LMPC Junior High Fall Retreat.

Meg, Margaret, Hally, Maria, Becca, and Mimi :)

This past weekend, I had the priviledge of going on Lookout Mountain Presbyterian's Junior High Fall Retreat. It was such a great opportunity to get to know the sixth grade girls in my small group...they are so sweet and fun and literally kept me laughing constantly. This weekend, it was really exciting to see friendships really begin to grow within our small group, and I was able to start building stronger relationships with these girls as well. I love each of them so much and I want them to know Jesus. Meg. she is hilarious. I don't know any other way to describe her, but she is most deff the jokster of the group. Hally. She is smart and we have the same birthday! Margaret. She plays soccer and reminds me exactly of what I was like in Junior high. Maria. She just moved to the area but surprisingly is very outgoing, fun, and has made a lot of friends. Becca. She is home schooled but VERY excited about going to GPS (girls prepatary school) next year. When I saw her on Friday I said "Hey Becca!" and she goes "omygoodness, you remember my name?!" Mimi. Oh Girl. She knows EVERY word to EVERY song on the radio. What a fun group of girls. They are so lively and have such fun personalities. I'm so thankful for each of them. I'm praying for them...praying that they will grow to love Jesus on their own. and praying that somehow, by God's grace, they will see Jesus through the things we do together. I'm so thankful for this time away to be with these girls...they are awesome.

1 Peter 1:8-9 "Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls."

Here comes fall...

waoh, life as a college student is crazy! I can't believe two months have gone by since I have been here! Everything is going well...My classes are keeping me busy, and I feel like I am constantly reading, but I am learning a lot and enjoying it along the way. I haven't been homesick in a while...it comes and goes but for the most part, this is starting to feel like home! I of course miss my friends and family, but I'm thankful for the people here. I've started going to Lookout Mountain Presbyterian Church, and loving it. I'm co-leading a sixth grade girls small group on Sunday nights with Catherine and Anne Marie, and sixth grade girls make me laugh constantly, to say the least...they are so silly and I already love them all. The weather here is BEAUTIFUL. Not only am I suurounded by mountains, but it's getting coolish and the LEAVES ARE CHANGING!!!! I just can't get over how pretty everything is. The newest and most exciting news I have, is that this week I got pulled up to varsity soccer! The varsity coaches approached me in the great hall early this week and asked if I would be interested in moving up and finishing the season on varsity. I of course attempted to remain and calm and act like it was no big deal to me...whelp, that failed and I ended up standing there hugging the coaches and jumping and screaming with Catherine. Give God the glory...He is blessing me beyond what I could ask or imagine. Well, I pretty much spend my days laughing with new friends, missing old ones, and running around in soccer cleats...that's all for now! Happy Fall!


We had on last JV soccer game a few weeks ago...I love all these girls so much. They are such a blessing!

Scots, scots, scots, scots, scots, scots, scots, EVERYBODY!

This is my new friend Aften! She has been such a sweet friend to me. She encourages and loves me everyday and constantly makes me laugh. One rainy Sunday, we went down the mountain together to Michaels and spent the day painting. She is so much like me, we love to laugh at the same things, and when we are together it's really fun and crazy. Oh and we decided we are going to be in each other's J-crew (Dad, start saving!) weddings. yeah, she's pretty great and I'm thankful she's around.

soccer, soccer, soccer!

Today, I am THANKING and PRAISING God for giving me the opportunity to play soccer again...I play my first game in three years tonight and I. AM. SO. EXCITED. Thanking Him for His faithfulness, loving parents who took me to a million doctors appointments and friends who encouraged me the whole way! whooooooooooooooo I CAN'T WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIT!

Headed to the Mountain.

