Reflections

Wow it is hard to believe how fast time goes!! I am almost done with my first year here at Winona. This last year has been the biggest blessing, scariest yet most exciting and rewarding time of my life. I have grown so much closer to God through experiences that are too many to count. I have met amazing friends, and wonderful people along the way. I was diagnosed officially with my disease in December and have been doing wonderful since then. In just a few short weeks, I will be having my surgery which will be a full Sternotomy Thymectomy. For my readers who are not in medical school (don't worry, I am not either) that means I am having my Thymus gland and the tumor on it removed.
I have been so insanely blessed in ways I couldn't have even imagined. The night before I came to Winona, I had a conversation with my mom about how I just had a feeling that something significant was going to happen this year. Something special. I have had several special things happen so I couldn't pick just one that would be the one I was talking about that night. Some of my blessings this year include

• Growing in my faith
• Leading my friends to the Lord
• Having FABULOUS RA's!!
• Being able to work with the kids in the schools
• Meeting all of the friends that I have
• Getting to share my love for Jesus with others
• Being able to walk again and getting to do normal activities with my friends without limitations
• Seeing God clearly working in my heart and through people around me
• Starting to see where my life is going
• Being supported to unbelievable amounts by my family
• Developing lifelong friendships

The list continues and keeps growing as I am continually blessed by God. 

As the year ends it is very bittersweet. I have enjoyed living in the dorm that I do with all of the wonderful people that I live with. I will miss them next year but look forward to seeing them on campus. 

It is so hard to believe I am almost a sophomore in college. It seems like I just graduated and was getting ready to leave home. Time flies. 

I hope that everyone is well. The flu and bad colds have been going around. Take care and God bless you all!!!! I will probably post one more time before my surgery but not much before then as the school year is coming to a fast and busy close. Love you all!!!

- Alyssa

Life is Beautiful

Wow two posts in one week?! I must be on a roll! I hope everyone is having a wonderful week even though it is only Tuesday =). I know I am. It has been very stressful these last few weeks, but as always, I look at life as one big blessing. I had a beautiful conversation last night with a friend about how so many things in life all depend on how you look at them. Attitude is absolutely everything. If you wake up in the morning and say to yourself "well today is going to suck." Well guess what?! It is!!! If you have that mindset you already are looking at everything in a negative way. I sometimes wake up and feel extremely week or icky, but I tell myself it is going to be a good day. Some days are tough, and we all have bad days. We all go through tough stuff, but God promises that he will never give us more than we can handle. Lately I have really felt pushed to my limit and there have been several instances recently when I have said to people I am close to that God must think I am extremely strong, because life has been anything but easy this last month. I continue to grow closer to God through the trials I have gone through, which to me makes it all worth it.

Sometimes in life, I feel that I know what is best for myself, but if I got to map out my life and if all the plans that I thought were good for me or were meant to be happened instead of letting God take control, man would I be screwed up. One of my favorite bible verses is Jeremiah 29:11. It says
"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." I am so glad someone has it figured out because I sure don't!
Even though my life has been anything but easy, to me it is beautiful because I let God take control as he is the author of my days. 
Tonight we had bible study up on Garvin Heights in Winona. It was so beautiful. I have never been up there. I really liked it. If any of my readers come to visit me that are not in Winona, I will take you up there!!! I hope everyone is having a blessed week! It is a short one for most of us as Friday is Good Friday. The day my personal Lord and Savior payed the ultimate price for my sin on the cross so that one day I could spend eternity in Heaven free of sin. I hope you all have a wonderful Easter. 

Up on top of Garvin Heights for Bible Study <3