IMPACT

"Love is patient, love is kind. Love does not envy, is not boastful,is not conceited, does not act improperly, is not selfish, is not provoked, and does not keep a record of wrongs. Love finds no joy in unrighteousness but rejoices in the truth. It hears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails." ~ 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

I got back from my last Impact as a camper yesterday...
Next year I will be going as a roadie (someone who helps out behind the scenes)
It will be so different.
Senior year is really hitting hard.
I cried a lot this year, like way more than usual
God really "pulled up a chair for me" this year (that's a saying we have in our youth group for when you feel like God is speaking straight to you through someone)
I've experienced a lot of hurt in the past couple of years, like stuff that I wouldn't want anyone else to have to go through
Thankfully, God put amazing friends into my life to help me get through
This year's theme was LOVE, real love
So, each class that we went to had a different topic coming from 1 Corinthians 13:4-8
I really learned a lot
I also grew a lot closer to some of my friends
The girls in my room and I had nightly discussions as we ate a TON of junk food :)
I couldn't have asked for any better people to share life with
We talked about some deep stuff, but we also goofed off quite a bit
We never went to bed before 1 in the morning
Impact was created for Christian teens to grow closer to God, but it's also about having fun
and. we. had. fun.
We made bracelets, played 9-square, and listened to a bunch of cool bands and individuals in the coffee house
I'd have to say that the most fun thing we did (besides worshiping God, which was fabulous and fun) was that Lipscomb hosted a Senior Dinner.
We had catered food from SATCO, popsicles, a magician, and we made T-Shirts!
It was just super cool
I also filled out my first college application... and it was nerve-wrecking
I'm not ready for this
I want to stay with my friends forever
My friends inspire me, and one of the most inspiring things was watching Mark worship, I couldn't help but smile (I hope he doesn't get embarrassed by me saying that)
I'm gonna miss that feeling
I'm gonna miss everything about my friends
Especially how they always comfort me when I cry
On friday night, the last night of Impact, we always get letters that our parents have written for us, and I love that tradition that we have
Everytime I read them, I cry, like full out ball
I love my family so much and those letters are so reassuring
I never get homesick so I rarely communicate with them when I'm gone, but I always look forward to those letters
My mom included old pictures in it this year and they made me laugh at myself because I'm so weird and my dad wrote a 5 page letter that was like a perfectly formatted essay
Both of them mentioned how great of friends I have, and I could not agree more
Skid always says "you are who you hang around"
And I couldn't be any happier to be anyone else than my friends
I've begun the year of lasts
And I hope that the friendships I have now last forever
Impact will always have a special place in my heart and life
Till next time :)

Me & Emma - Me & Mark - Jordan, Jordan, Jackson, & me
Me, Averi, Emma, Alex, & Olivia - Me & Austen
Olivia, me, Emma, Jackson, & Alex - Olivia, Emma, & Me (with the band Brother Parker)
Me, Mark, & Emma - Me & Austen

Live
Laugh
Love
~Laurel <3