a bit of an update...

Thanksgiving and Christmas have come and gone. January is well under way, and my blog is greatly lacking in post updates. Lately, life is good. It's hard. It's stressful, but God is faithful and I'm making it through. I have the awesome, incredible privilege of being an RA for freshmn girls and a few transfers this semester, including an old dear friend: Brittany Bailey. :) I am taking some crazy fun classes that I never thought I would be able to be a part of, and I feel as if I am being stretched from the inside-out and somehow becoming a better person due to that which I am learning and about to learn. It's really exciting. However, I find myself often frustrated at the ignorance I see in society around me, or not so much ignorance as just a lack of understanding or lack of desire to relate with those around us who are different from us. Why is it so difficult to look past our self and see someone else truly for who they are? What will it take for us as Americans to lay aside ourselves and see the world from a different perspective? I hear talk all the time about having a "Biblical Worldview". I do not doubt that this is crucial and necessary, but why are we not allowed to even consider that there could possibly be an Islamic Worldview, an eastern worldview, a western worldview, a Buddhist, Hindu, Jewish, and so many other worldviews that may not necessarily be wrong? Why does a "Biblical Worldview" trump all, especially when it just seems to be a "Western Worldview" in disguise? Jesus wasn't western. Does he demand of all to be western, to follow the bible to the latter? What would he do? How would he view the world?
I just find myself frustrated and asking questions like this over and over again. I just want people to understand each other. To get along, to live peacefully accepting and tolerating each other. How do we do that? We are not the only ones in the world that are right. Why can't we see that? Maybe things will never change... but what if they could? What if I could truly help people understand each other? I dream that someday we will reach a point not just where we tolerate each other, but that we desire relationship with others who are different from us and we strive to understand each other and live in peace with one another. That would be the day!
So... that's a little tidbit from my life lately. Not much else to say. I went to a Mock Presidential Campaign shin dig slash debate tonight, and it was really interesting. The Illinois primary is coming up!! I don't take a side yet... but I think Obama had a lot of great things to say.
Ok... time for me to leave the RA office. Resuming homework is next on the agenda. I'll probably say more soon... Much love,
Kara Joy

pictures from october and november...

Ok well the guy finished his printing, I printed what I needed to but now I forget what I was about to share. So... instead, I thought I'd share lots of pictures from the past month. So much has happened... here's some good ones.

Missy came to town!! She and I took Allison out for a night in celebration of the wedding just around the corner!! Wow... she's gonna be Mrs. Keith Davenport. How crazy is that!?!

Chris, Liz, Harrison and I led worship for Indi West Side's Fall Retreat a few weeks ago...

Joey came to Ft. Wayne!!! :) That's me and Joey. :)

Mallory came to town!! And guess what!?! SHE'S GONNA HAVE A BABY!!!!!!!!! :)

And this is a wretched picture of Mallory but check out her belly!! There's a baby in there!! :)

So... I made it onto the Homecoming Court and these are all my dear lady friends who came over to help me get ready.

And here all of us are!! From left to right: Heather, Genesis, Katie, me and Allison. :)

And the kewlest part about homecoming is that my whole family came!! :)

We threw a little pie party afterwards... and it was so fun!! Oh I just love these people!

Friday morning the five of us participated in the ground breaking for the Centennial Chapel that's about to be built.

Homecoming was the 100 year anniversary for Olivet... so there was a huge INCREDIBLE firework display Friday night after the basketball game... it was awesome!! :)

These pictures are a little out of order but this is at the powderpuff football game Friday afternoon... and the Seniors totally won!!


This is me and two little girls from my MOPS group at the basketball game... we were singing "I'm Gonna Walk" together. :)

Here's all of us ladies at the game... and my favorite part is our Dads in the background. :)

Saturday morning we all woke up early to run the 5K... which we ended up cutting short so that we could cheer for everyone. This lady, Mrs. Woodruff, was our favorite.

Last weekend... JOSH AND AMY GOT MARRIED!!!!!!!! It was SO beautiful!!

This is Kyle... he went to the wedding with me when Jonathan didn't. It was a great time.

And these are my boys... Chris, Tyler, Tim, Harrison and Jeremiah. This weekend we played at Peru, Illinois in a church plant while the pastor was on maternity leave. And then we stopped in to see new baby Abigail. It was good.

And now I have to jet so that I can get everything done before I leave for break tomorrow. I love you!! See you soon!! :)
-Kara Joy

a quick post

While I wait, insha'allah, for someone to finish printing so that I can jump on the printer and copy pages to study for my Exegesis, I just thought I'd drop by and say hi! Ha... I'm a poet and I didn't even mean it slash know it cuz know it rhymes better than mean it. Wow... it's late and I'm crazy.
So... it's been a while. Life is good. Senior year is FLYING by. I can't believe it... and really, I don't want to think about it. So much has happened since my last post, and I've got some great pictures to go along with it. But I guess I'll just say that God is faithful. Ya know what I'm saying? Like... so many times this semester have I doubted him... both directly and indirectly... (by that I mean like to his face and then not as obviously), and despite my unbelief he has remained faithful to me. I've seen him working in those around me and I sense that He is heavily working on me. Get specific Kara... well, ok but I don't really have time to right now cuz the guy is almost done on the printer. And I have to go because the library closes at midnight.

new babies in the family... and God IS faithful

Today I am overwhelmed by God's faithfulness. Often I doubt Him and He reminded me in a vivid way this weekend that He DOES listen, He DOES work even when I don't see Him, and He IS faithful. So I'm trying to trust in Him and live in that trust rather than the doubt.

