One Year

Today, I want to spend a minute talking about this guy:

Tyler Jay Haddad.

Today marks a year of us officially dating. 

Who knew that the guy I sat in a coffee shop trying to get to know just a short year and a half ago was going to be such an important man in my life.

This past year has brought a lot of really good times. There have also been some hard ones, but I sit here tonight declaring that there is no one else I would rather go through those rough times with. He really is quite the catch.

I love you, Ty. Here's to many more years of learning to love and care for each other well!


Anna

My August Prayer

It's here. The time of the year that our church works fervently to reach campus and incoming freshman for the sake of the Gospel.

For those of you who don't know a lot about the ministry I am involved in, here it goes. The Rock is a college ministry working to reach unbelievers and the unchurched on campus. Different from most college ministries though, we actually do have our own Sunday church service. We are a church and a ministry all in one.

Because graduation happens every May, as a college ministry we are essentially working to replace (at least) a fourth of our members every school year. We are working hard to get new people involved all the time because we have to in order to even have a congregation and community. It is hard work, but the people of our church learn an incredible amount from this outreach. Disciples of the Lord are being created every year as we put college students (like me) in situations to practically learn what evangelism and outreach looks like. It's hard. It's awesome. But most of all, it's worth it and as followers of Christ, it is what we are called to do.

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Matthew 28:18-20

From the day I arrived on campus two years ago, I have felt so at home at The Rock. I feel loved by the people there. I feel loved by Jesus there. I pray that others can experience that same thing at The Rock as we kick off the new school year. I pray that He is using the people of our ministry to reach the campus so that His name may be known and understood. I pray that we can willingly and joyfully obey the command that He has given us, not for our own glory, but for His. Most of all, I pray that people will be saved and come to know Jesus in a new and beautiful way.

I don't normally do this on my blog, but today I am asking that you will join me in this prayer. Please be praying for my community and Mizzou's campus as we work to build Christ's community.

I love you guys, and I wish you all the best of falls. Enjoy the hot weather while it lasts! It will be over before we know it.

Love,

Anna

Hello, August.

If you are a dedicated follower of my blog, then you likely noticed my recent prolonged absence. If you didn't notice, don't worry, my feelings aren't hurt. This blog's purpose is more for therapeutic reasons than anything. I suppose it's a pretty good way of documenting my life, too. As if there aren't enough social media sites getting that job done.

Honestly though, I just haven't really felt like writing recently. The past few months brought a lack of motivation with them. I have been reading more than usual, which has been amazing, but writing just hasn't come so easily. While considering getting rid of my blog completely, I finally decided that I didn't want to do that. I may be moving to WordPress in the near future though, so if you have thoughts or concerns about the possibility of that switch, I would love to hear.

Regardless of all of that, here I am. I don't have a lot to say, but I would like to share a bit of my summer with you all!

Here are some of my adventures:

A little time in Springfield

A visit to EP, CO.

Tyler had a dog for a minute.

It was an adventure, for sure. 

Here are some books I've been reading:

I finished this one back in May.

This book challenged the American dream, no doubt. It gave me great perspective on what it looks like to surrender my own comfort to The Lord and live for his glory. It will be a life long journey trying to figure out what that looks like, but I suggest this book to anyone stuck in a complacency or comfortable rut. Or if you aren't.

I read this one in June.

I'm sure a lot of you have seen the movie. I had, but I wanted to read the book just for fun. I actually really enjoyed it.

I'm in the middle of this one right now.

What a beautiful book (so far). It captures a great snapshot of God's love and faithfulness. Our summer at the Rock has been themed "The God Who Draws Near," and I think this book tells a beautiful story of just that. It's not scripture, but the metaphors presented within are just awesome.

Whether you're a believer or not, I think this book is worth your time.

I just started this one.

I figured as a future English teacher, this one is a good one to have read. I have a whole list of books that I want to read for that reason.

Here's what I have been listening to:

John Mark McMillan

Borderland

John Mark is always awesome, but I am loving this album. Future/Past is probably my favorite.

The Collection

Ars Moriendi

They came to Columbia last week and I am loving their stuff. Ars Moriendi is their latest album, but all of their music is awesome. Check them out.

I can't believe it's August already (sigh). Tyler and I will be attending THREE weddings this month, everyone will start coming back to Columbia, my parents will leave our home of almost 14 years, school will start, and The Rock will be back in full swing. I will also (hopefully) make progress in training for the half marathon I committed to running in November. Prayers for that are especially appreciated! Ha.


Love you guys,
Anna
annaswift.vsco.co

"Things happen."

I spent this last weekend at home. It was so necessary.

