Highlights {2017 Overview}
So wow another year is coming to a close.
To be honest it has been a been a whirl wind of a year. It has been incredibly good at time but also incredibly difficult. In the beginning of the year I thought I had my life all planed out but God took me on a u turn and I couldn't be more grateful.
To kind of sum of 2017 here are some highlights from this past last year...
1. McQuilkin Scholarship Weekend--In February of 2017 I had the privilege of attending the McQuiklin scholarship weekend at CIU. At that point CIU was not high on my list of colleges. My mom really liked it but I didn't love it. My heart was set on attending a school in Northern VA. The scholarship weekend though gave me a chance to interact with current students, faculty, staff, and incoming students and totally changed my perspective on CIU. By the end of the weekend I had decided to attend there if I could get enough scholarship and I am so glad that I did.
2. Widen House Award--In March, the weekend of my birthday actually, I was awarded the Widen House award for exceptional leadership within a Mock Trial team. This award is a one time scholarship that the NC Mock Trial organization gives out to one high school senior who shows exceptional leadership on their Mock Trial team. It was an absolute honor to receive this award, especially after such a rough Mock Trial season.
3. High school Graduation--May was probably the busiest month of my entire year. I finished high school, I traveled to Hartford Connecticut to cheer on my Mock Trial team at the National Competition, I graduated high school (a week later), and then the next week I headed to the NC mountains to work with a campground ministry. Focusing on my gradation though...I graduated from high school in the middle of May. I was able to graduate with my home school class, as well as the class below me. It was a super sweet and personal ceremony that was super special.
4. Summer Shine 2017--Like I mentioned a week a I graduated I moved up to the mountains of NC to work with a campground ministry called Summer Shine located at many KOA campgrounds. I won't pretend that the summer was all roses and daises. It was a really tough summer but it taught me a lot about being independent, living on my own, as well as helped me begin to explore what it meant to be independent in what I believed. It also gave me another opportunity to work with kids and showed me how much I really do enjoy working with children and teens.
5. The Start of College--Three weeks after I got back from Cherokee I moved down to SC and started my first semester at CIU. So far it's been a crazy ride but I would not want to be anywhere else and am so thankful for the people that make up the beautiful community of CIU.
6. Switch to Youth Ministry--I came into CIU thinking I was going to do the Communications program and use it to eventually do journalism but through a series of events the Lord started directing my path to youth ministry. Youth ministry is not something that I would have thought about doing with my life in a million years. I didn't grow up going to youth group, I have never even really attended a youth group but as I learned more about CIU's youth ministry program I felt the Lord calling me to major in that. I don't know exactly how he will use me in that area but I am excited to find out!
8. My Church--I am so thankful for my church in Columbia. I knew that it would probably be hard to find a church at college but I was blessed to find a church early on in the first semester.
9. My Roommates--Ok I was seriously blessed with the most amazing roommates ever. I know there are like horror stories about the random selection process from getting a roommate but I manged to get two absolutely amazing ones. I am so so thankful for these amazing women of God.
10. My home--I am thankful to have a place to come back to. <3
What were some of the highlights of your year? I would love to hear them. <3
To be honest it has been a been a whirl wind of a year. It has been incredibly good at time but also incredibly difficult. In the beginning of the year I thought I had my life all planed out but God took me on a u turn and I couldn't be more grateful.
To kind of sum of 2017 here are some highlights from this past last year...
1. McQuilkin Scholarship Weekend--In February of 2017 I had the privilege of attending the McQuiklin scholarship weekend at CIU. At that point CIU was not high on my list of colleges. My mom really liked it but I didn't love it. My heart was set on attending a school in Northern VA. The scholarship weekend though gave me a chance to interact with current students, faculty, staff, and incoming students and totally changed my perspective on CIU. By the end of the weekend I had decided to attend there if I could get enough scholarship and I am so glad that I did.
2. Widen House Award--In March, the weekend of my birthday actually, I was awarded the Widen House award for exceptional leadership within a Mock Trial team. This award is a one time scholarship that the NC Mock Trial organization gives out to one high school senior who shows exceptional leadership on their Mock Trial team. It was an absolute honor to receive this award, especially after such a rough Mock Trial season.
3. High school Graduation--May was probably the busiest month of my entire year. I finished high school, I traveled to Hartford Connecticut to cheer on my Mock Trial team at the National Competition, I graduated high school (a week later), and then the next week I headed to the NC mountains to work with a campground ministry. Focusing on my gradation though...I graduated from high school in the middle of May. I was able to graduate with my home school class, as well as the class below me. It was a super sweet and personal ceremony that was super special.
This was my class. I am so thankful for each of these people and the impact that they had on my life.
Me and a sweet friend.
Me and a friend who drove almost two hours to see me graduate. <3
My entire graduating class...
4. Summer Shine 2017--Like I mentioned a week a I graduated I moved up to the mountains of NC to work with a campground ministry called Summer Shine located at many KOA campgrounds. I won't pretend that the summer was all roses and daises. It was a really tough summer but it taught me a lot about being independent, living on my own, as well as helped me begin to explore what it meant to be independent in what I believed. It also gave me another opportunity to work with kids and showed me how much I really do enjoy working with children and teens.
Hiking at the near by waterfall.
I can't talk about my summer without mentioning this courthouse...I was obsessed with it and desperately wanted to go into it but sadly was never able to. ;)
This pictures most clearly depicts what I did during the summer ministry wise. The focus, on the ministry side of the program, was to reach out to kids and their families who were staying at the KOA campgrounds. We did this through doing lots of arts and crafts and out door activities.
In September I got the opportunity to go on a beach trip with 35 or so other students. Even though the waves were too rough to swim, and I may or may not have received a concussion from those said waves, we had an amazing time.
This is me and some of the girls from my hall on the beach trip.
LOL this was actually a sophomore movie night...yeah I know I am not a sophomore but my roommates are so I got to come along.
8. My Church--I am so thankful for my church in Columbia. I knew that it would probably be hard to find a church at college but I was blessed to find a church early on in the first semester.
9. My Roommates--Ok I was seriously blessed with the most amazing roommates ever. I know there are like horror stories about the random selection process from getting a roommate but I manged to get two absolutely amazing ones. I am so so thankful for these amazing women of God.
10. My home--I am thankful to have a place to come back to. <3
What were some of the highlights of your year? I would love to hear them. <3
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-Maggie