Life Lately {Nationals, Graduation, and Summer Plans}

WOW.

I honestly don't even know what to title this post....these last few weeks have been insanely crazy and insanely wonderful.

Almost two weeks ago my team won the National tournament. Last weekend I graduated. This coming weekend I move 4 hours away to work with a campground ministry for the summer.

I feel like God is taking a fire hose of his goodness and just showering me with it.

Let me see if I can recap a little of what has been going on in life...

Nationals 2017

The High School Mock Trial National Championship was held in Hartford, CT this year. So, Tuesday May 9 we all packed up and bright and early drove up to CT. I believe it took us about 14 hours total to get up there between bathroom breaks and traffic. Most of us arrived in time to check in and have a late dinner together.

One of our many stretch breaks... ;P 

The next day (Wednesday) we actually switched hotels so that we would be closer to the competition site. Wednesday was actually a full day of scrimmaging. Our team scrimmaged Michigan and New Mexico and was able to get in lots of good practice. We were also able to go eat at a nice barbecue restaurant (Kansas style?) that evening with our entire team and state coordinator.

Some of us walking through Hartford to the restaurant...

A few of us enjoying dinner and conversation that evening.

The next day we scrimmaged once more, this time against a team from Nebraska. After that scrimmage we got lunch and went back the hotel to run material. While the competing team members had other events that day, I mostly just hung out at the hotel for the rest of the day. 

I believe I took this picture Thursday evening from our hotel window.

The team praying and worshiping together Thursday night. One of the many reasons I love this team.

Friday and Saturday the team competed in 4 preliminary rounds. The did well; facing teams from Virginia, Colorado, Minnesota, and Arizona. They did amazing in every single round! After the preliminary rounds on Saturday we went with the 45 other teams to await the announcement of the finalists. Michigan (who we scrimmaged) was announced first...followed by North Carolina...US!! That gave us the privilege to compete in the final round of Nationals. Our shouts we're deafening...

Notice the young boys protecting their ears from our screams...hehe

Now, even though I was just watching this was one of the MOST STRESSFUL ROUNDS EVER. In the end though our team did amazing in spite of many obstacles. The competed with integrity and honor. I am so proud of them. The Lord did bless their efforts and he did bless us with winning the National Championship! 

Team Lewis (the CHAMPS!) and some of team Bonhoeffer who came along on the trip to support them.

This picture perfectly displays our excitement that night upon winning the title of National Champs. 

The seniors who were there (we missed you +Noah Ridge) from the CCH team along with our two amazing coaches!

This girl. Oh my goodness...she is amazing. An amazing friend, an amazing leader, and an amazing encourager. <3

Graduation

Exactly one week after CCH took home the national title I graduated from high school...my CC group did their own graduation this year so I got to graduate with my class. It was so special to be able to graduate with the class that I had learned with off and on for the last 5-6 years! It was an amazing ceremony. It was small enough to be personal yet still a group graduation. We even had Dan Forest speak (through video) at it!

This girl drove almost 2 hours to see me graduate. I am so thankful for her!

Me and and a fellow classmate. We were also co-captains together on our MT team this year.

Class of 2017. <3 (photo creds +Janet Phillips)

Summer Plans

So, looking forward...this summer (as in, in two days) I will heading 4 hours away to work with a ministry called SummerShine. SummerShine is a resort staffing ministry that places christian college students on KOA family campgrounds around the country. These students work the campground like typical camp staff but in their off hours they find ways to reach out the campers through activities and just interaction with the campers. I am super excited to be going up there and I hope to share about it on here at the end of the summer. In the mean time this blog may be a little quiet. ;) 

Also, in the mean time you can be praying for me and the ministry. Here are a few ways: 

• That God would draw me closer to himself this summer. 
• That he would use me to minster to those around me and that I would trust him enough to step outside my comfort zone. 
• That everything would come together this last week and I would be ready and rested in order to leave Saturday. 

Thanks for reading to the end of this lengthy post and thanks in advance for you prayers! So, audios dear readers...talk to you in August.