Prepping for Bolivia

Hello, there!

It's been a while. I hope you're doing well.

I just ended my Sophomore year, and I'm prepping for what looks like it's going to be a busy summer!

(My wisdom teeth are coming out tomorrow... Woo...)

At UW-Whitewater I am involved in InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, an interdenominational ministry among college students. This past December I attended Urbana, a 5 day missions conference in St. Louis where people attended from over 100 different countries, and it challenged me to consider global missions. (I never did get around to blogging about how amazing my experience was!)

If you haven't already heard, I was accepted for a Global Project to Bolivia this summer with InterVarsity! My team will be responding to the issues of human trafficking, poverty, and racism in Bolivia with Christ's love and the message of the gospel. We will be working in and around Santa Cruz. During our time in Bolivia, we'll be building relationships with the Ayore people in the community, helping staff a Bible camp for girls at risk of entering the prostitution trade, and working with CCU (Comunidad Cristiana Universitaria), which is a sister movement to InterVarsity on college campuses in Bolivia. I'm excited to be a part of God's global mission, and also excited to see what He's going to do through our team during our time there. However, I also know that God will be doing a lot in me throughout this entire experience, as I grow in my faith and my understanding of cultural differences; I want to be able to take whatever I learn and bring it back to my campus, as I seek to glorify God and further His Kingdom.

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I'll be leaving June 23rd and returning home July 15th. As I prepare to leave, there's a lot to do! I would appreciate you partnering with me in prayer through this entire journey. As the trip gets closer, I'll post an update on specific prayer requests I have. Until then, if you could be praying that I am able raise the $3,000 to cover the cost of the trip. I know I am supposed to go to Bolivia this summer, and God is continuing to provide, and I am incredibly thankful. I'm trusting in Him to get me there!

If you would like to donate to my Global Project, you can go to donate.intervarsity.org/donate and type in my name (Cora Ebley), and click on my name when it pops up! I would greatly appreciate your support, prayer and/or financial! I need both to get me to Bolivia and back. Thank you so much to those of you have already donated, and thank you to those of you who are praying for me! I am so blessed to be surrounded by such an amazing group of people who love and support me.

I'll be sure to keep you posted as the trip draws closer. If you'd like to know more about my trip, I'd love to talk with you about it! Until then...

Adventure is out there!

God bless!

Oh, The Spontaneity Of Life

Well, today was a day of multiple firsts!

First of all, I dyed my hair for the first time! I've wanted dark brown hair for quite some time, and last night (well, technically very early this morning!) myself and six of my friends decided to have ourselves a hair dying party. It was a grand ol' time, and I really love how my hair turned out. It's only temporary, but I'm rather fond of it. It definitely was an exciting adventure, and may be the most spontaneous thing I've done since being in college!

Second of all, I locked my keys in my car for the first time as well. It was an airhead moment after church when we went to eat at Esker - after putting my keys in my purse, I decided that the only thing I needed from my purse was my Hawk Card. So I grabbed that, ditched the purse, and locked the car. I discovered my blunder just as I finished eating. Luckily, my car was on campus, so I was able to call the campus police and they came and got my car unlocked for me. That was quite the experience! Now I know just how difficult it is to get into my little Honda Civic without a key. Or breaking through the window. So that makes me feel better, at least. By the end of it, the campus service officer had quite the crowd cheering him on to unlock my car door. And I'm pretty sure he received the biggest round of applause he's had on the job after he got the door unlocked! So that's a plus, right? But I suppose locking my keys in the car had to happen eventually, so I can check that off the life lesson list and move it to the top of my To-Don't list.

In all, it was a very full day. 

Life is quite the adventure!

Very Big Day

It's official!

Today, I declared my major in Public Relations!

Now, some of you may know that this has been an incredibly long process. While preparing to head off for college, it seemed like all my friends knew exactly what they were going for and had a plan for how to get there. I felt like the odd man out, with no major, and an awkward laugh that followed everyone's question of, "So, what are you majoring in?"

