I have not been on this for a while and I thought I would update those who still are faithful in the Xanga world, which is really awesome! I also changed the "skin" to something very pink and girly because this summer two of my good friends are getting married. And of course, they have pink in their weddings and what girl does not love pink, even just a little bit? God showed me many things this year and I would love to share with you His faithfulness. Going into my sophomore year of college had many challenges yet exciting adventures that awaited me. I lost someone very dear to me at the end of last summer and have never experienced grief like that before. I lost my Abuelo from congested heart failure but God still blessed our family with so much during that time. First of all, I did not have a job and was able to spend a lot of my time with him and my Abuelita. There were a lot of long and tiring days but will always be grateful for the time I was able to be by his side. He died a slow yet peaceful death with ALL of my family by his side and though it is painful to remember, we would not have wanted it any other way. God has brought healing and though we miss him a lot, he is now rejoicing in a much better place with his son whom he tragically lost 30 years earlier. My family including my extended family have grown in so many ways and I love them more than I ever have. God has been holding tightly ever since and I always look forward to the time of coming home and just spending time at the house with them. Going to UCF again was a big way I received healing from that summer. I had three wonderful roommates in an on-campus apartment with individual rooms. Many nights I was able to spend with God in solitude yet if I needed someone to talk to or comfort, they were down the hall which was such a blessing! We grew together so much through doing a Homecoming skit together with Campus Crusade for Christ (which we are all active in), Soccer, pre-nursing classes with one of my roomies, Bible Study with another, going to church and attending prayer sessions with two of them. I am blessed to be living with two out of three of them next year and we have a mission with a fourth "random" roommate whom I still have yet to meet. My roommates became some of my closest friends at the end of this year and love how four people who barely knew each other but had two things in common would become so close: the desire to live with Christians and to live on campus!! :) I was able to still be close to my friends from Freshman year and experiencing hard and good situations only strengthened our friendship in countless ways. I love how God has taught me to be vulnerable with people and I was able to share some things I have not had the courage to do with except for a couple of people in my life. I am grateful I have friends that encourage me, love me, and most importantly draw me closer to my Father. I have yet to know when and where my Lord-willing Prince Charming is. I love him the more and more God closes doors to other people I think I am attracted to. I am grateful that God makes the calls and I do not. I was close to a possible relationship that would have allowed my standards to be lowered and am grateful and now more determined than ever to have those stay up and be patient. Classes were challenging like always. Many tears were cried over classes and at times I felt like my world was crashing. God showed me once again that I do not need to do it all on my own because that is when I felt like I was going under. He proved faithful with my first semester in many ways. I was taking five classes, always studying and doing HW, also doing many extracirrucular activities with CCC, and on top of that being emotionally drained and physically sick three instances for extended periods of times. Without even trying, I was losing weight and consequently was weak and exhausted. I also kept pursuing my dream with nursing and was facing one of the most important semesters. I ended up doing really well, the best yet in college, all because of God holding me and directing me the whole time. Through uncertainties, God molded my heart and I am grateful to have faced those challenges. The next semester proved full of countless blessings that I hope I can give justice to what happened. I have never felt so loved and confident in Christ. My circle of friends grew so much because of getting to know and hang out with my roommate's friends and playing soccer on an intramural team. I was happy and felt very loved with what God was doing and going to do. I found out that I got into Nursing School on April 2. This was something I was not expecting at all because UCF has a very competitive and selective program. I still cannot believe it sometimes because I was already planning on pursuing a minor in Spanish while I applied again the next year in order to get a higher GPA. I am now going to graduate on time and am so looking forward to what God has in store with this career that I have dreamed about for 5 years now. This next year is going to be challenging with being in a rigorous major but I am being prepared by my Heavenly Father this summer with much rest and time with my loved ones. All I have to do is look back in my life and see His faithfulness in every single area of my life so far. It is not smooth sailing at all, but I would not be the person I am today if it was not for those bumps and waves that I have come across. I would love for this to my constant prayer which was written by the awesome Aaron Shust (singer of My Savior, My God). God always deserves my very all. And I do not want to let any opportunities slip through my fingers. I want to be a shining light to all that comes in path. Search my heart,
search my mind, search my soul
Make me clean,
make me new make me whole
All of my plans, all of my dreams,
I lay them down before Your feet
All of my time, all that was mine,
I now submit to Your design
'Cause You are the one
who can make my life complete
You are the one who can give light to my feet
You are the one and only one
who dared to give it all away for me
You are my strength,
You are my God, you are my King
You make me laugh,
You make me dance, You make me sing
Everything inside,
everything outside, I give it all away
You never change,
but You rearrange my heart more everyday
p.s. I will be working part-time at Bed, Bath, and Beyond this summer and would love to see you there or get together somewhere else! Carino :)
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