After a difficult, emotional week, I went home Friday afternoon to have a daddy-daughter date night with my wonderful Poppa. He bought me sushi and took me to see my grandparents, which I am unbelievably thankful for.

Saturday I spent some time with my other set of grandparents, had the chance to catch up with my girl Mo, and went house shopping with my parents. Yes, house shopping. My parents are currently looking for a smaller house in a neighboring town. It's really a bittersweet feeling. They will soon be moving out of the house that I spent eleven years of my life in. It is not easy to filter through all of my old stuff and think about the number of memories I will be leaving when we leave that home. However, I'm not as sad as you would think. I am excited for my family and have complete faith that the Lord has been orchestrating this entire process.

Sunday was hard. My sweet grandmother, at the age of 87 was involved in a really awful car wreck in the afternoon. On our way to her house to celebrate Father's Day with my dad's family, we got the call from Mercy Hospital. She had gone to Walmart to pick up ice cream to go with the cake she had baked for us. While sitting at the intersection waiting to cross the highway, a large truck pulling a 5th wheel camper plowed through two cars in the turn lane and straight into the driver's side of my grandma's car.

My heart is aching for her and my grandpa. It has been since the moment I saw her lying in the bed at the emergency room. After beating breast cancer in the 60's, surviving a heart attack a few years back, and finally beating lung cancer in this past year, she was involved in this terrible accident. With many injuries at the age of 87, it's going to be a long road to recovery. But goodness, she is one strong woman. She told me Monday that it had to be somebody in that wreck and it might as well have been her. "Things happen," she said.

So I'm here just asking for prayers. The Lord is clearly not finished with her on this earth. I pray for her recovery and that healing comes without any additional sickness or difficulty. I pray for my heartbroken grandpa, that he is taken care of while his primary care giver is unable to take care of herself. I pray for my family during this difficult time of heartache and transition.

"The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold." Psalm 18:2

On a more positive note, I had some incredibly overdue time with my friend Jordan, today. I don't just mean overdue in the sense that she has been gone from Columbia for 5 weeks. I mean that we haven't spent a lot of time with each other in the last 12 months, really. Praise the Lord for a friendship that feels like it never skipped a day. The timing of her visit was impeccable. Love you, Jo.


Anna

And so summer begins.

Oh boy, it's officially summer, people. I have been done with school for nearly two weeks now, but I have been so busy, I don't think it really hit me until this week.

Since finals week, I have had my fair share of adventure. The night of my last final, Ty and I headed to KC for the weekend. We came back Sunday night, then turned around and headed south on Tuesday night. We spent Tuesday night at my parents house in the big AG and left for Austin, Texas the next morning. There, some great friends welcomed us in to their studio apartment for the next five nights. I wouldn't even know where to begin, so I will just say it was an awesome trip. Thanks, Travis and Lauren for showing us incredible hospitality and being such a great model of what a Godly marriage looks like. Your servant hearts are evident in the way you treat each other as well as those around you.

This week has been nice. I've begun getting "in the swing of things." Work, classes, exercise, the good stuff. I have also spent a little time with my new niece. SIDE NOTE: If you haven't seen her, you need to. If you don't live in Columbia, you should look at pictures. Miss Eliza Rose Swift is one beautiful baby. She is precious.

I am truly looking forward to the adventure, the lessons, and the wisdom that summer is going to bring. I know in my heart that The Lord has some awesome things in store for me, and that this is where He has called me this summer. However, while believing this to be true, I am simultaneously grieving the loss of a summer in Colorado. As I see pictures and posts of people arriving in EP, I can't help but feel a little sad that I won't be joining them. I would be lying if I told you otherwise. But, even in my jealousy, I want to wish all of you guys out at the Y the best summer possible. God has some sweet things planned for you in the next 12 weeks, or however long it is. And hey, I'll see y'all in July :).

As I may have mentioned before, many of my friends have committed to doing the Lord's work in different parts of the world this summer. In Ghana, Honduras, Kenya, DC, Colorado, etc, He has placed many of my close friends to share His word with people who may not otherwise know the name of Jesus Christ. I am beginning to recognize that part of my longing to be in Colorado is because I feel like I need to be doing something "greater." However, the Lord is constantly humbling me and assuring me that I am enough. I am learning to trust that He is using me here in Columbia, and while I may not be able to see that at this point, I am thankful for His faithfulness and truth. My life is not my own.

So this is where I am. I am excited about the summer, but I have to be honest in saying that it isn't always the easy choice. I guess following the Lord doesn't always feel like "the easy choice," though, does it? 

Regardless, it's always worth it.

"Jesus said, 'Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life.'"
Mark 10:29-30

A.Swift