Goodbye, LU.

About this time last year, I was going through this same thing. I had this same feeling of digging up my roots and looking for a new place to plant them. Tomorrow I'm going to take 3 exams and say goodbye to two of my best friends I have ever had: Jennah and Ariel. That's gonna be a hard day. Tuesday I will wake up before the butt-crack of dawn, say goodbye to the beautiful lady that has taught me SO MUCH this semester (SARAH DOUGHTY!) and drive and drive for an eternity and finally get to Memphis. I'll spend Tuesday and Wednesday with my lovely grandmother and on Thursday I'll leave on a jet plane! Friday I'll finally get to Brasil.

I am so grateful for this past year. I have done and learned so much - I really can't thank God enough for all the ways He blessed me. I played in the snow for the first time that I can remember, went to large variety of different churches, experienced a different culture and made friends that are impossible to forget. I heard from amazing speakers that literally changed my life and had some times with God that I couldn't have had anywhere else.

During my first semester here, God took away everything. I didn't have my family, my boyfriend, my friends, my church, or even my own culture. I had a very hard time and struggled to keep out of depression, but God showed me that He is all I need. I really don't need anything else. He also taught me how to pray and how prayer changes things and how powerful it is.

This semester, God let me hear from David Platt and Shane Claiborne. Through them, God showed me what He wants my life to look like and what my purpose is. God showed me that I need to go back to Brasil - that Brasil is my Calcutta. This semester God has truly blessed my friendships here and given me sisters and relationships that are simply indescribable.

This past year has probably been the hardest year of my life, but the year that I've learned and grown the most. I don't feel like I'm the same person I was a year ago and I'm so grateful for that. Leaving Liberty is very hard. It still hasn't hit me yet and I haven't had my break down yet. I know I'm supposed to go to Brasil and I can't wait to see my family, my friends, my boyfriend, and be back, but this past week has been so hard saying goodbye to everyone and realizing that I'm not coming back. Leaving is hard, but hard goodbyes are the best because you know that your time there was worth it. Liberty is a great school. I've learned so much in my year here and I'm sad to leave, but very, very, very grateful to God for bringing me here this semester.