Rocky Top seems so far away

I'm beginning to get really excited about college. It's going to be a 4 year mission trip. Of course I'm going to have a grand time learning and making new friends and experiencing God in ways I've never dreamed of. But the Father's really laid it on my heart to declare freedom over my campus. He's opening my eyes to lots of bondage including religion and misconceptions of love.

Maryville is a campus that is proud of its compassion for the world around them, emphasis on the world. They are right in loving and serving, but they also believe in tolerance. It breaks my heart. I have this image of the campus full of joy and light and seeing people who step foot on it immediately knowing it's different from the world. Isn't that lovely? No, it's wonderful, captivating, exhilarating to imagine! I'm so excited to see it start happening.

I got my roommate assignment two days ago. And already I'm beginning to love her (despite what Nick might say). I'm praying her heart is open to someone like me...I'm a little different in case you didn't know haha.

I'm so ready to learn and grow. I know it's going to be hard though.

God showed me another metaphor:

I feel as though I'm at the foot of a mountain (also Maryville sits at the foot of The Great Smokey Mountains, no irony there). So I'm staring up at these mountains and I know that I have to climb them, in fact, my feet are itching to get started. Because once I get to the top I will look out over the nations (hopefully India) and speak truth and love and then I will travel DOWN the mountain (scary thought) and venture into the next season of my journey. And as I look up to this mountain that is still without a peak, I can't help but meditate over Isaiah 52:11-12

"Deport, deport, go from there; touch no unclean thing; go out from the midst of her; purify yourselves, you who bear the vessels of the Lord. For you shall not go out in haste, and you shall not go in flight, for the Lord will go before you, and the God of Israel will be your rear guard."

How thrilling is that?!

Therefore, I continue to stand in authority, after girding myself with the perfect armor of God Ephesians 6:10-20. I arise and take my place, ready to charge the gates of hell as a daughter of the King, the bride of Christ, a saint of the Lord of Hosts.