The past two weekends I had the opportunity to hold some of my cousins beautiful babies and kiss and love on them for just a few minutes each... but it was such precious time. :) These are some pictures for you. Aren't they beautiful!?! I want babies!! :)

Meet little Ella Love...

I got to help give her a bath. She loves baths. And going to bed... crazy child!

And this... This is the newest member of the Nelson clan... little Braden Emry. How precious!!



Oh how I love my cousins. I can't WAIT to meet new little baby Michal. :) I'm sure she's precious as well!! I love you family. And I miss you so much!! Keep loving our Jesus!! He is so good and God is SO faithful!! May He be praised!!


Clinging to the Cross... Tim Hughes
My soul is weak my heart is numb
I cannot see
But still my hope is found in You
I hold on tightly
You will never let me go
Jesus You will never fail
Jesus, You will never fail!

Simply to the cross I cling
Letting go of all earthly things
I'm clinging to the cross
Mercy's found a way for me
Hope is here as I am free
Jesus You are all I need
I'm clinging to the cross

Even darkness is as light
to You my Lord
So light the way
and lead me home
To that place where
every tear is wiped away
For Jesus, You will never fail
Jesus, You will never fail!

Simply to the cross I cling
Letting go of all earthly things
I'm clinging to the cross
Mercy's found a way for me
Hope is here as I am free
Jesus You are all I need
I'm clinging to the cross

What a Savior!
What a story!
You were crucified
Now You are alive!
So amazing, such a mystery
You were crucified
Now You are alive!

Simply to the cross I cling
Letting go of all earthly things
I'm clinging to the cross
Mercy's found a way for me
Hope is here as I am free
Jesus You are all I need
I'm clinging to the cross

fall break hot shots!! :)

So here's some hot shots from the past week... this weekend was Fall Break... it was SO good to get to go home and see my family and good friends!! I got to hang out with James, Caleb's birthday was Friday, I had a hot date with Anna, we all went to dinner at my favorite Mexican Restaurant after church together... I went to Taylor and visited some dear MESPers, ate dinner with Aunt Judi and Uncle Dick, got to see Grandma and give baby Ella a bath. It was a great weekend!! Oh and then today I cleaned the tub and organized a little in the house. It's good to be back. :)

Kevin and Victoria Sprague came to ONU for a college visit and took Wes, Brian, Jonathan and I out for dinner at Brickstone!! It was superb!! Thanks sooo much!! :)

Happy Birthday little kid!!

Anna and I dyed our hairs... mines so dark... hers is so hot!! :)

Caleb at La Cherrada's... Sunday morning... what a goofy little kid he is!! :)

Aunt Judi, Aunt Nancy, and Momma visiting with Grandma Nelson in Ft. Wayne!!

Me and my Grandma Nelson!! :)

FISHAR!!!! :) BETH AND EMILY!!! :)

my buddy beth at taylor :)

it's ok to not be ok!!

Tonight at church Thomas Bridges spoke about how it's ok to not be ok. And how sometimes we need to just take the pacifier out and cry. So this is my... I'm not ok post. But God is still working and I'm trusting in Him and clinging to Him these days. But I'm gonna just be transparent and say... yeah, I'm not ok. And that's ok. :)

Here are a couple pictures that make me smile...

Shout out to the boys in the band and a new trailor and sound system!! Yay!!

Shout out to Chris and Jeremy!


There are some people in my life that yeah, I just don't know where I'd be right now without them... Shout out to y'all!!

To my Amy

To my hot brother Jonathan... and my Amy again

To the ladies... Raina and Melanie... or Rainsyl and Mellow :)

To the Katester

To Al-e-Cin

And last but most definitely not least... to my Mom and my sister...


And these are pictures of my gorgeous new baby cousin Braden Emry and his proud big sister Ashlyn Mae... aren't they precious!?! I love you Courtney and Matt!! :)

frozen

I fell out of bed this morning and almost broke my arm.

I'm going to see Hanson in concert on Sunday!

I am in a frozen state of being. There is much to do, much to say, much to attend to and I am frozen in place unable to do any of it. May the thaw be rapidly felt.

There is much that has happened since the last post including pictures. In my frozen state I am unable to update you. All I can do is apologize and make an open ended promise that someday soon an update will be available for you viewing.

God is faithful. All the time.
All the time. God is faithful.

Pray for me.