the munchkin, the fair and the people on campus.

her name is Senuri! :)

She's the little munchkin I talked about in my last blog that I am sponsoring through World Vision. (i say munchkin in a good way…haha.)


She's two years old and is from Sri Lanka. I won't receive a letter from her (well, she's two… so her parents haha) for about 6-8 weeks but I can't wait for her to know someone's sponsoring her. Ahh! It'll be so exciting!

Hmm…well, in other news! I am excited about the rest of this week here @ ACC and just in Atlanta in general. Tomorrow two lovely people I know are flying in Atlanta and speaking at ACC's Special Event chapel on Friday. Jenna and Chrissy are both involved with The Revolve Tour/Women of Faith conferences and it's an all-girls chapel this Friday. Afterward I get to catch up with them a little but then I have to take them back to the airport… *sniff*

After that though, I'm hitting up the North Georgia State Fair. Hawk Nelson's playing there - yes! - and I'm in need of a fair calzone. Going with my sister Morgan (ACC '10), her fiance Patrick (ACC '09-10) and my friend Hana. We're probably going to laugh way too much, each too many turkey legs and ride too many rides. …YES!

Then on Saturday my parents, my sister, her guy and myself are all going to the Third Day, Max Lucado and more people concert. Can't wait. But I really, really can't wait for Sunday - my sister's bridal shower! Ahh!!

So this week/end is going to be pretty awesome(ly busy) and I'm stoked about it. Also about the hours I'm not hanging out because I'll be here hanging out with my friends on campus so what what?? Hoping to catch some movies with some girls on my hall, maybe even hit up the theater to see "You Again." - Bring on the weeeeeeek. …end.

Peace, yo!
Jamie-Grace

Taking 18 hours and Sleep

So, my mother decided that it would be a good plan for me to take 18 hours for my first semester. She, being the supportive mother, knew that I could handle it along with my many other responsibilities.

Well, she was right. Is right. But I am missing out on something pretty important stuff. You see, in high school, I could go to school, work, do homework and then chill for a while before I crashed for about 5 hours only to repeat the madness. Well, in college, I am finding out that it is a whole lot more difficult to run on so little sleep.

So, I am learning to cope with less sleep, manage my time better, be patient, and cut corners. Just kidding. But seriously.

And I am not even studying the 6 hours for a 3 hour class. And I am still exhausted.

So, my recommendation: Don't take 18 hours for your first semester and certainly don't work a 20 hour job with it. You will lose sleep and no one wants to do that.

-Zach

My First ACC Experience

Atlanta Christian College is the one of the greatest colleges you could attend.
Before I even began taking classes there, I was captured by the warm and welcoming faculty and staff at ACC. They knew nothing about me but treated me as if I were family. I remember filling out my admissions forms and some of the students like Aaron J. and Shelley S. walked right up and conversed with me.It was then I knew that this was the school for me. People don't treat you like strangers here. The supportive and loving atmosphere at ACC is like heaven on earth. Although all have not grasped that concept, it's only opportunity for us Christians to display the kind of love the world needs. Coming from a secular school, I can see the big difference that a faith based education has on the environment. Even the professors are great and always have so much to share. I feel my faith and wisdom growing more an more each time I enter and leave the classroom. I now have a greater level of expectancy about God's plans for my future. Not only do I feel this when I'm at ACC but even abroad, as I'm faced with daily objectives. Go Chargers!Go!!!!!




*Aaron L.*

If I could describe my week with one word, it would be titled STRESSFUL! Have you ever had a Monday that was filled with sayings such as "I can't wait till Friday?" Are you kidding me? It is Monday for crying out loud. My entire week has felt like that! This semester has been absolutely crazy for me! Research papers, book reviews, and reading assignments are TAKING OVER MY LIFE!

Thank God for on campus housing. I would be so much more stressed without my girls. Example: The other night, I was in the weirdest mood thanks to the overwhelming amount of studying that I had done prior. I walk back to my dorm room to find my good friend Kara. She could tell that I was about to lose my mind, so she broke out her Ukulele (cute tiny guitar). We sat outside and sang Johnny Cash songs for a good 2 hours.

Lesson learned-Stop stressing! I am in college for crying out loud! I am having the time of my life!!!! I have learned so much, made amazing friends and grown so much more spiritually. God has everything under control. My friends often times remind me of that.

-Shelley

My Life, A List in Paragraph Form

So remember how last year I'd always write these really awesome (coughboringcough) blogs while doing my laundry and looking out the window of Upper Head? Yeah, we're back to that one. Only, now we're in Lower Head. There isn't a window, so the view isn't as good, but the vibrating washing machine is still making my back a little too hot for comfort, and I still have a limited amount of time before I have to be somewhere else, preferably in clothes a little nicer than what I'm currently wearing (shorts, sweatshirt, and bed head. Not that I just woke up or anything. No. For real. I've been up for ages).

The last time we spoke, I talked to you about Romans. This time, we're going to talk about something a little deeper: my health or lack thereof.

