Hello Florida!

Well life changes fast and in these last two days, it has changed even faster.

For those of you who don't know, I am spending the summer in Panama City, Florida with my brother, Matthew, participating in Summer Beach Project. This is through Campus Outreach and throughout the summer I will be involved in bible studies, discipleship groups, evangelism on the beach, a full time job, and of course laying out on the beach. Fun huh?!? I am super excited but of course a bit nervous.

So before Matthew and I left Monday morning, goodbyes had to be said. Saturday I said goodbye to the Farley family as I left their family vacation. Sunday night, Nicole, Chris, and Matt all came down and hung out as Matthew and I finished up the few things for the summer, and then we said goodbye. This was a very emotional and tearful time, since Nicole and Chris will be leaving for India before we get back from Florida and will be gone for a year. And Monday morning at 2:15 a.m., Matthew and I said our goodbyes to our parents as we began the trip. Fortunately, Matt and my parents will be visiting us in Florida at the end of June so these goodbyes, although hard, were easier to handle.

This is my family Sunday night as we said our goodbyes!

So the adventure to Florida began. Matthew and I had some great discussions, read incredible articles/books/emails, slept, and crazily sang to various songs. We arrived after the 14 1/2 hour trip in Atlanta, Georgia and hung out with a few of his friends and stayed in Atlanta overnight. Then this morning, we woke up and left Atlanta at 8:45 to travel the hour to Augusta, Georgia. I was able to meet another one of his friends in Augusta and we all had lunch by the Savannah River. So after an hour break, Matthew and I hit the road again and finished the trek to Panama City. This took us 8 more hours to bring the total to... 23 1/2 hours. I was so glad when the trip was over, even though I greatly enjoyed being able to spend all that time with my brother.

Now as I write this, I am sitting in Panama City, Florida in a hotel about a block from the ocean. The hotel is pretty old school and is definitely a reminder of how God can work no matter what the surrounding living situation is. I am so excited to see what God has in store for this summer, in my life and in the people with whom I come in contact. So if you think of it from time to time, please pray for the Holy Spirit to move and for complete dependence on the Lord for both me and the other people at Summer Beach Project.

Although it looks nice, it's not quite as beautiful in person!

So yesterday morning, I was in the Iowan home which I have always lived in, in a warm and familiar bed and tonight I am in a hotel in Panama City surrounded by people that I don't know in a room that is so unfamiliar. Life changes, but we must change with it and take whatever it throws at us. I'm ecstatic to see what comes my way this summer!