FCA- Discovery Canyon Middle School

So Justin and I run two FCA middle school huddles. The schools are Monument Academy (a local private school) and the other is Discovery Canyon Middle School. We also help lead the Discovery Canyon High school huddles as well, every other Saturday, and pour into the high school leaders every week at their team meetings. My favorite aspect thus far in interning with FCA has been the times I get to meet with the girl leaders individually, and get to love and pour into their lives, which has been amazing! God has really used these girls to remind me of the significance of investing in the "eternal," and not being "about myself."

These pictures are all taken at a DCC Middle school huddle. Justin and I get up every Tuesday and Wednesday mornings around 5:30 and go to these schools where the actual huddles take place. Not going to lie it has literally taken since we have been here to get used to getting up that early then hauling back to Focus in time for class. Bottom line, I literally could not do it without my counterpart, Justin. He has been such a blessing and encouragement to me every morning. Ya some mornings we look at each other and hate our lives,lol, but Justin always has a smile on his face, and is ready to go. Between his love for life and my random humor, we really make a great team, so God really knew what He was doing with that one! HAHA!

The Lord is really doing some amazing things already this semester at these schools. This past Saturday, Justin and I, along with one of the FCA team leaders, did a Q&A session at the DCC high school huddle at one of the leaders houses. They are a recently new club and have never had more than 12 people come to their huddles. Last Saturday there were easily 30 kids at the huddle. We had a dating panel called "Bringing Sexy Back: Sex, Dating, and Relationships, Q&A with FCA." HAHA sounds a little absurd but wouldnt you know that their are plenty of high school kids interested in these topics. We had a blast and the Lord really answered prayers in covering the kids and the panel. Literally you could see the Lord open up the eyes and hearts of these kids in how to go about a Godly dating relationship. So honored that the Lord chose me and Justin to share our stories and love and encourage these kids. What an amazing experience that will be a highlighted moment for me this semester.

(Justin with two of the kids playing pictionary)

Yall these kids are incredible. Since being out here, I often am hit with the thoughts of "Why me Lord?" I cannot believe I am living in Colorado Springs going through the Institute at Focus and getting to pour and invest in these kids lives and earnestly beg and plead with the Lord to become real in their lives. I am learning very quickly that if we as believers accept the call to be "Roaring Lambs" in the environments he places us in HE WILL SHOW UP! I am so humbled and honored that He has chosen me to get to journey with these kids even if it is for a short season! Please partner with me and pray for the kids at Discovery Canyon Middle and High school and Monument Christian Academy!

Huddles basically consist of kids arriving, donuts and hang out, play games, then split into guys and girls and have our "talk and devo" time. It is a ton of fun!

Justin and I's crazy version of pictionary HAHA!!!

God is Good all the time!

So its been awhile since I've posted anything, mainly because of fighting a sinus infection all last week, but also because there is really not a whole lot of down time here lately. I absolutely love it here though. God has provided me with so many incredible people here, I cant imagine life without them now! I remember telling some friends back home that I really did not think I would fall in love with Colorado... well that's a lie... I LOVE IT HERE! Waking up every morning to Pikes Peak and the mountains covered with purely white snow is just unbelievable. It is a constant reminder of the Lords new mercies that he so graciously gives us every single day! The Lord and his majesty is everywhere you look here, as you can imagine. Colorado Springs is quickly becoming "home" and I'm am constantly overwhelmed with the Lords faithfulness and provisions in allowing me to be here this semester. There is no reason I should be here outside of the Lords faithfulness in guiding my steps and providing me with the family and friends to encourage me to come! Thank you to my family and friends- could not have done it without each of you! God is Good ALL the time!

My beautiful roommate Christine. I really do not know what I would do without her. The Lord has provided me with such a gift in Christine, she is my "Sam" like in Lord of the Rings. I know it sounds strange, but she is really walking through this journey the Lord is taking me through and I am so incredibly blessed to have her love, wisdom, and support in my life! I love you Christine!