I went to the doctor this morning. I've had a sore throat for a few days now and I have to preach in class tomorrow morning and I need to be able to talk. My 8:00 class had a test so I went to that, then hightailed it over to Camp Creek Marketplace where there's a conveniently located urgent care facility. A very nice nurse, a long wait at the pharmacy, a strawberry fruit popsicle, and one missed class later, I have a weird pastel pink vaguely cherry-flavored liquid that made my tongue go numb and some type of pill thing that may or may not make me feel dizzy. If you see me stumbling around campus, that'll be why.

Being sick always makes me want to go home. Our doctor is super awesome and, well... My mom is at home. Don't you want your mom when you're sick? Especially in the face of pale pink cherry stuff. He had to mix it up himself. They don't even sell it like that.

What was it that we used to do at the end? Oh, yeah, I remember. :)

Video of the Blog: Funny, cute, sweet, and we're not just talking about the song. Mike Lombardo's one of my favorite new artists and if you don't giggle when you watch this, you're probably an alien. :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJRn0lnpUzc&feature=channel

-Elizabeth

Aldi over Publix & Wal-Mart over Target

For the longest time I have wanted to adopt. That sentence probably sounds strange because I'm a unmarried college kid and trust me I don't plan on adopting any time soon! Haha. But even as a lil kid, I really wanted my parents to adopt. I wanted to give love and hope to a little kiddo who didn't have some of things I was raised with.

My parents were unable to adopt due to my medical situation for a while so I always thought I would need to wait until I was a married 20/30-something to give to a child. However, I started thinking lately... what about sponsorship?



So I decided to sponsor a child. :)

Everything isn't final yet so I won't post her picture or anything, but we share a birthday and she's an adorable little munchkin. She isn't old enough to write letters back to me or even do chores around the house but that's OK. I know that I will be able to help her have food, go to school soon and take visits to the doctor.

I absolutely cannot wait to start giving to this little girl. The love my parents gave me was wonderful and has stretched beyond the hugs and kisses but to food, clothes, school and toys - things that not all children have. I'm so excited that God has placed this on my heart to give to someone else what they may not get if it wasn't for organizations like World Vision and Compassion International.

For the longest time my church has sponsored children and I love being able to drop a buck or two in the basket for them. But I'm at that point in my life where I'm realizing something. As many times as I go to Chic-fil-A and the movies, which isn't even that much, I could be giving a little baby something she needs. Instead of venturing out to get my monthly fix of The Big Zax Snak (spelling?) meal @ Zaxby's, I can put it that money away, sponsor a child, and be able to donate to the little boy my church sponsors.

I don't think I realize how much money I was actually spending on extra things and I'm not even a big shopper. But I'm gonna head to Aldi over Publix, Wal-mart over Target, the cafeteria or my house instead of Chic-fil-a, and do what I can do sponsor this awesome little kid. (I can't wait to show you her picture!!)

I hope this post encourages you to check out organizations that sponsor little kiddos and maybe even with 5 or 6 friends, work together and sponsor a little boy or a little girl that really needs some love! :)

Love, Peace & Jamie-Grace

Weekends at ACC

Weekends at ACC are typically...quiet. Most of the students that go to this school are in-state and usually go home for the weekend. I'm an out-of-state student. I live 17 hours away from Georgia so going home every weekend is clearly not an option for me. That being said, simply because there are few people on campus does not mean that it HAS to be boring. Last night was Friday night and I went to our school's Volleyball game, then went over to a friends house to have a Babysitting/Disney movie marathon party, left to go see "I Am Legend" at the new ACCinema (which I helped to paint, in case you were curious), participated in a spur of the moment Tie-dying party (my first time tie-dying a shirt - it was rather exciting!) and then went to Dwarf House with a bunch of friends.

Today, I've taken to enjoying the lovely fall weather and catching up on some school reading after cleaning my room. Saturday's are usually the less-eventful days, but I typically don't mind it much because I enjoy having that time to relax. Tomorrow I'll go to church, do some homework and head to Sunday Nights, which is our only Student-Led chapel credit service. It's very low-key and chill and that's one of the reasons I love being a part of the team.

All in all, the weekend really isn't so bad as people make it out to be. The old saying, "life is what you make it" seems to be most applicable here. The weekend is what you make it. Free-time is what you make it.

College is what you make it.

-Rebecca

Keep this one on the "Down Low"

I LOVE Dr. Carey!!!! Ha

In addition to that...I am terrified of her Romans class! Well, not really, but kind of. I took Humanities 101 taught by Dr. Carey last year (awesome class, highly recommend it). The class was great and by the end, I felt very confident to take another class that was taught by her.

So, this years fall semester rolls around, and I decide to sign up for this class titled "Romans." (meaning the book of Romans in the Bible) Even though I am not a Biblical Studies major, I still thought it would be a great class to have under my belt.

