Goodbye Wheaton, Hello YWAM Madison!

Greetings, Loved Ones!

So. The decision has been made. I am leaving Wheaton College. The reasons behind this choice are plentiful, so I'll spare you the details. It's a wonderful place for some people. I am simply not one of those "some."

I'll satisfy your curiosities right now: I'm moving to the breathtaking, awe-inspiring world of cheese. That's right- I'm moving to Wisconsin. I'm transferring to do online schooling while working as a part-time volunteer with YWAM in Madison. To be honest, I don't know exactly what my life will look like in the upcoming months and years. I'm laying down my plans at the throne of God and accepting wholeheartedly the fact that, even if I wanted to, I cannot lean on my own understanding. This is simply because I have no understanding. No understanding of why my life has gone the way it has this past year, no understanding of where the Lord is taking my life in the upcoming seasons.

Now that you're updated, I'll tell you how Christmas went. Most of you know that, this Christmas, I brought home my significant other, Aaron. I wanted to submerge him fully in the wonders of the Winters family.

He helped decorate the tree, baked Christmas cookies, watched our favorite Christmas movies (including White Christmas - YES!), played board games, joined in family banter, sat at the kitchen table with dad and discussed their mutual love for Jesus and especially their favorite book of Isaiah, and bonded with Joe on multiple levels where at one moment Joe said "I love you man, welcome to the family." Basically, it went well.

We never did go to Outback Steakhouse, though.

This week I have been amazed by the faith in the diseased woman in Mark 5. She was so confident Jesus' power would heal her that all she resolved to do was touch His clothes, even without His knowing. She did and was immediately healed. Jesus didn't say "I am willing" as He did to the leper in Matthew 8. He didn't even acknowledge the woman until after she had been healed through His power. This woman was confident that her fingers brushing a piece of cloth worn by Jesus would far surpass the effectiveness of every professional she had seen throughout her life combined. And it was. The Lord is so unbelievably holy, pure, and powerful that merely making contact with Him can heal you of truly anything. This is what I'm convicted of: I have contact with Jesus. So why should I not have the same confidence in His healing as this woman who bled chronically?

PS: don't be the disciples from this chapter who turned around and said "Jesus, the crowd is all around you, how can you ask who touched you?" Just...don't question Jesus. That's what I've learned. As soon as you hear yourself saying "Jesus, what do you think you're doing?" just stop and ask yourself the same question.

Thank you as always for all of your prayers. My leg has been holding up with no returning signs of infection! Praise the Lord! Much love to you all! I have a list of those who have supported me either financially or who have vocalized their prayers for me and I go over that list in my mind every time I write this part of my blog post. You are all truly dear to my heart. God bless!