet never seem to find the time. This next semester my goal is to figure out how to make the time.
These are all aspects that I think will help keep me more responsible with my life. Oh and add on to your packing list for college a calendar, maybe two. I like having one to carry around and then one to keep on my desk. Fingers crossed, hopefully this year I’ll be able to stay with my resolutions.