I'm here, I'm here, I'm here! I am so excited to be up here on the mountain at Covenant finally! I've wanted to go here since Junior Year and I can't believe that I AM HERE! Ok, I have the keys to my Dad's 4runner, the northface backpack, and Columbia pull-over...what else do I need to get to be the "cute college girl" i've wanted to be since 9th grade. Oh, and don't worry I now own THIRTY-TWO pairs of underwear...my mom made sure of it! Moving in went well, and I enjoyed the last few weeks with my friends and family...i miss you all ALOT. My roomates are great, I'm living with three sophomores, Anne Marie, Eliza, and Catherine. (Catherine and I grew up together and we know each other from home.) They are so much fun...we are all really different...if I am feeling lonely I stick with Catherine, if I need a good friend I go to Ann Marie, and if I need to kick someone in the face, I go to Eliza. They are perfect for me...we all love to be silly and crazy and we all play sports here at school; Catherine runs cross country, Anne Marie plays Tennis, Eliza is on varsity soccer, and I am on JV. Don't worry, we are having fun...our room is complete with all the essentials...a "cheesy poster wall" including Justin Bieber, twilight, star wars, Disney princesses, a Text Messaging Glossary, and finally a poster with four horses that says "field of dreams." Oh but it doesn't end there, we of course have our "Poop Chart" up and ready for talleys come September first...the "Poop Champ" each month will then be placed on the bulletin board by our door...I'm going to have to eat alot of meatloaf to keep up with Catherine; I am determined to be poop champ one of these days. We also wouldn't want to forget our baskets filled with bubbles, chalk, dressups (leotard and Tu-Tu, duh!) ribbon dancer, and our army men are lined up and ready for action on top of the tv. I've pulled out my scooter several times, and I have figured out how to get from the chapel at the top of the hill to the soccer field with one swift push off with my right foot...as long as people stay out of my way and I don't hit any bumps, my scooter and I make a great team.

I've been struggling again with "Ben stuff" on and off since I got here...there are alot of memories here as Ben and I met at Covenant and we were here together just two months ago. I am so thankful for my roommates and several other girls on my hall who have been a great encouragement and have been loving me well.

I'm loving BEING IN THE MOUNTAINS!

Beth Wilkening
Covenant College
Box #994
14049 Scenic Highway
Lookout Mountain, GA 30750

I leave you with this song I can't get enough of and hope and pray that the Lord is blessing you beyond what you can ask or imagine!

"I will sing of your mercy that leads me through valleys of sorrow to rivers of joy."

I'm living in Carter on 3C. As Catherine says "if you can't live on 3c then your next best choice is to live in a cardboard box ...because honestly no other hall will be this much fun."

This is our attempt at "Real Simple" magazine...a mudroom with our "toys" and rainboots!

"The womenly art of breastfeeding"...just some light reading. (shout out to Nicki Jacob!)

Our new little home...

This is our living room and poster wall...JB what a hottie.

The lovely poop Chart on the bathroom wall...we think we are funny.

Psalm 138:8

As most of you know, at the beginning of July, my boyfriend Ben, and I broke up. For those of you who don't know, Ben and I met while working at the EDGE (a junior high church camp at Covenant College.) last summer. Ben lives in Memphis, and over the past year he had become someone that I really grew to respect, look up to, and care about. For the past year, he was my best friend...and that was what I loved most about us; the friendship we had with one another, and the love we had for each other as brother and sister in the body of Christ. I only write about this, because I know that it will be a big part of trusting God as I transition into college life, and I LOVE what God has taught me, as I have really struggled through this breakup. It has been so amazing to see God's restoration and healing for my heart and life through this time...I've never known Jesus as my healer and I've never seen His strength in such a real and loving way in my life before. I will be honest, the first few weeks were really hard-it was really difficult for me to trust God, to see His good in this, and to find rest in Him. I remember nights begging God to just "hold me, hold me," and give me the faith to believe that He is GOOD. I quickly began to panic and ask God "How am I going to go to college when I am such a mess?! Jesus, how am I going to focus on school and build new friendships when I feel broken? Who am I going to call when I am homesick? Who is going to hug me when I miss my family?" I have a sweet friend and mentor, Lindsay Berrang, who came over to my house the day after we broke up and prayed with me. She has been a HUGE encouragement to me through this, and she's really helped me to STILL enjoy the memories and treasure them, even though right now they hurt. I remember her sitting on my bed with me that morning, and crying with me as she said "Beth, God is going to meet you in new ways...ways you've never seen Him, ways you didn't even know He could meet you in. Because he wants you...and he wants all of you." And I can say, even just six weeks later, Lindsay was right...God has met me in so many new ways.

I have a cardboard box called "The Ben Box" filled with letters he's written me, notes he's given me, cds, flowers he sent me, pictures etc.I made the box last summer and over this year it has been filled to the top. On the top of the box, Psalm 138:8 is painted..."The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me." This was a verse that Ben and I talked about alot while we were dating as together we sought God to show us wisdom about our relationship, going to different colleges, etc. The night that we broke up, my mom and I taped up the box and through my tears I couldn't help me be reminded that God will fulfill His purpose for my life...and that is a promise in which I am clinging.

