Capernwray At Last!

Well, time for another posting! I'm finally updating...and FINALLY at Capernwray!!! It seemed like the time would never come, but here I am and it's great to be here. I thought I would be a lot more homesick than I actually am right now, but maybe it has just not settled in yet that I'll be here for a while. In a sense it seems like I've been here for a really long time, but then again, I've just started! I love all the people I'm getting to know, and the school is honestly the most beautiful place I have ever been in my whole life. I can already sense that leaving here in March will be extremely hard and I fear the day it comes to that. As I wrote in my prayer journal this morning, I wish I could capture these moments in a bottle and save them for when this time is long gone.

With that said, I think it's time I introduce you to Capernwray!!!!!!! Drum roll please.....

Well keep drumming because the internet is too slow here to handle a picture at the moment...maybe later.

Ok, here's a REALLY annoying part of Capernwray....they shut the internet off at certain times of day!! We barely get anytime online. So of course you know I've been on in when I get my chances. No internet after 10 PM. Grr!!! So annoying, especially when you have a boyfriend who can only use the internet at certain times with a 5 hour time difference and a 6 hour time difference with your parents and the internet is your only form of communication! Not so fun.

Evenings, like right now, are pretty fun at Capernwray. I can enjoy the loud sounds below me of laughter and fun times, even as I sit here on my bed. I feel a bit anti-social at these times. I have not joined in on many of the games. That's not to say I don't have friends, though!! I have met some really awesome people here and we are becoming better friends with each day. I love seeing all of them and I can't wait to see what the school year will bring. I really want to join in the game tonight though, but I have so many other things to do also. I feel so busy here even though we have a lot of free time.

Busy, I suppose. I have 6 lectures a day, scripture verses to memorize, have to be up to chapter 42 in Genesis by Friday (uh oh!), not to mention all the postcards to write, pictures to take, journals entries to write, games to play, conversations to be had, blogs to update! Whew! I'm sure there's more. I try to keep in contact with everyone in the outside world too, but it's hard in this place. If I haven't replied to emails, messages, wall posts, or what have you, right away....sorry! I'm trying as hard as I can!

My biggest struggle right now is leaving behind the world I left behind. I don't think it's homesickness so much as fear of forgetting because I am so easily forgetting it! I am here and it feels almost like I've been here forever and I will be here forever. I love it here! With that said, I love my life I have at home too. I do miss everyone I used to see all the time. I think about that often and I think it's getting in the way of me being really involved in much of anything. It's like I'm trying to keep my grasp on what is quickly slipping out of my hand, but what I'm failing to realize is that there is a ledge beneath me that I can step onto for safety. I can't become absorbed in Bible school (the now) when I keep holding onto the past. Woah! Too many philosophical Bible lectures for me! That was one scholarly analogy (I hope Mike likes that one ;) ). Haha, just kidding.

But yes, I do want to put my full self into this but it often seems hard. I'm not sure why. I must say, though, the lectures by Rob Whittaker (our principal) are wonderful! I love his style! Very straightforward and relevant and they totally make me feel on fire to go out into all the world! It's really great!

So if you all could just pray for me to focus on where I am now instead of looking back on the past and almost bringing the “baggage” of fear with me to Bible school, I would be soo thankful for that! Fear...that is certainly my biggest sin.

There is so much I could write about school!!! It's fantastic! Next post I'll be sure to inform you of the funny things these British say, but for now it's time for some sleep.

First Post, Visas, and the Amazing Ways God Works!

Well, here goes the first post! The past few weeks have been filled with so many thoughts that although I have not been extremely busy, I feel like I have worn myself out by today! It's less than 2 weeks now that I board a plane that takes me to the land of England. I have always wanted to go to England, but I never thought my dream would really come true! The past month has had me feeling that my trip is still weeks away, but as of lately I have woken up to the realization that my journey is not far off and I've become a bit more rushed on my last minute shopping and complications (such as communication back to the states, converters, etc....all the boring but very necessary things).

I'm quite excited to meet all the students that I have been talking to online. I've met some people that I feel sure I will be friends with and the thought of going to school with people who share my faith causes bubbling excitement within me! I have never been able to go to class knowing that all my peers believed, trusted, and loved the one true God that I also trust and love. God will do amazing things with that, I'm sure of it! There is not much that I'm absolutely sure of, but knowing that God will do amazing things.......I'm sure of that!

Having my visa is such a relief! I'm just now hearing about so many more students that are still having complications with their visas and it just makes me praise God that he worked out a way for me to get mine. It was quite a miracle that he worked out! It seemed most Capernwray students had sent in their visa applications long before I'd began working on mine. That got me a bit worried, add on top of that a worried mother...let's just say it was not good! I thought I would not ever be able to get my visa papers sent in, in enough time to have the visa sent back to me. That meant no Capernwray! I started having thoughts of the local community college and the like. I cried as my mother yelled about getting this application finished. I tried and tried but it seemed like it just couldn't work out. I doubted God could make this one happen. Oh what a silly thing to do! God proved to me that even when I think He can't possibly handle another one of my little problems...He can.

As I prayed and seemingly uselessly searched my stack of papers to send for a visa application, and then checked them twice with the list of supporting documents found on the web....I found a new site that I had not been on before. What was this mysterious site? Oh, it was God's miracle.

The site led to a page that talked about the Chicago Consulate Office (where you send a visa application). At the veeery bottom of the page in a completely different font as the rest to seem as if it did not belong there...as if it was ADDED there, was a small blurb that read: "During summer 2009, UKBA will offer in-person services for Tier 4 Student Visa applicants. For more information, please see the following documents for New York City, Chicago and Los Angeles." I nearly fell out of my chair! It was instantly clear to me that God had once again taken it into His own hands to solve a problem. Whew! What a relief to know He's got it all under control!

I went to the Consulates office the very next day and waited...and waited...and waited to be let in to see if I would get my visa. Ahem! I finally got there and was...delayed?!? Well at least I wasn't denied!!! Who knew 3 small letters could make such a big deal? It turned out that I didn't put my middle name on my application when it was on my passport. Hmm... So it took longer to process, but I came back a week letter and picked up my beautiful visa! Getting delayed was great, though, because it made for a fun Chicago trip with my dad. He even took me dress shopping to Peaches Boutique where I found a dress for the All Academy Ball in December for only $50!! We also went to Nordstrom's off Michigan Ave. after I got my visa and I got a makeover! He was so sick of the girliness by then, but he said he enjoyed the day with me. I enjoyed the day with him too!

Anyway, God has made some great opportunities for me from that visa experience! I have helped some other girls get their visas for Capernwray and we have had some heartfelt and wonderful talks! Who knew that God could do all that?!? Well, I should not have underestimated Him! I would like to say I will not do that again, but I'm only human and can't make any promises.....