And when you're a sophomore and still responding with that same awkward laugh, well, you start to feel like a hopeless case.

But that all changed today!

A friend asked how I came to settle on PR, and to be honest, I'm not quite sure. Which means God must have led me here. Three months ago I still had no idea what the future held for me. And though the distant future is still unclear (as it always is), I now have a direction to go, and it's such a relief! I feel a bit giddy.

Praise God for always being faithful. It's not always easy to trust in His perfect timing, but I know it will be worth it! Thank you all for your encouragement and support through all of this. And for all of the congratulations that have been pouring in! I feel so incredibly loved. I am blessed.

Why, you might ask, is there a picture of me reading a book to my stuffed animals around a fake fireplace?

To which I would respond...

Why not?

A Broken World

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It's not often that I blog. And when I do, I don't blog about national or global current events. It's easier to keep it strictly related to what's going on in my life. But today, I'm making an exception, because reading the stories coming from the Connecticut shooting and watching the news coverage is causing my heart to break. I cannot even imagine what those students, parents, teachers, friends and families are going through. I'm recalling memories of 8th grade when my own school faced the tragedy of two of my classmates dying in a car accident. The world may keep on turning, and although those not connected to the situation may stop for a moment or two to offer up a prayer or condolence, their lives quickly return back to the way they were, with routines and deadlines and everything in between. But for those directly affected by the tragedy, their worlds have come to a complete standstill, and sunny days have been replaced with stormy skies. 

I know it's not possible for me to fully grasp and understand the utter devastation that all those directly affected by this tragedy are facing, yet I can't help but try to put myself in the shoes of the students, and how terrified they must have felt when shots were ringing through the school, and even now as it sinks in that they'll never see certain friends again. Or the parents, after hearing that there were shots at their child's school, dropping everything to race to the scene, only to find that they are helpless to do anything except wait. These thoughts continue, and my eyes fill with tears as pain fills my heart.

Life is so fragile, and tragedies like this remind us of that. So often I take for granted the fact that I woke up that morning, or that I'm surrounded by family and friends who love and support me. All too suddenly, something like this can happen, and what then? The world is turned upside down. But the reminder that our time here on earth is limited also brings with it a sense of urgency to be spreading the gospel. This world needs Jesus, and it's never more evident than when evil such as this is so apparent. We are broken, and in need of a Savior.

But in the midst of all this, it's all too easy to blame God. In our heartbreak, we turn our tear filled eyes toward the heavens and cry, "Why? Why do innocent children have to die?" There is no simple answer to this. But I urge you not to allow this tragedy, this hurt, this evil to cause you to turn away from God, or point to this and say, "See? This is proof that God does not exist. A good, perfect, and loving God would not allow this to happen. He would not have allowed those children and teachers to die." The fact is, as a loving Father, God created us with free will, and we chose to disobey Him. We are the reason for sin in this world. God is the Supreme Good, and evil is the absence of good, just as dark is the absence of light. But the answer God provides for our suffering is not some abstract idea, since pain is not an abstract issue. The answer God provided was sending His own Son to experience this very same earth we do. To share in our struggles; to face rejection, grief, betrayal, and ultimately death on a cross as He bore the sins of the world. What we desire most when tragedy befalls us is not an explanation, but presence. That's why Jesus came as an infant, whose birthday we celebrate on Christmas. He lived, shared in our sufferings, was crucified on a cross in our place, and rose again, so that our relationship could be restored with the Father. No one understands our suffering better than God. Who are we to say that we could run this world better than God, or create our own earth where suffering does not exist? Because a world void of the potential of suffering is a world void of free will.

Years ago, my siblings and I sang this song at our church. As I reflected on the events of today, and of the approaching Christmas holiday, it came to mind, and I haven't been able to stop listening to it. I encourage you to give it a listen as well. It ties together our suffering, and how the world is desperately in need of Jesus, which is why He came down to earth. A good reminder this Christmas season. Our focus shouldn't be on the presents or commercialism, but on celebrating Jesus' birth and being thankful for our loved ones.

