Summer 2010 - the last update.

Once I got back, I got busy with things at my dad's church and of course, Family Christian Store. A Prayer Torch had started in Etowah County and it equaled continual prayer meetings. The week I returned from my long venture away, the torch was at Harmony. I spent the week working in Birmingham but kept feeling the Lord leading me to change my schedule on Friday. It was the last night of the Prayer Torch at Harmony and I just had "a feeling" about it...I was supposed to be there. My spiritual dad, Blake and my spiritual mom, Ronette were bringing a team to lead worship that so the fact that I would have both my spiritual parents in the same room, at the same time, was probably what I thought my "drawing" was. I asked a couple of different people to take the shift that night for me and they couldn't. April, our seasonal help, was my only hope. I text her and she GLADLY switched with me when I told her what was going on with my "spirit woman" - haha.

I got home that afternoon and mom, dad and I ate dinner. I was late getting to the church because, well, who really remembers that? haha. I walk in and sit on the back row. Normally, in prayer meetings, I sit on the stage in the very back corner...that's ALWAYS been my prayer meeting spot but because there was a team on stage, I just sat at the back. Well, Ronette walks by and motions me out, so we go chat about the singing and if I need to sing anything, I can (haha - totally not on my heart or mind AT ALL) and we go back in. Well, I couldn't take it, I had to sit in my spot so on my way back in, I grabbed my stuff and went up to the stage. I sat down in my little spot and started praying. I looked down and noticed this guy...and the rest is history. I met one of the most amazing men of God I have ever met that night and he is truly, a dear friend. In all technicality, we didn't "meet" until a week later, at another prayer meeting but...who is getting technical? =D

Yes, I ended up singing and yes, this mystery man did too. We became instant Facebook friends and began chatting about prayer meetings and music and different things. Joshua Aaron Hommes and I entered each other's lives at very crazy times but I know God sent him for a purpose. He is the person who actually recorded the song I did that I sent out to you guys last week (did you listen? if you did, i wanna know what you thought)! Sure we've had a bump here and there but in the end, God's Will is going to be done...whatever that may be. My July pretty much consisted of time with Joshua and getting to know him before the dreaded "S" word started back...yup...school.

I moved back this past Monday and began Student Leadership Training. In case you don't know, I am the Vice President of our Student Council here at SEBC so that's going to keep me pretty busy...on top of classes, Audience of One (the praise band at school which I am a part of) and church...whew! I'm really excited tho. The last two days of training have been good for me. The last three weeks have been a season of winter" as I call it and I'm just awaiting my spring. I'm in that valley, awaiting my next mountain! So being back at school has really been an encouragement. I love my friends and am so glad to be back. Now if I could only decide 100% on my classes, we'd be doing GREAT!

And I also have a great roommate...Jennifer. She's a cute little Freshman =) hehehe!

As far as the future goes...I look forward to a great semester. I made the Dean's List last semester for the first time and I'd LOVE to do that again. I'm not sure if it'll happen, but I sure wish it would =) and yes, I took a picture of my name on the list! haha.

I actually began praying about my different passions in life and what the Lord would have me do with them and just, what to do with Southeastern. When the music department closed it devastated me because music is my life. It's my number one passion and from then on, I just didn't know what to do. Joshua and I began praying about it, that the Lord would direct me in the way I needed to go and after two days, a friend of mine mentioned the Associates program at Southeastern so, that's what I'm doing. I'm switching from the Bachelors to the Associates so that I can pursue another passion...photography. I have three semesters left at SEBC and am pretty excited about that. After the music department closed, it looked like another three or four years but now, it's three or four semesters! The Lord is good.

Over the summer, the Lord really put some new passions in my life and just rekindled some old ones so...I'm very excited about the future and can't wait to see where God is going to take things. I have a lot of ideas of things I'd like to do and places I'd like to go but if it's not in the Will of God then...it's not important. So I ask that you pray with me about it...that I not step out of the way God has for me.

I have a chance for a mission trip to India next fall. YEAHHHH...I'm DEFINITELY praying about that. If you'd be interested in being a partner with me on that, let me know. I would be TOTALLY dependent on others giving pledges and things of that nature...but ANYWAY.

I hope to do camps again over the summer...and yes...you will all be kept in the loop ;) lol!

Two more things I ask of you...please pray for the Greene family. Our dear English professor at SEBC died suddenly last Thursday - TOTALLY UNEXPECTED. And also pray for the school - our faculty and staff were close with Dr. Greene and of course, the students. Some of us were close and some of us weren't but he loved EVERYONE and everyone loved him in return. It's been a hard thing to process and go through. Also...pray for the Simmons family. My mom's boss, Sharon Simmons, passed away last Saturday after battling cancer for eight months. Also pray for the Etowah Pregnancy Testing Center. I am praying that God's choice becomes Director...not man's choice.

I love you all and will update you as things come up. Thanks so much for praying for me and supporting me over the summer!

Much love and many blessings,

Amber <3