Update!

I haven't posted anything in a while, but I wanted to update you on some exciting news about my summer. I found out several weeks ago that I will no longer be serving in Alberta and the Northwest Territories this summer. Instead, I will be serving in VANCOUVER, BC!!! I am very excited about this! We were told that because of the increased tourism to Vancouver due to the Olympics that there is a greater opportunity for ministry there. Our team will be joining with the Vancouver team, and I know that God will use all of us in a mighty way.
I only know two of the people I will be serving with this summer. Brigette Thompson (a good friend of mine from ETSU), and Lauren Hurst (from UT-Martin) will be joining me in Vancouver. They are both godly women with a desire to spread the gospel, and I am confident that we will be a great team. I don't know who else we will be serving with, or how many for that matter, but I am very excited to begin this great adventure. I have several prayer requests for the summer, and I would really appreciate the prayer support before and during my trip. Thanks to all of you who have given financially, or who have committed to pray for me. I love you all dearly, and I cannot wait to share some of the amazing things I know God will do this summer!

Prayer Requests:
- Pray for safe travels as we embark on the long flight to Vancouver.
- Pray that our team will bond quickly, and work well together throughout the summer.
- Pray that we will be bold in our faith, even when we may be uncomfortable.
- Pray that the Spirit will lead us in the right directions as far as the ministries that will work best in Vancouver.
- Pray that we will not be discouraged.
- Pray that God will challenge me, and that I will grow through this experience.
- Pray for God to soften the hearts of the people, so that they may be more receptive to the gospel.

Brigette, one of my Canada teammates

2010 National Champions

Well, we did it! The Duke Blue Devils are the 2010 NCAA Champions! I can't tell you how excited it makes me. It has been a great year for the Blue Devils, and for me! They were the ACC regular season champs (tied with Maryland), ACC Tournament Champs, and now they have brought home the National Title! They even went undefeated at home this year, and I got to be a part of it all. I was able to attend a few games, seeing them win the ACC Tournament in Greensboro, and I even joined the students by the bonfire after their big win over UNC in March. For me, the highlight of it all was going home to watch the championship game with my wonderful family, and then going to the Homecoming Celebration at Cameron to see them bring home the trophy.

They could not have accomplished all of this without their senior leadership from Scheyer, Thomas, and Zoubek! They are going to be greatly missed (especially Scheyer). I think the Blue Devils are looking good for next year with their incoming recruits, especially Kyrie Irving, and the activation of Seth Curry. If Kyle Singler decides to forgo the draft, I will be looking for a 5th banner to hang in Cameron! I am a little sad that the season is over, but when I think about all that they accomplished it makes me smile. It has been a great ride for the Blue Devils this year, and I am just glad I was able to experience some of it! I posted some pictures below! I am a very proud Duke fan, and now all Duke fans can rejoice in our great season and look forward to another great season next year! GO DUKE!!

Final Four and Easter Weekend

As most of you know this is Final Four weekend, and there are only 4 lucky teams left battling for a National Title! It is also Easter weekend, and families will be celebrating in various ways throughout the country. This will be the first Easter I will have spent away from my family in all my 22 years of life. I am really busy with school, so I decided to stay in Johnson City to catch up on some school work. Luckily some of my friends will still be in town, so we will get to spend the weekend together.

I am anxiously awaiting Saturday night when my team, the Duke Blue Devils, will face West Virginia in the semi-finals of the NCAA tournament. At the beginning of the tournament, I would have been completely satisfied with just a place in the Final Four. But, with all the other #1 seeds out, I am confident that Duke can win it all! At this point, I would be completely devastated if they didn't pull through. March Madness was at its best this year, and if there is one thing that excites me....it's basketball, especially Duke basketball.

How ironic that one of the biggest events in the entire world of sports is held the same weekend as Easter, and yet many of us can't seem to get as excited or be as confident in God as we are in our favorite sports teams! After all, He gave us something more than a National Championship...he gave us life! And our teams can sometimes let us down, and leave us devastated and disappointed. When has God not been faithful? I say this because I am probably more guilty than anyone when it comes to letting basketball take over my life. I guess this blog post is more of a confession. This year basketball has consumed my life, and has excited me game after game! Why can't I let Jesus consume my life, and excite me the way basketball excites me?

This is a challenge more to myself, but I hope it will challenge all of you as well. I am still going to watch the games this weekend, and pull just as hard for my Blue Devils, but I am going to try to be more mindful of what is occupying my time, and keeping me from a more intimate relationship with my Creator. I am going to spend some time with God this weekend, and pray that the excitement I get from being with Him will far outweigh any excitement even a National Title would bring to my life!

I guess I should thank my cousin Brian for this epiphany, as I read his blog post about God being more exciting than the ACC tournament. It was a much needed slap in the face, so thanks! I hope you all have a wonderful and exciting Easter remembering the sacrifice God made, and the fact that he is risen and is preparing a place in heaven for us! Happy Easter =)

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you, 5who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.
1 Peter 1:3-5