The rest of the road trip since Phoenix was very fun. I spent a night in Roswell with a very family-like family I got to know through camp. They made me feel so at home, and I love them dearly. 🙂 The next night was spent in Tulsa with two dear friends I’ve only met in person twice before, but with whom I’ve been very close online for years. We all met in the Ted Dekker online fan community, and these two formed a very special bond, repeatedly travelled over several states to spend time together, and are now engaged! !  I had a delightful time talking Ted Dekker, Doctor Who, wedding, and plain old life stuff with them. I treasure these people and it’s such a gift whenever I get to actually talk to and hug them in person.

And finally…. Helloooooo, Kansas City! I made it. I arrived on Wednesday, August 14 in the early afternoon. I spent the rest of the day moving in, hanging out with intern friends, and grocery shopping (eek, adulthood is expensive!). I have my own bedroom in the basement apartment of a wonderful couple’s house just up the street from the prayer room. I currently have three flatmates, but two of them are leaving soon and we may be getting a new one… someone’s looking at the room today. It will for sure be me and my dear friend and former OTI roommate. The shared living space is adorable. Full kitchen and living room, bathroom, laundry room, everything. It’s very well decorated and cozy and colourful. My own room is so much more perfect than I even expected. I was anticipating having to buy a thrifted bookshelf or something for the 70+ books I brought, but as it turns out, there are more shelves and drawers in this room than even I know what to do with. There’s colourful art on the walls, as well as a beautiful bouquet on the desk (I have a desk!) that one of my flatmates bought me as a welcome gift. I am so happy and at home here already. I haven’t had my own room in years.

Thursday and Friday were long days of orientation. I met so many amazing, passionate, fun IHOPU people and I am so excited to get to know them better and to do this thing together with them.  We did a scavenger hunt and I loved getting to drive Idris, stuffed to capacity with six people, around Kansas City finding shops and completing tasks. It was very fun to discover that I still (mostly) know my way around town and to discover new places to shop!

Thursday night was our consecration service. It was a really amazing time of setting ourselves apart for God in this season. I definitely felt God’s presence and it was so amazing to realise that although I’ve spent so much of the time since I was last in Kansas City struggling and trying and repenting, it’s a new season and I have no limits on how far I can go in him. Furthermore, there is zero condemnation for all of those times I felt like I was missing it. He actually valued all those times I kept coming back. I’m overwhelmed by his faithfulness and I am so excited to see where he’s going to take me as I press into him!

Tomorrow, I start classes and try to adjust to an early morning Sacred Trust (prayer room hours). Since I’m a sophomore, I can choose my prayer room schedule, and I have several weeks before I have to commit to a schedule, but I’ve decided to try out the 6:00 a.m. time slot. I have class at 10:00, so I’ll probably “officially” be there till 9:00 and then head out around 9:45 or so. That’s the plan so far. I’ll let you know how it goes.

Thank you for all your support and prayers! I know many of the people reading this are my family and friends, but I also know I have some regular readers I’ve never even met. Thank YOU so much for entering into this journey with me!

A few ways you can be praying for me:

• Finding a job.
• Continued financial provision.
• Godly, provoking relationships among my flatmates, discipleship group, and IHOPU as a whole.
• Single-minded focus in the prayer room and in classes.
• Boldness and anointing in moving with Holy Spirit in whatever he’s doing.