The Final Semester

One week from today I will begin my final semester. I cannot believe this is it – I’m almost done with college. And to put the cherry on top – I will have completed my 4 year degree in 3 1/2 years.

One week from today I will enter a Kindergarten classroom. I will get to know my students and create so many awesome memories there.  I will commute to Minneapolis every week until December from our lovely apartment in Saint Paul. I will then have to leave those awesome Kindergarteners to do my 3rd grade placement, and create even more awesome memories. In each of those classrooms, I will teach for two weeks full-time (in addition to the other weeks of part-time teaching) and get a real taste of my soon to be profession.

It’s hard to believe the end is here. College has been filled with so many beautiful moments, so many amazing individuals, and so much knowledge gained. While my final semester will not mean time spent at a desk learning from a professor, I know I will learn the most yet from being at the front of the classroom.

As my final semester is about to start, I can’t help but look back on these photos and relive the years that have already happened.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

As this semester begins, I ask that you keep Trevor and me in your prayers! As the semester begins, my name will be sent out (hopefully primarily on the West Coast) for positions at Lutheran schools. While I am beyond excited to see where God will take us and how He will work through me, there is a lot of unknown right now! Prayers are so greatly appreciated!

I can’t wait to share some awesome things from this upcoming semester with you all!
XO Elisebeth

P.S. Is anyone SUPER PSYCHED for fall weather? (I am, obviously).

Recent Life Lessons

I have a lot of friends who are currently in the season of singleness. And while I wasn’t in that arena for long, I am glad I did experience it. Marriage has helped me to realize the importance of having been single and having lived on my own – even if only for a semester of college was I living entirely alone in a single dorm. During that semester I dealt with a lot of personal things, some stemming from having been long distance with Trevor, but I also learned a lot. Some of these life lessons have only now come to realization now that I have been married for a year.

God works in such mysterious ways, and we never know how these “nows” will impact our “laters”. I’ve learned, perhaps most importantly, this first year of marriage, the importance of embracing the “nows” – no future day will ever be the same as now. Today’s experiences shape tomorrow. Today’s reflections impact tomorrow’s plans and thoughts and actions and words. Everything matters.

While this post has gotten a little more philosophical than I had initially anticipated – it has been so eye opening to come to a realization that life presents us with so many revelations and that God does truly work in our lives.

“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”

-Romans 8:28 ESV

Life is Crazy

It’s been over a month since I last blogged. I’m not going to go into details, but the time alone proves how crazy and busy life has been here. SO MUCH IS GOING ON. It really only gets crazier from here.

Trevor graduated from college on Saturday and finals are around the corner for me. I’m in a wedding on Sunday and am starting a new job in two weeks. Trevor and I leave for DC/NY in about two and a half weeks and will be back in GB three weekends in a row shortly. Life is crazy.

While I have often been dubbed the queen of anxiety, and this stuff has not made me any different, life has been different this time around. I still struggle with my anxiety – a lot. Some days I have to return home to calm myself down, others I have to get out of the house to do so. Each day is a new struggle, but Trevor keeps reminding me of the only thing that matters: God has it figured out.

2 Timothy 1:6-7 says,

For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

How awesome is God?! He wants us to be people who live lives filled with this love and power and self-control. We aren’t to be fearful of what our days will bring, even in those darkest of times. We are to turn to him, and for me that means especially on those days that I am filled with fear.

So how do I live a life full of love? Lately, I have been focusing my life of love on my husband. He’s had some things going on that really call for some extra attention and love to be needed for him, and as his wife I am so blessed to be the one to give him those things he needs. I have also been working hard to pray for those in my life that I think may need some extra love, whether it’s due to school work or relationships or anything under the sun.

A life of power is something I am still working on. For me it fits closely with that self-control piece, so I’ll talk about them together. Self-control is something that is difficult to grasp with anxiety, in addition to that I often feel completely powerless amid heightened anxiety thoughts. Trevor and I have been spending extra time praying together before going to bed to work on this. He knows so well that I need prayers for peace to serve me in both areas of power and self-control. The power of prayer is so amazing, and it never ceases to amaze me how God works through it in my life.

So yes, life has been crazy lately. But God is watching out for me, and I’ll make it through the good and the bad crazy times ahead.

Strange Ways

So – I know I hinted about a post about my bridal shower for today, but I just have to share something else instead. It popped up and I can’t help but tell you all.

Yesterday I found out my nanny job will be ending a week earlier than originally anticipated-meaning this is my last week with the boys. After finding this out, I had some mixed feelings. I have really struggled at this job honestly, but at the same time I am really enjoying it (plus the pay is good). I immediately Facebook messaged my GM at Pizza Ranch and let her know I could pick up some shifts for next week, so hopefully I can still make some money that week.

This morning on my way to work, I was waiting at a stoplight. Driving the ’94 Toyota Camry is always an adventure – it purrs when you’re stopped. Today the purrs were going and then they changed and the RPM gauge changed quickly. Then she died. Thank goodness the light didn’t change that second. I immediately put on my hazards and called my dad. I tried waving the people behind me around so that they wouldn’t just sit there, too bad no one caught on. My dad arrived in about 5 minutes (I think). He and two guys from church pushed the car to the nearby parking lot. Thankfully no one had anything on the calendar for today, because I’m sitting here at work with the van in the driveway.

My family can’t afford a new car. We’ve never bought new vehicles-only ever used. The Camry used to be my grandparents and we bought from them. My family is in the middle of trying to buy a house in Portage, where they are moving. So car payments can’t really be added on right now.

God works in some really strange ways; but I’m thinking me not working at my nanny job next week was a way to help us get through only having one car for a bit. Katherine and I can both be dropped off at Pizza Ranch, or Trevor can help out with rides. My mom works from home and doesn’t have any doctor appointments coming up for a bit. My dad works across the street. While the situation of only having one car isn’t ideal-we’ll figure it out. God’s already got it in our plans, and we’ll be okay.

Be Kind

Despite feeling quite stressed lately, I have been constantly reminded of God’s blessings in my life. Sometimes, I think that’s how God works. Right when you think everything is going wrong – He shows that it’s all going so so well.

This morning, I was running around like a mad woman looking for breakfast. I was out of my go-to breakfast bars (either a Clif or Luna bar). So I hopped in the car and headed to Starbucks and knew I’d have to spend more than just my typical amount for a caramel macchiato. I pulled up and ordered a tall caramel macchiato (light ice) and hearty blueberry oatmeal (with all of the toppings). When I got up to the window I found out the lady in front of me had paid for my drink! So my breakfast this morning only cost about the same as my normal drink. What an awesome start to a Monday. It’s these tiny things that remind me God is in charge and He’s got in all in control.

So I urge you to show God’s love to others through your kindness and generosity. It’s certainly something I will be working on for the rest of this year.