As promised...

Where do I even begin. Well, my computer is on its last leg battery wise, and I am at Caribou with no power cord, so I will do my best to start from the beginning (though this is more of a circle than a line start to finish).

I am currently back living with the Regional Director of Young Life for the Carolina's. He and his wife have been SO GRACIOUS to let me stay at there place at all, much less come back for more since I am still without a full time job or place to live. Each day I feel like I am a little closer to both. There is still some "up in the air" moments regarding housing and working for the YMCA, but some very hopeful prospects. In the meantime I am still working at the restaurant. I like the people I work with and it is becoming more routine once I arrive, but I still dread the hours leading up to going in to work. Working on that...being joyful always.

My personal (relationship) life has taken quite the turn and if you are interested I would be willing to share some more, but it is not exactly public blog material. Let's just say that I am happy, encouraged, challenged and being optimistic.

The past 3 weeks have been crazy packed with days off of work for visitors and trips. I was able to see Molly, my college roomie, in Hilton Head where I was visiting some other old/new friends. What a great time. Plus I am thinking Hilton Head might be a great new destination vacation for the Thomas/Sliman clans. Though no place will ever be Kiawah (RIP).

I am making friends. New ones. Great ones. And many of them. My friend Julia, who is a new intern for Young Life here, is the greatest. She lives very near to me and we have hung out and had sleepovers and had coffee and dinner and all the great things that great women do. She is 1000% Southern and offers many a good laugh and lesson for me regarding all things appropriate in the South.

God has ben teaching me a lot about His ability to BE. To be all. To be everything, and at the same time to be MORE. HE IS. I just need to keep remembering that anytime I start to worry about me, and myself, and I and Jaclyn....that HE IS. My shortcomings, my mess ups, my overcompensations...they pale in comparison to the mere fact that he lives in me and HE IS. So scratch all that other stuff.

I will start leading Young Life VERY soon. I am nervous and anxious and totally excited. This ministry really had a huge part in keeping me down here and my summer away from it has been my most fruitful time with the Lord yet. He has been preparing me (when I let him, because I am dumb sometimes), and I am ready to lean hard on Him through loving high school girls.

So...that is a lot of brief stuff for now. I will be better at this again. I promise.