I am finally here in Ocean City, New Jersey for the summer! I cannot believe I have already been here for almost 2 weeks! I have been already learning so much and creating some amazing friendships. I am pretty much going to just write about my summer and what I am doing/learning while I am here :)

So about 2 weeks ago I was getting on a plane in Minneapolis, Minnesota and was I ever in for an adventure! My plane left for Atlanta, Georgia at 5:50 a.m. so very early and I personally thought it was crazy that I was flying to Georgia when my ending destination was Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Regardless it was a long day in the airport and after hours and hours I finally made my way to Gate D where I was to meet the first of many new friends! I met Thomas, Abigail, Casey, Rob, Maddy, and Carmyn. We were waiting for the staff members to pick us up and bring us to Ocean City! I was so excited to get there (my first time to the East Coast). The car ride to OC was about 1.5 hours and it flew by because I was SO excited! 

I arrived to OC and there were already so many college students running around and so I dropped my things off in my room and left for the boardwalk. It is hard to remember everything I've already done but it's been such an awesome start to my summer! 

We have learned so much already and just looking through my notes and it amazes me how much I have literally learned for only being here for 2 weeks! The verses that have stuck out to me these last couples weeks have been:

Colossians 1:13 - "For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the son he loves."

Zephaniah 3:17 - "The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing."

Both of those verses have just been awesome to meditate on. God has rescued me from the darkness around me in this crazy world and has brought me into a place of life and beauty. It's just an awesome reminder of the love and power of God. The verse from Zephaniah always reminds me of the song Mighty to Save. He is always with me and he delights in me... it makes me feel so loved and honestly I cannot fathom how much the Lord actually does love me. I have been learning that more and more over the last 2 weeks. 

Here on Ocean City Summer Project, we have these 3 hour nights called Date Night with Jesus and it has been amazing to literally go sit by myself and spend time worshiping with music, reading the Word, and praying. I have had quiet times in the past but never actually spend 3 hours just soaking in Jesus before. I have been loving that time to spend just quiet and with the Lord. 

On May 30th, Kim Johnson one of our directors gave a talk on John 8:1-11 which is one of my favorite passages in the Bible. It is about the woman who commits adultery and is brought in front of Jesus who says, "When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” and then everyone slowly leaves and Jesus asks her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” “No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.” This passage is so powerful to me and it really reminds me that I am no better then anyone else and my sin is equal to anyone's. Jesus' response is so powerful and it is just a beautiful reminder of Jesus and His forgiveness. 

God's Grace changes lives.

Give Grace because God has so much Grace on you.