"God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains. It is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world."

-C.S. Lewis

Always a Reason to be Thankful

Yes, I know, I'm a day late. I didn't intend to be, but yesterday was a bit rushed, between an early Thanksgiving meal with the family and then rushing to be to work by 2, and working til nearly midnight.

However, I wanted to take a moment to share some of the things that I am truly thankful for.

Being at Whitewater, where I've had so many incredible opportunities to grow and learn. And though I may have trouble remembering sometimes, I'm thankful for this crazy and challenging semester that often has me on the brink of insanity. It's pushed me to my breaking point, but I know now that I can and will survive, no matter how crazy life gets.

For my friends - old and new, near and far - who help me with homework, help me study, stay up with me to all hours of the night, make me encouraging posters, write me notes and stick them all over my stuff, send me encouraging texts and letters, give me hugs when I'm struggling to keep it together, make me laugh, share inside jokes with me, eat breakfast with me, pray with me and for me, offer a listening ear when I just need to talk, and challenge me to be the best that I can be. I am reminded again and again (and continue to be blown away by!) just how incredibly blessed I am with the amazing friends that I have. I honestly don't know what I would do without them.

Especially my roommate, who is absolutely the best!

As cliche as it may sound, I'm thankful for my family. They offer so much support to me through all the uncertainty of life, and all my crazy endeavors. I am blessed beyond belief to be surrounded by people who love me, because not everyone has that. And, of course, the family dog Toby, who is always excited to see me when I come home, and offers unconditional love.

I'm thankful for my jobs. I was incredibly blessed to be able to work at the Grand Cafe this summer, and build friendships with the people there. And it's an honor and a joy to be a Campus Assistant (tour guide!) at UW-Whitewater. It's not always easy, but it's always a lot of fun. It's not easy to find work these days, so I consider myself doubly blessed that not only was I able to find a job, but ones that I enjoy so much. And the vet clinic, which hopefully I'll be able to work at again soon, where I get to bestow my love for animals on willing recipients.

Being involved with InterVarsity is one of the things I'm most thankful for. I've learned so much from the individuals there. This year I'm an emcee, and being able to serve God and my chapter in that way has been phenomenal. I'm so excited for what this year is going to bring for the UWW IV chapter, and what God has already done. I am blessed to be a part of it!

And along with that, I am most thankful for God's mercy and grace, and the fact that He sent His Son to die for my sins. Every day brings new wonders, and I am constantly reminded of how much God loves me as He pours out His blessings on me, even though I don't deserve any of it.

To God be the glory.

And, last but not least, I'm thankful for the snow flurries today. I can't think of a more perfect way to start off the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

So, Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! Here's to exciting new adventures, and making many more memories to be thankful for!

Dream Career

Undecided is the most popular major for incoming freshmen at UW Whitewater.
(And I'm sure a lot of other universities.)

It's about that time where I need to sit down and seriously consider what I want to pursue as my career. Or major, at the very least.

I've already ruled out a few options. Such as math. Or computer science. Or engineering. That's a step in the right direction...

Right?

Oh, what the heck. Maybe I'll just interview to become a sled dog after all.

Birthday Boy

Birthdays are always an exciting thing.

Today is my brother Caleb's birthday. Though he may not look like this anymore (I've grown up quite a bit too!), I thought it'd be a nice throwback to the good ol' days of cardboard box forts and carefree living.

And Mickey Mouse sweat suits.

It's hard to grow up and see your siblings head off in different directions. And it was especially hard for me to let go of Caleb. Not only is he closest in age to me, but we've been through a lot together. But I can't wish for what we once had; I have to look forward to all of the memories we're going to make in the future.

I didn't get to see the birthday boy today. But if, by chance, you see him, wish him happy birthday, and tell him I miss him.

'Cause I do.

Happy Birthday, bro.

May this year be filled with exciting new adventures.