the second time around

Life is pretty awesome. Life is pretty crazy. I find myself constantly with something going on. I cannot say that I hate it though. I love being busy & having something to do. Having recently graduating high school I am in a season of transition. I feel as if one chapter of life has come to a close and I am beginning to write the first pages of a new one. I could not be more excited for the new adventure that is college. I cannot wait to see what the future holds for me.

Summer is wrapping up and I can honestly say that it has been one of the most memorable ones I have ever had. I have had the opportunity to travel a lot more than I have in the past summers. At the end of the day I thinking I have spent a good portion of summer on the road. Not complaining in the slightest!

The first road trip left me in Virginia at Rockbridge Alum Springs- a YoungLife camp I have visited only two years before. The last time I was at Rockbridge was much different than this past trip. Being one of the 5 oldest students at camp left me feeling very sentimental. I kept thinking to myself "this is the last..." whatever it was that I was up to that day. I really do feel like there was a reason God has Lafayette return to Virginia for my final trip. I got to have the chance to get to know some awesome girls really well. Spending a week in a cabin with 17 of them, how could you not?

The first experience at Rockbridge was not one I remember too fondly. It was my second YoungLife trip. I wanted it to live up to the first time I experienced "the best week of my life" but it kept falling short. I didn't realize that camp wasn't supposed to about me this year. It was specifically aimed at the students that had not been there before. Second plus time campers are supposedly to serve wholeheartedly so those new ones can get the full experience of how life is supposed to be lived. How selfish was I? Focusing on myself when God has called me to make this their "best week of their life"?

At this time I also wasn't in a great mental state. Externally no one could really tell how unhappy I was with myself. I think looking back that summer was one of the lowest points I ever was in high school. I was overweight and let that bring me down in all aspects. This caused my anxiety to skyrocket and it just was a lose-lose situation. I am far from this now!

I have always been concerned with what other people think of me or how they view me. The older I get and the more scripture I study I realize that those Earthly things do not matter. Our Heavenly Father has made us in His perfect image. I am so worthy. I am so loved. You are so worthy. You are so loved. Everything that is of the world is telling you that you have to look a certain way/act a certain way. This is absolutely false and the day you realize that you will experience indescribable freedom. Thank you Lord. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.



Thank you for reading. See what else and where else I have been traveling this summer in my next post.

As always,
Alex