college is hard. // read on, folks.

Let's be honest.

College is hard. It's challenging. It requires perseverance. It requires your attention. It requires dedication. You get the idea.

But it's worth it.
Guys, it is SO worth it.

My college career has been a challenging journey, to say the least.

I've been to three different colleges and finally settled at UAB.
I've had two majors (which I guess is pretty good based on the norm).

When I left Belhaven in 2010 into a world of unknown, I was scared and clueless, but knew it wasn't for me.

I left just in time for me to have the privilege of spending 9 extra days with my sister, Heather.
How sweet the Father's love for us.

At this point I was even more confused and lost.
But I knew the Lord had not left my side and had no plans to. And for that, I am so thankful.

I wish I could remember exactly what prompted me to decide to do a DTS with YWAM but I did and it was the best decision of my life.

I grew so much and found that I had a passion for missions. I like to say, "I have a passion for getting things done." By that I mean, I want to join with people in following through with their visions and dreams for specifically third world countries. And with my own visions and dreams for countries, like Haiti, for example.

So, in January of 2013 I decided to go back to school. I was nervous, clueless, and scared, but in a whole new way.

I knew I had a passion. A tangible, realistic passion. That's all I knew. But as I began to live more-- went to Haiti for the first time in 2012, took a few business classes, etc., I was able to put into words what I want to do.

I want to start my own nonprofit organization that completes projects in third world countries. Whether it's sending teams to different countries, starting a school, finding school teachers, raising money to pay school teachers, or providing access to clean water, I knew I wanted to "make things happen", if you will.

And then as I began to finish up my general education classes and enter into my Business Management major courses, I started looking for how that class could specifically help me in the future.

Guys, it helped me tremendously.

I encourage you to enter each class you take with your eyes wide open for how the information can help you fulfill your dream.

Technically, I don't have to go to school to start a nonprofit and go to places like Africa or Haiti. But in January of 2013, I felt God calling me back to school. And I feel like He wants me to finish it.

So that's what I'm doing.

But as I walk into my Accounting class, I realize I may not actually be in charge of the accounting, but I will need to know generally how it works so that I can communicate effectively with my accountant.
As I walk into my statistics class, knowing a b s o l u t e l y nothing about statistics, I keep my eyes peeled. How can I use this in the future? How will this help me to be successful with my business? Because let's be honest, a nonprofit organization is still a business whether I'm "keeping" the profit or not. (And statistics can help me so much in finding solutions to problems!) I enter my Management class eager to learn how businesses I support everyday are successful.. and so on.

Basically, this is what I'm encouraging you to do-- find your passion and then find little (or big) things about each class that can help you in the future. It really, really helps you stay focused, determined and keeps your eyes on the prize (that college degree and for me, starting my own nonprofit).

I'd love to hear about how your classes make your more excited about your future!

It's basically what's getting me through this semester-- and we're not even one week in. : )