Tonight I got to talk on the phone with a friend from college. We met our sophomore year, but didn't really grow a close friendship until her last year and my last two years there. (As a music major, I was in the oh so cool "Five Year" club...ha)

It was such an encouragement to talk about all that is going on, to giggle, to share new things, and to know that we would be praying for each other. She has been through what I am going through with the long application process for JM and is one of my biggest cheerleaders. We share a heart for missions and a passion for the people we've worked with overseas.

We talked about how God surprises us with plans completely different (and sometimes more fun and crazy) than we could ever plan on our own.

I'm so thankful for that friendship! (And she would probably kill me if she knew I just wrote a blog post about her...haha) Love you lots, friend!

By the way, I just submitted one of the three major writing portions of my JM app!! You have to state your Christian beliefs in your own words about very specific things. This was one of the most intimidating parts to me...and the one I completed the fastest. I still stand firm in my statement - this will surely be God's work through me when I finish, and not my own! It was a huge step for me to make it through that part.

I've been praying that God would give me more of a passion for prayer. I guess you could say praying about prayer...ha...and my heart has felt so heavy. Like God is leading me to pray even more. A friend just posted this quote, and I love it...just thought I'd share it before I go.

"There is no more significant involvement in another's life than prevailing, consistent prayer. It is more helpful than a gift of money, more encouraging than a strong sermon, more effective than a compliment, more reassuring than a physical embrace." -Charles Swindoll