My beautiful roommates at the Valentines Banquet the boys put on for us! They were incredible, they served us dinner and literally "wined and dined" us all night! Our boys are AMAZING!

So this is me right after our huge guys vs. girls snowball fight like a week ago. It was super intense, but I was already not feeling too well before the fight, so clearly I felt like DEATH when I came in afterwards. Christine was sweet enough to capture the moment for me ha but I ended up going down in the books as the first "sick kid" this semester. Felt terrible all last week but am back to 100%!

Ya this is literally walking in the door from the fight! It was crazy but a ton of fun!

We have family dinners every thursday night with the FLI staff and their families and its a really neat time to hang out and fellowship around the dinner table. Look forward to Thursday family dinners every week. In the pict is Christine and a daughter of one of our professors, me, Emily, Marie Claire, (our resident supervisor), Sarah, and Angela! Awesome group of girls!

Christine and Justin's Concert @ our APT= AMAZING

We packed out the place to support Christine and Justin! They rocked it! Check facebook for video footage

heres kinda the set up... our apartment was PACKED

Me, Christine, and some of the girls

I look drugged but this is me and Justin (FCA bud) he's awesome could not do it without him! He skyped his fiance in to watch the show!

Roommates after the concert

Crazy weekend!

So Friday we basically ran a bunch of errands, read, and got school stuff taken care of then hit up the New Life Church's College worship service and it was amazing! Out of 53, around 35 FLI peeps went so that was really neat to get to worship together. There were easily over 1000 college students gathered to worship. Saturday morning rolled around and I had FCA staff meetings to plan for their big fundraiser in April. Kinda fun I came up with the theme I think were going to use, a masquerade. They wanted to have a really nice upscale event for people to get to dress up for but wanted to tie in the kids of FCA and their stories so I suggested that the masks represent the kids and their stories and when they stand to give their testimonies, "all masks come off." Anyways, thats kindof fun. After our meeting, I hit up the local starbucks where I have now made good friends with all the bartistas, to journal and spend some "me time" which is really needed since you are ALWAYS around people here. A large group of us then hit up Garden of the gods. which was breathtaking and hiked about four miles. (picts are on facebook plus a few videos). We then came home and got ready for our "GASTA GETDOWN" dance party we ended up having at Focus haha! We got special permission from security to have it in "Ogden Lounge" which is our hang out chill room for FLI Staff and students. Halarious walking into Focus on the Family and the place is bumping! hahaha!!!! Anyways, we danced and had a great time until Christine my roommate pulled her back out while busting a move. Funny but not really... sorry Christine :( Bless her heart she was in a lot of pain. So I drove her back and Nurse Caitlin (my other roommate) took care of her. Way to go girl!!! The night ended after watching a movie at one of the guys apartments, I finally came home and crashed. This morning we went to New Life big church and I had a very different experience than I did Friday night at their college service. (If you want to know more about that you may have to ask me via phone). So for the rest of the day we are reading, Christine is baking, and enjoying just the sabbath! I love you all and miss my family and friends so much!

Chill day plus SNOW!!!

Today was our last day of classes for our first week at FLI and its snowing and REALLY COLD here! What an amazing but incredibly exhausting week! I have loved the classes and have already been so encouraged and stretched in my thinking and thought life! I have had some of the most amazing conversations with friends I have met here at FLI. Two nights ago I went with a small group of people to Buffalo Wild Wings to watch the kentucky vs. South Carolina game and instead of watching the game, the small group I was with began to share their "stories" and how the Lord brought them to FLI. All I can say is the Lord is working in huge ways in the lives of the people that I am surrounded by and it is spectacular. Last night three of us went to IHOP to read and drink cheap coffee (which p.s. Im starting to like straight up black coffee! Who knew?)and again, the conversations that took place were just incredibly refreashing! I love the community I am surrounded in. My affections for Jesus have been stirred in such a different way than I have ever experienced since I have been in Colorado. I am so grateful and honored the Lord would choose me to part take in this adventure and am really grateful for each of you who are praying back home for me! Please continue to do so because the Lord is definitely at work in my heart and in the hearts of those here as well!