...little did I know ;)

This class is an upper level course: meaning, there are grown men and women (with a much larger vocabulary than me) who are probably going to seminary once they graduate (hints the bible course)! I am only a sophomore Counseling Major...where does that leave me in the class...it leaves me TERRIFIED & INTIMIDATED! Yikes.

I will have you know, Dr. Carey is one of my favorite teachers. I love the fact that I can talk with her at the end of class and hear her say, "you are going to be fine Shelley." Up until last week, I didn't think I was. I was so nervous and had no confidence! I really love this about ACC. My teacher does know my name and does know ...well, she knows ME!

Lesson learned: Go out on a limb and challenge yourself. Go with confidence! You learn more that way.

-Shelley

Romans

My Biblical interpretation class (required for all ACC students!) is working through Romans as sort of a "practice run" for Biblical interpretation in the real world. The first step (of like five thousand [Thanks, Mr. Huxford :P ]) is to read the book three times in three different translations. Each reading we're supposed to look for different facets of the book, and theoretically, it will help us understand Romans better.

Well. I generally have a solid trust in my teachers (Mr. Huxford more so than most, because he's brilliant), but yesterday afternoon, on my second read-through, I had some major doubts. I was plodding through chapter 8. None of it made any sense. None of it was sinking in, and completing the written work was torture akin to waterboarding.

So this afternoon, when a friend called and asked if we could work on the project together, it was all I could do to make myself say yes. We sat down together and began to talk it out.

I was amazed! It was like Paul was sitting across the table from us talking about faith, and how we're not justified by our works. Israel thought they were and they were right for a while, God had given them the covenant, but he took it away from them just like he can take it away from us. We've got to be careful to be worthy of the grace we've been given--it's a gift.

My friend said, "I never knew how it all fit together like this. I mean, it just fits!" It was a moment of beauty.

So basically, Mr. Huxford, my apologies for doubting you. You were right: Romans is a letter, meant to be read in its entirety, and not dissected. This isn't biology class.

Dear this past weekend... I love you!

Today (well... the today that ended just before midnight hit 24.5 minutes ago) was Labor Day, incase you didn't know. And while it doesn't mean "a day off of school," that is one of the perks. :)

Friday morning my older sister Morgan and I randomly decided to drive up to Nashville, TN where I used to go to school (then got in my right mind and came back to ACC...yes... I said back) and where I work. I have a lot of lovely friends there and it was great to catch up with them.

We couch (two twin beds) crashed, ate more food than we could handle (vacation, duh) and had an awesome weekend just the two of us.

See, Morgan (right) and I (left...) were raised like twins. She's 2 years (21 months...) older (gosh I love parenthesis) and 3 inches shorter but her hair that was once down her back is now pretty much the exact same length of mine (she cut it like a year ago... I think she wanted to be like me... *major wink*). Also, as we're getting older our speaking voices are sounding the same and we both play guitar. I guess that's why people we know often get us mixed up and random strangers ask us if we're twins - all the time - and in a way, we kind of act like twins.

Like I said, we were raised really close and now someone is all happily in love and about to get married so this weekend with just the two of us was quite essential I think. :)

The four hours there and back were spent with my awesome song choices that took us back to middle school (i.e. Teddy Geiger and Stacie Orrico), wonderful conversation, and her critiquing (I feel like I spelled that wrong) and coaching my driving. The time in between the 8 hours of transportation were with our friends and a few hours of me jumping to the recording studio but mostly just catching up on life with the people I wish I could see on a daily basis.

Now I'm back at ACC, and of course I love it. I'm a CLM and was so happy to see all of the girls today. (Happy Birthday Jerilyn!!!)

Tomorrow I'll see my sister, probably having lunch with her fiance and I'll awkwardly join the conversation for a good 3-5 minutes like I always do. It's that level of being a little sister but still knowing that she's the oldest and I've gotta give her that space to grow up.

...Seriously why am I being so emotional about this? They're not having kids any time soon so that by default gives me a room at their house... right?

---Jamie-Grace

I WANT A LIFE.....to myself

Setting: Right now, Labor Day weekend, I am sitting in my dorm room. I have the window up, but also have the awesome air conditioning on. There is a family outside on the picnic tables having a relaxing get together outside of the building in which I live. The weather is PERFECT! (I will most likely go lay in my hammock over by the library in about 15 minutes) I am in the best mood right now. Roommates are all gone, so it's just me.

All my life, I wished for large to-do lists...someone to hang out with...some place to go. I had to be doing something! I used to get super bored in less than five minutes of not doing anything. Back then, there was nothing more important than going shopping, or going to the movies with your friends. Since I have been in college, there has not been a single moment that made me wish for a to-do list! I am always super busy, all day, everyday! Don't get me wrong, it is nice to have things to do; visit 2 drive through restaurants for one meal (HA), go play Ultimate Frisbee at Centennial park, go to the drive in movie theater with ACC friends.

In all honesty...at this moment... sitting in my quiet dorm room, listening to Kristine Mueller on YouTube is the best to-do list I ever made. I love the fact that I get to choose. I love college!