"Spring Break" is almost over!

I am sitting in Charlotte Douglas International Airport awaiting my first flight to Newark, New Jersey. I will then have a two and a half hour lay over in Newark until I fly on to Boston! This trip has been bittersweet and a bit taxing - emotionally. I was able to visit with Maw Maw twice this week - Monday/Tuesday and a quick visit last night. I love her so much! Please continue to pray for her. She is in so much pain and is so exhausted; it breaks my heart to see her this way.

On a lighter note, I loved visiting with family and friends whom I have not seen in what seems like forever! CBF was great as always on Wednesday night! Kim's cooking is heavenly! Thanks, Kim! :]

So, I am off now, as my plane begins its boarding. The next time I blog will be in Boston! See you there! :]

The Breaking of One's Heart

I am in North Carolina this week for Spring Break. This break is much needed and I am thankful for it. Although it is a change from the hustle of college life and work, it is proving itself to be bittersweet and not so restful.

Samantha got news this past Tuesday about her grandfather's passing. His funeral was yesterday in Lexington, SC. I accompanied her to the funeral. His funeral reminded me of when my grandfather passed away my senior year of high school. I think I will miss him until the Lord takes me home. Yesterday, at the funeral, I was reminded of how our lives can truly impact others. The legacy that Samantha's grandfather has left behind is nothing short of amazing. Although I was only able to meet him a few times, I am definitely challenged by the example he set as a man of God.

Today, I am in Winston-Salem, NC, visiting with my grandmother. She is currently in Wake Forest University Baptist Hospital. Being in Boston and hearing the updates from Dad and Ang are a far cry from being here and seeing it first hand. When I walked through the door of Room 814 this morning, my heart began to break as I first laid eyes on her. The image of the energetic, always encouraging Maw Maw, to whom I can run with whatever life throws me, quickly fled and was replaced by a thin, frail woman who is just ready to no longer be in pain. As I embraced her; her tears began to fall. She was joyful to see us [Ang, Samantha and myself].

My heart breaks to see her in this state. I remember watching helplessly as my grandfather's health slowly and painfully drained from his life. I am not ready to go through that again. I do not want to revisit that pain - not yet; not with her.

This is the breaking of my heart.

Tomorrow, I will be spending the day with Ang; I miss seeing her all the time. I am sure it will turn into a photography session - and possibly a spontaneous trip into downtown. It will be fun. Wednesday will be spent applying for a transfer to a J Crew in Charlotte for the summer. Phillip [one of my best friends and cousin] and I will hopefully get some time to chill this week. I will go to CBF on Wednesday night. I miss that group of people. CBF is the bible study I attended, while I was going to school at UNC-Charlotte.

I will post updates throughout the week as I can. Please pray. Pray for healing. Pray for comfort. Pray for peace as I and my family learn to accept what God has willed in this situation.

My First Post

Ok, so I have talked about creating a blog for a while now and now that I finally have, I am not sure what to do here.

This week is Missions Emphasis at BBC [Boston Baptist College]. This is exciting to me, because I have such a heart for missions. Whether or not God will move me vocationally into Missions or not, I am not sure yet. I am willing to go, though, if He should choose that. I am having dinner tonight with a man who works with the BBF [Baptist Bible Fellowship] Missions Department. I will have a chance to ask him some of the questions I have concerning the areas overseas where I feel God may be leading me to minister. It will be cool to hear first-hand how the BBF works with missionaries. I am excited to learn about some of the different aspects of how the BBF works.

God is so amazing!

For those who may not know, Samantha [my girlfriend] and I are praying about the possibility of God moving us to Kurdistan, Iraq or India as missionaries. I definitely feel like part of our ministry will have some part in missions. I am just not sure yet how much. I have so many plans and dreams -if only I could accomplish them all! God is good and I know that as long as I am seeking His guidance, He will lead me where He wants me.