New Beginnings.

   Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end, or so Green Day says… Recently, I have experienced many changes in my life. Through these changes, I have learned that sometimes, you have to say goodbye to the old and embrace the new with open arms.

   Looking back, I think the beginning of this new season in my life started last fall. As I was finishing my last semester of school in Mount Pleasant, I started wondering what was next. I started applying to new schools and earnestly praying about what the next part of my life was going to look like. I FINALLY graduated in December and I am happy to report that, at this time, I do not have any plans to further my education in the near future.

I know that right now I am right where God intended for me to be...

After 4 1/2 years, I am saying goodbye to working at the Mount Pleasant Rental Center and hello to my new job, which is something I am very excited about! The past few years of my life have transformed me from a young teenage girl to a young woman. Through many trials and triumphs, I have grown immensely and learned about not only myself, but also my purpose in life. About 3 years ago, I sat down with my husband Jason and told him I wanted to work in ministry. I knew that working in the office at a church would be a great place for my passion for God and my strengths to collide. After finishing school and leaving with a business degree this year, my heart was still set on ministry.

    With this passion in mind, I started seeking more guidance from the Lord and I learned what it truly means to hope for something. I knew that God was faithful and I trusted His plan for me with all my heart. I knew that I would soon be entering a new time in my life, but I had absolutely no idea what that would look like or how I would get there. And it didn't happen right away either.

     In March, I was blessed with the opportunity to go on a mission trip to Perry, Kansas through His House Christian Fellowship. When I was there, my life was flipped and twisted upside-down! I developed strong friendships with ten lovely women, who all felt like sisters to me by the end of the trip. These women inspire me to continually strengthen my relationship with God and to challenge myself to be a better person every day.  (I would LOVE to share this experience with you in person so I can tell you all the details and all the ways we saw God at work!) This trip truly impacted me because I knew after being on and leading this trip that God had bigger plans for me than I had for myself.

    Coming back from this trip, I could just feel something was about to happen. Less than a week after returning to Michigan, God laid out His plans for my future job. The struggles of my past came flying back: insecurity, self-doubt, and pride. But God is SO good and He helped me conquer and overcome all of those things. Through each step of the process from applying to final meetings, God was in control. I started my new full-time job on May 20^th this year. I am the new office administrator at His House Christian Fellowship. For those of you who haven't heard of His House, it is a church and campus ministry here in Mount Pleasant. I have been attending, serving and growing in this church for four years.

   I know that God has prepared me perfectly for this new season. The past four years of my life have impacted me and challenged me in so many ways, but the last few months have specifically developed my faith and my knowledge of what it means to be a disciple. Faith requires discipline, but discipline is also needed in every other area of my life these days. Now that I know the importance of discipline, I have been able to take the necessary steps toward getting healthy using this process. This year has been dedicated to giving this area of my life to God. After several failed past attempts at doing things myself and with my own willpower, I have chosen to rely on God to pave the way. I have depended on Him for motivation and for strength because I know that I can do all things through Him. Each day requires new steps to conquer the adversary, but I know that nothing can stop me with God in the lead.

   This coming Saturday, June 1^st, I am riding in a cycling event called “Cycle the Campus”. This event is to support His House ministries in their desire to continue to share Christ on several campuses across Michigan. This is the largest fundraiser we do as a ministry and our goal this year is to raise $70,000 for His House Christian Fellowship!

This involves both you and I.

First, my part is that I will be riding 50 miles on a bike, and by bike, I mean bicycle... yes... the ones with peddles. This ride is not only supporting the ministry here in Mount Pleasant, but personally it is challenging me to surrender myself to the work of the Lord. My goal is to raise as much as possible for this ministry, knowing how much it has truly helped me experience God. I want others to have that same amazing opportunity.

This next part, this is where you come in...

I would love for you to pray for our ministry and for this event. If you feel called to sponsor or make a pledge for my ride, I would really appreciate your support! Your contributions will help provide so much encouragement for our team and will allow students all across Michigan to experience God at their college campus.

If you would like more information on Cycle the Campus. Click HERE to be directed to the main website. Or please contact me with any questions.

