1 Universe, 9 Planets, 204 Countries, 809 Islands, 7 Seas, and I had the privilege to meet you. (A Happy Birthday Blog Entry.)

On June 14, 2010 at approximately 9:00am, I met a woman who would eventually be a huge part of my life. I walked into my internship and as I walked in with my mom, I saw this woman, she was talking with Dennis, one of the owners of the company, and I get the typical hello from Dennis as he yells across the office, "Hello intern!" Then as I walked into the office where Dennis and this woman was at and Dennis was saying how he heard that journalism is my major and I took a sip of my coffee and said, "Yup." He mentioned how he wanted me to start doing all the journalism stuff for the company and this whole time in the corner of my eye I saw this woman that I had no clue who she was, I mean I had somewhat of a clue of who she was, but she had no clue who I was. So after Dennis and my conversation died down, I properly introduced myself. I said, "Hi. My name is Halie and as you already know I'm the intern." "Yes, nice to meet you, my name is Kellie." (Psst, Kellie if you're reading this first of all I have a really good memory with meeting people.) In all honesty, I had way too much on my mind to actually get a real feeling of what to feel about her. Then they sent us on our first errand together. On June 16, we were putting out flyer's for a home buyer seminar and we brought my brother's best friend along with us. Mainly for my protection and it helped me get the job done faster. As we were on  30 minute car ride, as I guess we were trying to get to know each other, she made me laugh so hard that I couldn't remember the last time I laughed that hard. That's where this relationship started. I had left the next week for my missions trip to Hollywood, when I came back, sitting in the office was just not the same for me. They had me starting to go on every errand known to man with her. Sometimes I thought why am I here? Kellie is more than capable to do this on her own.

From July 20-25, I was gone at City on the Hill at William Jessup University. Coming back on my 18th birthday tired and not a happy camper. Kellie made sure that even though I was working that I had the best birthday ever in the office. From there, she's heard basically everyone of my boy problems and everyone of my problems in general. (Ehm. Mainly because she'd pry it out of me.) The one thing she pried out of me was that my relationship with God was struggling. It was after we got through all of the bull of my boy problems, we were sitting in her family room watching Wipeout, she had asked me how my relationship with God was going, and apparently the look was all over my face. From there, she brought me back to God in a way that I didn't think was possible. She basically preached at me until I understood that I need to salvage what's left of my relationship with God and fix it. She's been an encouragement to me and a mentor in many ways.

So why am I doing a blog post all about Kellie? Well today is her birthday and I wanted to do something special, this is my birthday gift to you Kellie. You've done so much in my life since June 14, 2010 at approx 9:00am. I love you so very much! Thanks for everything! Have an awesome, super spectacular, unforgettable, amazing birthday and year!!!

Just think, 1 Universe, 9 Planets, 204 Countries, 809 Islands, 7 Seas, and I had the privilege to meet you!!! I am so glad God brought us together!!

A Change Working in Me.

Some things in my life need to change and by some things, I mean everything! I've come to the realization that failure, is not a good thing. I recently downloaded the YouVersion application to my phone. Mainly it gives me something positive to read on my way to school. So today, I flipped out my phone, and was reading a verse in 2 Corinthians 13:5, I read it in the Message version, mainly so I could understand it and it brought a whole new light to everything I'm going through. It says:

"Test yourselves to make sure you are solid in the faith. Don’t drift along taking everything for granted. Give yourselves regular checkups. You need firsthand evidence, not mere hearsay, that Jesus Christ is in you. Test it out. If you fail the test, do something about it."

So basically in a nutshell I needed to read that, I don't even remember how I got there, all I remember was reading it. I read it after learning that I basically failed my third English test and took my business law exam. I felt basically like a complete and total failure. I was on the verdge of beating myself up, but then I remember what someone in my life told me to do when I got to that point. She told me to make a concious effort to not beat myself up. So today I did so. I made that concious effort to not beat myself up, I pulled my phone out again and read that verse that I mentioned above. My hands are shaking, they have been since, I read it for the second time. God is amazing and is working things out in my life, and I am excited for what is to come.

Who am I, Even When the Tests and Trials Hit?

