survival of the fittest

HELLO EVERYONE..wow is it really sunday already? I feel like I just wrote you all a blog, so i am feeling at a lost of what to say.. but normally when i start this my hands just go so here it goes.you are likely all wondering why the title .. i have just discovered how much self control it takes to live here! there is so much beauty around me we live in rolling green hills and cute sheep everywhere and i am living in a castle with 171 people my own age! so i am learning how hard it is to truly focus on my studies, the teachers have cracked down on us with our work and they started it off by giving us a huge test were we needed to summarize all events in the old testament and name all books in new testament as well as answer twenty other trick questions, so it was hard!! and we have been assigned few assignments and also we have been assigned a book to read as well as six chapters of the bible everyday, so i find myself easily distracted by little things and i am learning to really try to prioritize my time better, its not easy but i am doing my best. 

CLASSES.........the classes are only getting better! seriously i came here thinking that i would be like a big retreat of constant messages that are fuzzy teaching you how much god loves you but these classes are so intense and teach me things i never knew and not just about the bible but about the legit history! and we are being taught about all the bible stories that no one teaches you in sunday school or in church ! we are learning about people in the bible who have done extraordinary things that i have never ever heard of! its so much fun! and they break things down for us and ask us questions and interact with us so we feel involved and learn more its really awesome i am really enjoying my time and learning so much

FRIENDS....all i can say is i love the social parts of this school! i love all of my friends there so amazing i love all the people here its an awesome atmosphere and everyone is so supportive.. last night was a lot of fun we did star gazing in the court  yard and had a huge jam session everyone brought instruments and we sang and played all night . I can't even think about leaving here ! i love it to much

TRAVEL ....we went to silverdale today it is a coast on the ocean so we did some walking along that and there was some hiking as well through the bush and some field walking and road so it was like every kind of walk but it was so beautiful and of course we ended the day by all going for tea.. hah! the funniest part was everyone was sitting on the patio drinking tea under umbrellas even though it was poring rain! it was quite funny.. tea in the rain.. only in england! 

FLASH MOB......so today we had a flash mob! all the girls got together before and we organized a huge flash mob .. so we did it today at dinner it was so funny the guys were all in shock it was hilarious !! i am getting a copy of the video it was recorded so it will be on facebook as soon as thats all sorted , ill post it on my wall and on the group to be sure you all see it! ( it was a dance flash mob )

HISTORY..last night we got to go down and have a huge group history lesson! it was so much fun! we got to see photos from the original family in 1890 who built this castle , we saw photos of them in here, we also got to see photos from 1938 when the school was started of the first group who attended this school, it was so cool to see them sitting in our lounge and outside in the courtyard! it was really cool!! i wanted to see all of that i was curious so it was funny, we also got to see a 20 min video of clips of students from the 50's and 60's here at caperwray! very cool

OUTREACH ....we got chosen for our outreaches for those who haven't heard! i was chosen to do a weekend away one day at a public school, and another hosting a family day so lots of games and crafts and food, and then we will be taking over a churches service doing the worship and the sermon and testimonies and what not, as well as doing some door to door work.. so its going to be a huge weekend ! it is the end of october so i could use a lot of prayer im pretty nervous about it! but i am so very looking forward to it! :)

GOD...i have been very challenged to focus more on god, i guess i can get wrapped up in the social aspect of this school and i forget to spend time alone with god, so he has challenged me to go on a walk everyday alone and spend time praying with him, so i have been doing that everyday and he has spoken to me a lot! so it is really amazing ! 

CHURCH....a lot of you were wondering what church looks like for us, well we joke because it looks like the movie babies.. because all the things that elders would normally do like greeting and ushers and speaking and maybe worship and communion it is all teenagers. so it is ran by teens and all teens are in the audience since church is at our school. so it is pretty funny.. but it is pretty basic worship and a different speaker each sunday. this sunday was amazing we had an irish speaker and he was so good and so encouraging, they focus a lot of encouragement on sundays since the week is filled with a lot of soul searching and possibly changing around habits or theories you have been told your whole life, so sunday service messages are normally very encouraging and lifting! and then for evening service its pretty laid back we move all seats so we sit in a giant circle at night , and we have done something different every night, last night room advisors gave testimonies, and other sunday we did communion and a letter to ourselves and put it into a box of what we are feeling now and what we hope to get out of bible college, and we will get it back at the end of school! so it is really fun! people here get very dressed up for church to which is also fun because all the girls are in dresses and the boys in little bow ties ( capernwray trend ) haha it is fun!

PRAYER REQUESTS..we have right now a little something we are calling the capernwray plague ... since we all have same meal times and classes all together so all 171 of us are always together we have managed to pass around one giant cold! and decided to call it a plague its toxic were all droppin like flies.. the preacher this morning was joking saying it is a toxic building cause there is no silence its constant coughing and sneezing in the crowd and nose blowing! so if you could pray for us that we dont all get worse into the flu or something !! also for focus for all our work that is on our way!! 

i think that is all i can fill you all in on! but i am having so much fun here and everyday im challenged more with God, i find myself crying more then normal but i dont mind because i feel like God is working in me, and he needs to break me down to build me up, and i am learning more about myself then i ever thought. i thought my growing was finished when i left africa but he is showing me there is so much more to learn and so much more growing to be done! so i am enjoying the ride and embracing every day and trying to learn to live in the moment and not always look so far in the future! so its all a learning curve but i am loving it! 

ps, i learnt something yesterday that stuck with me quite a bit! it was  a quote saying .. 

" if the devil cant make you bad he will make you busy" WOW, that one hit home for me because i can get myself so busy so easily here and forget to spend time alone with just me and god no one else !! it is so easy to allow business into our schedule! so i thought i would put that in here for anyone who may find that impacts them to...and lastly .. verse of the day!

Therefore, I urge you brothers and sisters in view of God's mercy to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice holy and pleasing to God. This is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is his good pleasing and perfect will Romans 12:1&2 <3 

love you all!! praying for you all everyday xx