Let's start at the very beginning...

Hello everyone!

Let me start by letting you know why I'm creating this blog. Many of you have asked me how college is and what I'm up to. I thank you all so much for this concern. It's incredible to realize how many of you support me. Unfortunately, I can't answer all of you as in depth as I'd like to due to time restraints (there's this thing called studying that I hear is advisable... I'm sure I'll find out about it eventually). So I decided to share my life via a blog. No, I do not consider this a replacement for individual contact. I love you all and will do my best to keep in communication. This is just so that I don't have to type the same story twelve different times. I will try to update you every week, but no promises.

Well, I have now been in Virginia for thirteen days. I have successfully completed orientation and my first week of classes. The weather is, well, different. It's hot and humid outside, but inside is so air-conditioned that I'm wearing sweaters. Also, it rains here. Which is really strange for a California girl. On Friday I walked from the cafeteria to my dorm, and the weather was beautiful. I used the restroom, and when I came out the sky was black, the wind was whipping around and the sky POURED rain. I've never seen it rain so hard in my life! It's strange not being able to predict the weather.

Of course, it's strange not being able to predict anything. I am having a more difficult time adjusting than I expected. The strangest thing is being responsible for myself. My dad's not waking me up in the morning, my mom isn't making me go to class, and my sisters aren't here giving me an "easy in" to socialization. It seems to be up to me. And as I've discovered, I am not sufficient to take care of it all. Trust me, I've tried. I've been stressed, lonely, overwhelmed, helpless, and depressed. But do you know what I have learned? God is sufficient. I am not, but He is. Slowly, piece by piece, I've given my struggles to Him. Three things that I know without a doubt have kept me going: He brought me here, He has a good plan, and He is always with me. How joyous to know that! I am thankful to be in this place of humility to learn important lessons. Yes, this experience is very humbling. I came from "the top of the world," now I'm an uneducated freshman. As my dad put it, I was a big fish in a little pond. Now I'm a little fish in a big pond. Ha ha. That's almost accurate.

But lest you all get the wrong impression, I'm not having a terrible time here. There are so many good things around me! The people here are so very nice. They make the effort to learn and use your name. They care about what's going on with you. My roommates are pretty great girls. Seriously. I've had much more than my share of teary breakdowns. I've cried on their shoulders, and they've prayed for me, reminded me of spiritual truth, and comforted me with tea and cookies. :) The girls in my wing are very sweet and very wise. My RA is incredible. The campus itself is beautiful. My dorm room is very comfortable. The food here is SO GOOD! Seriously. And I'm not just saying that because I've grown up on camp food.

The classes are excellent. I'm so excited for every single one of them. I love class, I love the professors, and I love the books. Every class is taught firmly on the foundation of Jesus Christ. He is the starting point and the foundation for every subject. Every class brings me into a greater understanding and appreciation of Him. How cool is that? Right now I'm taking Research and Writing, Logic, US History 1, Western Civilization 1, and Theology 1. Please don't ask me to choose a favorite. :)

The spiritual life here is so incredible. On Monday, Wednesday and Friday we have chapel service. Worship is so encouraging, because everyone sings along to the point that the voices threaten to drown out the music! The messages both encourage and convict. On Tuesdays we have small study groups. We're going through a book called "Creating the Better Hour: Lessons From William Wilberforce." As some of you might recall, Wilberforce and the movie "Amazing Grace" is a major inspiration to me. I relate to him so much. Thursdays we have wing chapel, which is a great time of sweet fellowship with my fellow "wing-mates." :)

I want to thank you all for the prayer support that you're offering. I know that sounds cliche, but I mean it with my whole heart. Nothing can mean more to me than that. I know that prayer is powerful and effective. A couple prayer requests: 1) That God would teach me balance. Specifically, that God will show me how and when I need to get out of my dorm room and socialize with people. As you probably ALL know, I am an introverted, self-reliant person. God is convicting me of my selfishness and my need to get out of my shell. 2) That God would teach me how to manage the school load coming at me. The classes are great, but they are definitely hard. I cannot begin to manage it on my own. 3) That God would lead me to the right church body. I am trying to find where He wants me to be, but I don't think I have yet.

Besides these prayer requests, please be in prayer for my family and friends back home. As most of you probably know, there is a big fire right between my house and my hometown. My family has had to evacuate our camp, and a few friends from the city have either been evacuated or in danger of evacuation. Please pray for the safety of the firefighters, the people in harm's way, and the houses in danger. Also, pray for me as it's hard to watch this from afar.

If you've made it thus far, I applaud you. I hope I haven't bored you with this account of my first week of college life. God has done really great things through this experience already, and I can't wait to see what He has planned for four years. Thank you all so much for supporting me on this journey.

With much love,

Carissa