I going through a period of change, transition, and a little bit of searching with God. Everything in my life seems to be changing some for the good and some for the not so good. I am transitioning back to actually leaving the house for school. The 5am alarm clock couldn't go off any earlier most mornings, then as I drag myself to my 8am class, I always ask God if this is the right way to go. I feel like I am skating on really thin ice and I am going to collapse at any moment. Everything is changing. From school to my internship to my youth group. My brother said to me the other day,"Well, change is good sometimes..." That coming out of my younger brother mouth just about shocked me. Then I started thinking, I need to search God's Word, if it really is a book to help you through every trial in life, then it can help me with all the change going down in life right now. I was laying in bed last night just thinking about this change in life and this thought occurred to me, "Maybe that line, 'there's a reason for everything' actually is true. Maybe God's trying to show me not only who I am when things are good, but who I am when my whole world's falling apart." I was blown away, I tossed in turned hoping to feel like I didn't think that. Then throughout today the thought came back. "God is probably trying to teach me not only who I am when every thing's good, but who I am when every thing's bad." I tried to ignore it, I tried to say I didn't think that, but I did. I could go on, but I want to come back and read my blog, so I won't bore you. I'll definitely break this down in entries to come. So I leave you with a piece of advice and a question:

Question:
Who are you not only when things are good, but when everything in your world's falling apart?

The piece of advice is actually is a verse from the Bible:
"But the LORD is with me like a mighty warrior;

so my persecutors will stumble and not prevail.
They will fail and be thoroughly disgraced;
their dishonor will never be forgotten." -Jeremiah 20:11 (NIV)

Here's to a New Life.

I think back to this time two years ago, I was not motivated at all. I was a sophomore in high school, just skating by doing the bare minimum to get by. Then I look at who I was just this time year. I was on a high from going to City on the Hill. I was much more motivated - I wanted ti graduate in 2010, not 2011. I remember all those late nights making my early graduation a reality. There were a lot of tears, a lot of coffee on those late nights, then there were a lot of dreams of receiving my high school diploma, then when it became a reality, when I was up on that stage, I knew I did a lot of growing in just a school year period. All it took was City on the Hill to change my view on life because right now, as I type this blog post out, I am sitting in the library of Sacramento City College. So now as I look out the window, I see my school's quad, I see a lot of trees, I see students here walking to classes, I see a future that is so bright, I see where I've come from, I see potentially where I am going. I met with a guy who just graduated from here this past spring, he was the student body president, and is now working for Students for Life, and is a junior at Liberty College, I am going to help him start and lead a pro-life group here on campus. Me? Out of all people, if it wasn't for City on the Hill, I'd be a senior in high school, struggling with what I was struggling just this time last year. A building block was formed by a woman named Karen England. She not only took good care of me with a headache just a month ago, she put on a youth leadership conference that changed my life, forever. So Karen, if you're reading this, I am forever indebted to you! You can't find many people who are willing to play at patient mock governor to a group of high schoolers who play a mock legislature. I couldn't ask for a better life. Yes it is full of challenges and mishaps, but it is so worth it when you step off lightrail and you are on campus two days a week and you can make a difference at the same time. Here's to a new life, full of challenges and mishaps, journeys and adventures.

College Vlog # 2 --- The Encouragement to Press On.

Hope my encouragement encourages you!

Hello Fall Semester - College Vlog # 1

Hello Fall Semester!!1

Here's to Living the Dream.

It started off with a graduation --- my graduation. I saw 13 years of hard work pay off in a 2.5 hour ceremony. I was headed into my first summer vacation since entering the 7th grade. I had no clue what to expect. Then it started --- my summer has consisted of the following things:
Visiting with my daddy.
Campaigning for Steve Poizner
Missions Trip --- Hollywood, California
Internship --- Housing Group Fund
City on the Hill Youth Leadership Conference --- put on by Capitol Resource Institute

Though that seems like a lot --- this summer went by way too fast. I have learned and grown so much. Heading to SCC in a few weeks. I am stoked --- nervous --- scared --- all in one. This has been the best summer of my life and if I could relive it over and over again --- I think I'd be the happiest person on the planet. Ready to take on college by storm. Here's to a new life --- to making new friends --- networking with potential employers --- seeing the world --- living the dream. Here's to forgetting that is behind me --- learning from my mistakes --- staying strong in the midst of a battle --- living the dream. Here's to new and exciting challenges --- adventures --- a new defined relationship with God --- living the dream that He has planned for me. Here's to new late night conversations with old and new friends --- to new friend drama --- to loving God as each day goes on --- living the dream. Here's to living out the dream that God had for me long before the foundations of the Earth. Here's to a new life --- conquering the world --- here's the path through adulthood.