WHOOPS!!!!

So we decided to add additions to the apartment, not much, but makes a HUGE difference! We figured we'd add on as the semester continues, but we put up some posters and some really neat colored frame mats to put picts in as we go! Super fun and really cute! The story behind these pictures are I simply addded apparently way too much soap... CLEARLY... Caitlin came out of her room screaming WAIT WHAT?!?! Haha! The first thing I did as I ran in to see what happened was laugh out loud then grab my camera so that all of you could take part! Moral of the story: Lizzie is not allowed to start the dishwasher from now on! WHOOPS!

Found out my Interneship!

Today we found out our internships for the semester and I will be interning for Fellowship of Christian Athletes! Kinda crazy to go from YL to FCA but Young Life and FCA partner in ministry up here in Colorado Springs so I will get to interact with YL folks as well, which will be fun. However, I am really excited to see how the Lord is going to use me there. I will have a male counterpart, Justin, who is going through the Institute as well. He is amazing! Justin is 21 yrs old and is getting married two weeks after we graduate in April so thats really exciting! He has been actively involved with FCA and actually accepted Christ at a FCA event so its neat to get to work with someone who is so passionate about this particular ministry!
My supervisor is Ryan he is a graduate for the Airforce Academy and is really amazing! He is married and has a son and one on the way due in April, so theres a good chance well be around for that! From what I can tell, Justin and I will be the point people for planning a lot of events and from what it sound like we will be "on staff" for the semester. Tomorrow, January 25th is our first FCA event. Ryan, Justin, and I are going to a local Middle school before FLI classes, (so it will be an early morning) to share our testimonies, play games, and get to know the kids. Please pray for that time, I am really looking forward to it!

*** side note*** there are 9 starbucks in Colorado Springs not including the ones in the grocery stores so can I get a PRAISE HIM!!! And a special shout out to Mom, thank you for loving me enough to fill up my starbucks gift card! What a blessing it has been!

Roommates

Christine, me, and Caitlin

Christine is my actual roommie. She graduated from Chico State University, in December of 2009. She is a music major and is an incredibly gifted song writer and musician. I love that the Lord placed her as my roommate because she has the ability to speak honest truth, she is such a daily encouragement, and she is halarious. We spend a lot of time laughing and cutting up so I have a blast with her! Just a snapshot, our first night in the apartment she pulled out her guitar and sang to me and Caitlin all of her songs she has written, including a lullaby. It was pretty awesome! Plus she is going to teach me how to play the guitar so Im pretty pumped about that!

Caitlin went to University of Arkansas and has her RN. What an amazing girl she is! She is so sweet spirited and is full of compassion and encouragement. I know the Lord is going to use her greatly in my life because she is full of great wisdom. Caitlin also is musically gifted she sings and plays the piano, so clearly I need to jump on the musical bandwagon :) She has three brothers who are triplets and all three of them have gone through FLI so its neat that the Lord has allowed her to complete the family tradition!

Bottom Line... I HAVE THE BEST ROOMMATES!!! The Lord knew exactly what I needed and I believe He has continued to be faithful to me even in the small things like allowing me to have incredible roommates that I get to do life with while I am at Focus!

All Guys pict and the girls! Such an amazing group! Love them all so much already!

Random hang outs

On the bus on the way home from Horn Creek

My beautiful roommates Caitlin and Christine! Love, love, love them!!

Apartment= Amazing!!!

Our apartment

Whats crazy about me and Christines room is we totally didnt plan on a color scheme but we both ended up with the colors red, black, and white so it worked out perfectly and our room is WAY cute!!!

more retreat

Here are more picts from the retreat. My roommate at the retreat and now dear friend Hailey Power and I had a "friendly" snow ball fight.

So I have never in my life seen this much snow nor Horn Creek itself be completely covered as well! It was gorgeous! We arrived and it was really cloudy and overcast so you couldnt see Horn Peak, but it was incredible just the same. I cant believe our huge passenger bus made it up the mountain and into camp but our drive Woody was amazing, so Im grateful for him!