I'm here, and it's on purpose.

"Wherever you are,

 be all there." Jim Elliott 

Well, I'm right here. Hi.

Life is really great, but really busy. Right after Spring break the thick of the middle of the semester hit really hard, and for a few weeks I was lucky if I was able to stay in one place for more than an hour. Life is finally slowing down and letting me breathe a sigh of relief - the storm has passed over. 

I had an amazing Spring break with (most of) my family in Colorado. Along with my parents and Tyler, it was so awesome to see Zach at school, and see how much he's grown as a man of God in the last few months. Next week he'll be flying to Kyrgyzstan to do missionary work for 3 months, which basically means I'll be in constant prayer for him for 3 months! 

In the midst of extreme business, roommate outings make me really happy :) 

Like I said, life at Lee since Spring break has been incredibly busy, but it's been a blessing. There are so many great opportunities for me here. I'm learning to be thankful for them even though I complain about them stealing my time. 

............

I'm homesick. The hardest part about being overloaded with school these past few weeks is that I was having trouble caring. I love being at Lee, but right now my heart and mind are resting in Sugar Land, while my body is still pushing itself in Cleveland. In four days I'll be going home for the first time all semester, and I couldn't be more excited. I could hug the whole state of Texas. 

God has really been using that quote by Jim Elliott to speak to me. When I get homesick, I tend to only think about going home, and I begin going through the minimal motions just to get through the day. That's a sorry way to live.

Like it or not, I'm here.

So now I just need to be here. 

I'm here, and it's on purpose. My resolution for the rest of the semester is to fully, whole-heartedly, un-regretfully be here, and to enjoy it. I'm so fortunate to be where I am, and a stressful season should not give me a reason to complain.

It's such a beautiful truth that the joy of the Lord is not based upon circumstance or current state of mind. He is so constant, so faithful, and so good. 

As always, I'm learning, seeking, serving, and wandering.

With love. 

C.S. Lewis, how do you do it?

I really wish I knew how C.S. Lewis got to be so wise. I'll always be in awe of him.

"A man can no more diminish God's glory by refusing to worship Him than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling the word, 'darkness' on the walls of his cell."

-C.S. Lewis, obviously. 

Nostalgia

A sentimental yearning for the happiness of former place or time.

(Dictionary.com)

Today, nostalgia is my best friend. 

I miss the joy that constantly circled his presence. 

Happy Valentines Day. 

Rescued: He Will Break Every Chain

Once again, I'm late. But...  Happy February!! I hope you're having a fantastic February. 


I know I've been MIA lately, but I promise I have a good excuse. The dance troupe, Unity, that I've been apart of since I've been at Lee is having our show this weekend. My schedule has been really crazy this week with rehearsals on top of school and trying to have a social life. 


I'm so excited for this show. This show is going to effect lives. God's heart is in this show, and I believe that He can use it to set the captives free. 


The video above is one of the songs we're dancing too, in the portion of the show that focuses on sex slavery.


Please be praying for the show this weekend. We're dancing for souls caught in slavery...whether it's personal slavery, sex slavery, or any other form...we're being their voice this weekend. 

Sing Me the Legends of the River

"Sing me the legends of the river,

Tell me the story of the Sky.

 

Because I want to grow,

I want to know,

I want to understand.

Paint me a picture of the landscape.

Dance me the dance of the waves. 

In the river is the model of creation.
Our lives like the river to the sea.

Sing me the legends of the river,

Tell me the story of the Sky.

Author Unknown

Changes

Things sure are changing here on Walton's Mountain.

More like the Tennessee Mountains, but I couldn't resist showing off my old soul by making a Walton's reference.

But anyway, the changes. First off, you may have realized that my internet home now has a new name. Instead of "Chasing Joy," my blog is now titled "The Wanderer." I like this a lot. Chasing Joy began to seem too selfish...like my mission is to do whatever makes me happy and nothing else. I didn't mean that in the slightest, but I wanted to make sure I didn't come off that way. And besides...I already have joy. It's not something I'm chasing, it resides within me. It's the joy of the Lord, and I just have to connect to it and let it show.

To me, "The Wanderer" means that I don't have all the answers, and it's ok. Because...

-J.R.R. Tolkien

I'm not sure where I'll end up in this life, but I like the idea of wandering. A personality test I took recently told me that I'm a seeker, stating that I like "adventure and original experiences that stimulate and challenge [the] status quo." So, I'll be wandering around this earth, seeking to spread as much joy and love as I possibly can. The way I see it, as long as I'm wandering with Christ my wandering will never be aimless.

Take the personality test here: http://personality.visualdna.com/

I usually don't buy into these things, but this one was pretty cool, although I did have to enter in my own faith in place of their inner strength message. 

The second change is that I'm off Facebook until March 1st. My dormitory hall is doing the "40 Day Revolution" by Richard Mull, and part of the revolution is a fast. It may seem arbitrary, but Facebook really has become too important to me. Being off of it for awhile will be healthy, and give me more time for more important things. It's been difficult for the first few days, but Kellie Pickler's new album "100 Proof" has been keeping me company as I find new things to do with all of this extra time!

So...I guess you can say I'm spending some time working on myself. I always want to be bettering myself; deepening my relationship with Christ's and others. And I always want to be sharing the love and grace that Christ gives me with others. 

Other news: I've found a church in Cleveland that I really, really love. I'm so thankful!

Promo shot for Rescued

Rescued is coming soon! The dance show I've been working on (with Unity Dance Troupe) since last semester is almost here! I'm so excited. This message (slavery) is so important. I went to a forum tonight with various advocates raising awareness for sex trafficking prevention, and once again it hit me how big this issue is, and how captive our nation is currently being held. 

Do some research on the issue, and if you're in the area come see Rescued! February 10-11th in the Dixon Center at Lee University. Check out http://146taskforce.org/events/rescued for more info. 

This post has gone on way too long, but then again I say that at the end of almost every post, so it looks like that's one thing that isn't changing. Thanks for sticking with me. 

Blessings, 

Caroline

....The wanderer. 

New Favorite Songs

From the night time to the morning I am aching for a better part of me.

Time is love, gotta run

We'll go home and lay down safe in the arms of love

So what if I can't kick a soccer ball into a goal?

I feel like I could lift 500 pounds with my soul.

This last song was written by a friend of Brad Paisley's who suffers with A-T. Brad recorded the song, and is now donating all the royalties to A-T's Children Project. Just another reason to love him. Read more about it here: http://www.theboot.com/2011/12/13/brad-paisley-hard-life/