There's No Other Way

Ever since I got to college, I've been learning about love. I've been learning about the difference between human love and God's love. I've been learning how I love and how I should love. I've been learning and really seeing the different ways in which love has been displayed to me, both human and godly. For a long time, especially during my high school years, all I saw was human love that continuously failed me and other people. But then I got to Taylor, and I was overwhelmed by the love that was displayed. Everyone strives to love like Jesus loves us, and at first, I didn't really know how to handle it or accept it. However, it was simply because I was not used to it.

One of my favorite songs, "Times", is written by Tenth Avenue North. Some of the lyrics are as follows:

I hear You say, 

"My love is over. It's underneath.

It's inside. It's in between.

The times you doubt Me, when you can't feel.

The times that you question, 'Is this for real?'

The times you're broken.

The times that you mend.

The times that you hate Me, and the times that you bend.

Well, My love is over, it's underneath.

It's inside, it's in between.

These times you're healing, and when your heart breaks.

The times that you feel like you're falling from grace.

The times you're hurting.

The times that you heal.

The times you go hungry, and are tempted to steal.

The times of confusion, in chaos and pain.

I'm there in your sorrow, under the weight of your shame.

I'm there through your heartache.

I'm there in the storm.

My love I will keep you, by My pow'r alone.

I don't care where you fall, where you have been.

I'll never forsake you, My love never ends.

It never ends."

What amazing lyrics, right?! It describes exactly what humans do, but it is God telling us that He is going to love us no matter what. His love is UNCONDITIONAL, UNFAILING, ALL-POWERFUL, AND INFINITE. 

So, as humans, our love is conditional, failing, not powerful, and finite. We WILL run out of love to give. So, THERE IS NO OTHER WAY to love than with the love of God. If everyone strived to love more with the love of God, our relationships would be so much better and...loving. 

We need to try to harder to love with the love of Jesus because, honestly, there's no other way!

Laura Viers

So, another person who is really making a difference in my life is my next-door neighbor, Laura.

Okay, I have a really interesting thing to tell you about me and Laura: we've known each other since the middle of our senior years in high school. We starting talking over Facebook, we met for the first time in March (I think), and ever since, I was hoping that I would live relatively close to Laura. I knew that God has put her in my life for a reason, and He never ceases to amaze me because now...Laura is my next-door neighbor.

Here's the thing about Laura: she just gets me in a way that most people can't. Our personalities our relatively similar, and we've had a lot of the same experiences. We just seem to understand each other on a deeper level that some people can't. She is super encouraging, hilarious, smart, understanding, loving, caring, trustworthy, prayerful, and Christ-like. She is truly an amazing woman of God, and now...I can't imagine her not being in my life!

Laura, thank you for dealing with my loopy moods when I don't get enough sleep. Thank you for laughing at my obnoxious behavior because I love making you laugh and smile. You are an awesome friend, and I am happy that I started talking to you when I did because it adds a different dynamic to our friendship. Thank you for knowing how to put a smile on my face. Thank you for the hugs. Thank you for letting me tuck you in at night before you go to bed. I love you oh so very much!

My Life These Past Few Weeks

So, I haven't blogged in a really long time because time has just gotten away from me. However, I'll do my best to recap my life these past few weeks.

The first place that I'm going to start is parent's and family weekend. It was a great time because I got to see my family. I got to show them where I go to school, where I live, who some of my friends are (I wish that I had the opportunity to have them meet more of my friends), and why I love Taylor University so much. It was really rainy and cold, but it didn't matter because we were together whether we were on campus or off campus.

Then a couple weeks later was Fall break. Fall break was a really relaxing time. However, because I am taking 17 credit hours, I had A TON of homework to do. Instead of going home, I went to my friend Laura Viers's house. She has a younger sister who is just a riot, two dogs who ended up giving me so much love ( I ended up cuddling with one of them on the couch and napping), and two amazing parents. The weather was so beautiful, and I met some of Laura's friends. It was nice to be back in a home setting with wonderfully home-cooked meals. I got to sleep in, and one of the things that I have been missing oh so much here in the cornfields that I got to do...GO TO TARGET! It was a fun outing with a lot of laughs. That Saturday we went out to eat (me and Laura's family) for Laura's mom's birthday. It was fun, and there was a lot of good conversation. I got a lot accomplished, and I am grateful that I got to find out a little more about Laura and her family. It was a blast. So, thank you, Laura Viers and family! :)

Then a couple weekends ago I was given the opportunity to get off of campus for an entire weekend. It was for a class, but it didn't really matter to me. I went to Joe and Melissa's house because I had to watch and observe Jake for 10 hours. It was super relaxing, and I had a lot of fun. Jake is like the sweetest little boy that I have EVER been around, and I loved hanging out with him and watching him to his little sign language. I even got a loaf of homemade bread, which is completely eaten by the way. Diana and I devoured that thing relatively quickly. Thank you, Joe and Melissa! It was lovely getting off of campus for a weekend.

Now, it is November, and school is just flying by. I didn't really expect anything less than that, but I am still absolutely loving college!

God is so good to me.