Influence

So my 5th semester at school is officially wrapped up and I am already on my like 4th day of Christmas holidays! Crazy!!  Like seriously...where does the time all go?  How to sum up this past semester, I really have no idea...there were a lot of ups and downs (but mainly ups).  Once again, God taught me way more then I was expecting.  At teh start of the year, I knew God would teach me, show me, stretch me, but I didnt know he would in the ways he did.  Yah, I dont even know where to start.  How about the last 2 and a half years...
when  I look at where I was when I started going to school...to where I am now...WOW wow WOW! that is what all really comes to mind! I know I have grown and changed in so many ways...the biggest being "People" if that makes sense.  let me explain.  People have come to REALLY matter to me and I know this may sound crazy and even a little wierd...but there was a point when they didnt.  I was 100% content with being by myself but now..though I am still an introvert at heart..have discovered that people really DO make life worth living and oh so much more interesting. 

At the start of this semester though...I was once again content with NOT branching out and meeting new people.  My heart =just could not give anymore after my summer of meeting new people tehn being forced to say bye and with a lot of them...never see again (thinking Ukraine).  I wanted to just hang tou with returning students and reconnect and further those friendships, which is what I was doing and doing just fine for like the first month and a bit of school..but as per usual, God had other plans and that soon changed.  Since then I have met AMAZING people at school, have been stretched, challenged and loved by them.  has it always been easy? no, because when investing in people's lives and when yours is being invested IN, people are "messy" creatures, all with different personalityies and backgrounds.  would I change anythign this semester? No, I would not change a thing.  It was one to remember.

I know people who have invested in my life...one in particular who, had she not invested in my life, my life would NOT be the same...Leah...I have no idea if you ever read this or not, but if you do...girl...thank you so much for ALL that you have done for me.  Especially for taking the time to get to know me and hang out with me my first year at school.  The chats, challenges and conversations will never be forgottten and I am convinced that had u not invested in my life, I would NOT be who I am today.  Thank you so very much.  You should me the importance of investing in peoples life and the impact taht that can leave and I in turn, have taken that to heart and I know that challenge will stay with me for the rest of my life, now and always.  So once again THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!  NEVer stop being you!

What about your own life?  What, or who, are you living for?  yourself? Others? God?  My challenge to you today is to step out, get out of your comfort zone and stretch not only yourself, but one other person around you.  Look at the people God has placed aroudn you, no matter wehre you are...I am truely convinced that GOd puts people in our lives when he does for a reason....and its up to us to figure out what to do with it...