I have spent this entire summer in Omaha. At first, it was really strange not being home. In May, I took two 3-week summer school classes. The first was a philosophy class called God and Persons. This is a required class for the Arts and Sciences department, and to be honest, I was dreading it. Class was from 9-12 everyday during the week, but it went by a lot faster (and a lot better) than I anticipated. We read two books every week- I suggest Augustine's Confessions and John Kavanaugh's Follwing Christ in a Consumer Society if you are interested in a couple good reads. It was challenging, with two papers and a test every week as well, but it definitely made me think a lot more about God's presence in my life and how my faith plays a role in my daily habits. The other class was a Native American History class from 6-9 pm every week day. This was a really interesting class. It pushed us to think less about the straight historical facts, but pushed us to think about causes and effects and how certain situations and movements impacted the American Indians. This class made me realize how little I truly knew about our own nation's history. We had writing assignments due every day and a huge paper due every week, but despite the demanding nature, I learned a lot. It was hard being in class for 6 hours a day (and being on campus for 12 hours a day) but I loved getting 6 credits out of the way in 3-weeks. AWESOME.
Besides taking classes, I have spent my summer looking for a job, working with the junior high and high school youth group at church, and... well... hanging out I guess.
It took me a long time to find a job... I turned in a TON of applications to a bunch of different places like art galleries, restaurants, and stores. I eventually got hired to work at a women's boutique called Nouvelle Eve and have so far liked it. It's a job and it pays the bills, that's the important thing.
Helping out with the junior high and high school youth groups have definitely been the highlights of my summer. I love those kids more than I can put into words. They are goofy, hyper, and out of their minds... and it's great. I love bouncing around with them and getting to know them. Not only are they fun, but they have amazing hearts. I am guilty of underestimating them because they are young and crazy, but the more time I have spent with them, the more I have seen their hearts open up and the more I have seen God work in them. I went on two different camp trips with the kids. We went to Camp Como in Colorado with our junior high kids and CIY:Move, a church conference in Boliver, Missouri with the high schoolers. Both trips were INCREDIBLE. I would not have traded those trips in for anything. I truly believe that this is the reason God wanted me to be in Omaha this summer. I saw the LORD work in miraculous ways. 31 out of the 32 junior high kids either rededicated their lives to Christ, accepted Him for the first time, or decided to get baptized. I was honored when one of the girls on the trip asked me and a fellow girl leader to baptize her. Some of the high schoolers decided to go into ministry, attend Bible colleges, and some also rededicated their lives for the Kingdom. God has not only revealed Himself in amazing way to those kids, but He has continued to show Himself to me in ways I didn't expect. I am forever changed, and forever thankful.
As for just being in Omaha for the summer, it has been AWESOME. It went by so fast and I can't believe I am going to be a senior in college. I have loved going to random free concerts around the city, trying all sorts of new restaurants, laying out in the beautiful weather, and just being with people I love and care about. If only my family and a few of my friends from home had been here this summer, it would have been a perfect summer.
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