If donating to our ministry is something you are interested in Click HERE to be taken directly to the donation page. 
Also if you are interested in pledging the ride, let me know and i can get your information submitted and the ministry will contact you with more information on how to do that.

 - It will ask which team you would like to support

   -- Team CMU

- Rider Name

   -- Virginia W

I appreciate you taking the time to read about this new season in my life, and will be posting soon with more updates.

Peace and Love,

Virginia

John 3:30

He must increase, I must decrease.

SPONSOR CYCLE THE CAMPUS TO SUPPORT ME AND MY JOURNEY TOWARDS DEEPER MEANING AND A HEALTHIER HAPPIER ME!!!!!!!!

Agape

First off.

My name is Virginia. And if you dont know me. There are a few things you should know. I often dont finish anything i start because i am scared to fail. I am thankful for a loving God and awesome people who are in my life. My passions in life are people. and i say people because i thought it was for children, until other service opportunities brought me to the acknowledgment that i can not love anyone more than anyone else. I am to love and serve all.

This last year has been a giant whirlwind for me. God has blessed me in so many ways and truly taught me to love. I have a good friend who often says love until it hurts and then love some more. I finally know the meaning of this.

Growing up i never felt that love was something that other people could really do. I mean i loved people but i dont think i really LOVED them. Fall 2009, i was baptized and i began to loosen my grip on "MY life" and i say this because i struggle with control. Looking back on how in control i thought i was, i was really raveling out of control. Letting go and letting God, was truly the best thing i could do for my life. God has transformed my life, and it is beautiful. I was given three experiences last year that truly impacted me for a lifetime.

First one was Spring Break 2010, my sophmore year of college. I along with 29 others traveled down to Louisville,(Lou-ah-vul) Kentucky. We went end almost blind as to what we would be doing each day was a new surprise. We were able to spend time with children, in other culture who taught me alot. I was able to experience worship in a church who was primarily Ethiopian. Beautiful. When i think of the end of days i see people from all nations, tribes and tongue bringing praise to our Lord, Jesus Christ. This is one of the most amazing experiences of my life. Christ is the Great Physician, who heals, A counselor who has all the answers, and a Father who loves us. With that AGAPE love. A love that never ceases, is self sacrificing, unconditional, a love that can be given to the unlovable or the unappealing, and a love that we do not deserve. And our God gives us that love, so that we will pour it out.

The next experience that really hits home to me was when i traveled with my local church down to West Virginia to go hiking and white water rafting. An experience that sounded great until about the week before and then i absolutely no longer wanted to go. Something was holding me back. I am a worrier, especially when it comes to things i feel are out of my control, and trust me white water rapids are not something I can control. I was letting my fears become a barrier to trusting God. Well something inside of me still was holding on to what a great experience it was going to be so I headed down to W.V with a few other people. Crammed in a car we made it pretty late and headed straight to bed. The next morning we were able to explore for the day and go hiking. Well i knew one of the people who i had rode down with but was still the outsider in my group, and God knew exactly what he was dong. I realized while in West Virginia that i could no longer rely on people. I had to rely and trust in Him and only Him. WOW! I am not even going to begin to explain what i gained from having no one for one weekend. Just me and God. He was with me all the time. I came back having learned how to look to God.

The last experience that i encountered that drew me completely to Christ was CRAVE. It was a weekend gathering where the Bible was read from beginning to end no stopping. Thursday night after church my local church started reading and finished later Sunday afternoon. My fellow classmates and brothers and sisters in Christ spent their weekend reading the Bible and being a light to the campus and community. How inspiring right? I wasnt able to stay in the location but i was able to help serve for part of the weekend. It was also being podcasted online. So i woke up in the morning listening to the Bible being read and went to sleep with the Bible being read aloud. Declaring the Lord. Through those experiences i have found that

Acts 6:3-4 is something i want to apply to live my life.ALWAYS.

"... We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word."

I have learned so much this last year, that it would be incredibly ridiculous to try and explain everything in one post... So i will leave you with this for now.