Over the past month, I have been reading through the book of Joshua and I have found alot of comfort through God's faithfulness to the Israelites so many years ago...I admire Joshua's bravery and God's faithfulness to His promises as He enabled them to defeat their enemies and take over the land that God had promised to them. I'm so thankful that God has proven himself trustworthy and that their are countless examples in the Bible to which I can see and find comfort in.

There have been two big things that stick out to me when I think about this breakup...forgiveness and joy. Relationships are hard work, and broken relationships are even harder. From the very start, the Lord began to work in my heart and remind me of the forgiveness that Ben and I had to give to one another. About two weeks ago, our new family pastor gave a talk on "forgiveness, our sacred duty." I was reminded of the forgiveness that the Lord so lovingly gives me daily. My quiet time prayers quickly became focused on forgiveness...I know I need SO MUCH help to forgive ben and I know I need SO MUCH forgiveness from Ben. Despite the type of relationship we have, Ben is and always will be my brother in Christ, and the sooner we can forgive one another, the sooner we can look to Christ to restore our friendship and encourage one another, even if it's from a distance. The second thing is Joy...it was such a battle to trust God for the first few weeks, and I still find days where I question " God, are you sure this is right?" It wasn't until several weeks ago, that I started to see God focus my heart from being healed and forgiven to a heart of Joy. While over at Lindsay's house one day, she said "you know, true joy is only really seen during times of hardship and suffering. All other joy is circumstantial...but when you can find joy among suffering, THAT'S when you know it's joy from the Lord." Those words were so eye-opening and encouraging to me...throughout these weeks, the Lord has reminded me of His love for me, his healing for my life, and the joy that only He can give to me and satisfy me with.

Am I still struggling with this? Yes. Has the hurt been worth seeing God in New ways? Absolutely. Suffering shows us what we need most and how desperate we are for a Savior. There isn't a day that I don't miss Ben and pray that God would bring healing to our friendship. He still is a very important person and friend and I'm so thankful for the time spent together and that he is in my life. For now however, I have been clinging to Jeremiah 31:3-6 in which the Lord says: "I have loved you with an EVERLASTING LOVE, I have drawn you with loving-kindness. I will BUILD YOU UP AGAIN and you will be REBUILT, O virgin Israel. Again you will take up your tambourines and go out to dance with the joyful. Again you will plant vineyards on the hills of Samaria; the farmers will plant them and enjoy their fruit...Come, let us go up to Zion, to the Lord our God." I know that God will rebuild me, build me up again, and fulfill His purpose for me...and I'm trusting in these promises each day and seeing that He is good all the time. I feel weak and unprepared to move away without my best friend in my life, and after such a difficult change, but I rest assured in the Lord's STRENGTH and LOVE for me...

summer days...

I'm so thankful for these friends that God has given to encourage me this summer! Here is a taste of what little parts of the summer has been like! God has really blessed me with loving brothers and sisters who have loved me, prayed with me, encouraged me and met so many of my needs this past month. I value the memories and time spent together...as college gets closer, each moment with them seems more precious!

Item #1 on my "before college" to do list: Start a blog.

I start college in less then a month. 26 days to be exact. I don't know whether this means I should jump around and scream in excitement or sit down and cry...mixed emotions for sure. And the fact that it's rapidly approaching makes me want to pee in my pants out of pure excitement and fear. Anyways, I always planned on starting a blog when I packed up my things and headed off to college. (haha I only say that because it sounds so adventurous!) But you should know that I'm HORRIBLE at spelling...and I generally go a little crazy with the commas because I still don't understand when to use them and when they shouldn't be used...hmm if I get out of college with a better understanding of commas, then I think my parents money will have gone to good use!! Anyways, I'm headed to Covenant College on Lookout Mountain, Georgia, and oh could I think of a more beautiful place to go to college? The answer is no. BUT in leaving my home and going so far away, I feel like I am leaving behind a lot of me...mostly my family and friends, and pretty much everything that i love and find familiar to me. Change is hard to me, so I've always known that college (especially eight hours from home!! eeeek!) would be a stretch...but as crazy as it is, the change has already begun... my summer has brought about quite alot of changes, several unexpected ones...which i will write about another time. But for now, I'm writing this blog with all my sweet friends and family in mind...so that you can still be involved in my life and see what the Lord is doing in my heart and how his steadfast love is holding me together even through challenges and change.