exhaling.

long time, no post. reasons? christmas...which quickly rolled over into some time in the Lou for urbana...followed by massive amounts of sleep...a little travel time back to chapel thrill...and even more time to process everything in my life (a huge task. i know this.)

i did have a pretty amazing job during urbana. i think i can say that now that it's over. historically, the IV interns of the world do not have the best job assignments (hall monitors/meal traffic directors/standing on the street corner guiding the "hoard of locusts" attending the conference)...i lucked out. well, i should say i sought out a pretty phenom job.

somehow, someway i got to be one of the 6 professional photographers documenting the conference for InterVarsity. i guess that's what happens when you email the head of media communications and ask (oh-so-sweetly) for a good job. it was a far cry from the weddings and other events i usually shoot...but it was grand. i quite enjoy getting to see things the average Joe Attendee wouldn't see...or at least seeing things differently through the lens of my camera. it was worship to me. and yes, there were moments i couldn't help but put the camera down by my side and give in full-force to the worship.

so there was that. 5 days behind the camera/backstage/hanging out with the likes of rick warren/chasing down attendees. i felt like i was working for my college newspaper again. i suppose those 2 years as photo editor paid off. who knew they would. one thing that makes me a little sad about my first urbana experience? i didn't really get to EXPERIENCE urbana. sure, i was documenting anything and everything...but i wasn't really "in it"...so the spiritual food i gleaned from urbana came much more from my personal relationships and interactions while in st. louis than from the amazing speakers/sessions InterVarsity booked. nonetheless, i am grateful for every way the Lord spoke to me during my stay in missouri.

so. it was back to williamsburg for 1.5 days. and then back to chapel hill to regroup....have some silence...kick back and prepare myself for this next semester. it's been lovely.

a few days of shopping/learning how to knit (i am one exciting 24-year-old)/meeting more 20-somethings/going to the movies alone (i actually do LOVE this)/good take-out food/some crashing-on-the-couch time...it's what i needed. i feel refreshed. i feel more like myself.

the biggest lesson the past few weeks? CONFIDENCE. that word comes up at least once a day in conversation with others or with God. i am still processing what this word means as reconciled to my life. i have a few ideas. we shall see...

and i am going to run with it. maybe even (dare i say...) run with confidence towards the throne? (a little hebrews 4 reference for ya.)

so this naturally-curly-haired 20-something is pretty excited about what's next. in every possible sense of the word. and the phrase i am living by?

IN HIS TIME.

amen. again, i will say...amen.