Just a quick update to let you all know I'm still alive and kicking ;-)

I am now returning to school from a meeting in Denver with the USOC Athlete Advisory Committee. As some of you know I was recently elected to Athlete Representative for the sport of Archery. This meeting helped me understand my role and responsibilities within both the U.S. Olympic Committee as well as within my NGB. I am excited about becoming actively involved in representing the archery athletes and advocating their rights. The meeting was also very resourceful in that I met reps from all the other sports, some familiar faces but many unfamiliar, and I learned about the processes their NGB's work through and our unified function as a committee.

School is going well and keeping me on my toes. Only five weeks left, then I am off and running to archery competitions and various training locations. We are still looking for a home church while attending Texas A&M, but are enjoying meeting the vast community of Christians in the area. Mandy and I appreciate everyone's prayers and support as we continue this transition to "college life."

God is faithful and continues to teach me each day about trusting Him more with the little things and everything that would stress me out. I am reading a book by Brennan Manning called "Ruthless Trust" that has been an excellent contribution to my quiet times. The Lord is using this time away from my family to teach me to depend on Him alone for strength, companionship, wisdom, and sustaining faith. Since being at home encourages me to just rely on my family to guide and instruct me. I am learning to listen for His voice, rather than be so distracted by all the noise around me. The most challenging thing about this transition has been the multiplication of having so much to do and seemingly less time to do it all in. So I am learning time management as well :-) The difficulty is when there are so many people I want to stay in contact with but am unable to do so faithfully because of all that is on my plate between school, training, competing and now this new archery rep. position in which I travel five times a year. Needless to say I am busy, but God enables me to complete all that is necessary, and sustains me through the process. He is El Shaddai - the All-Sufficient One.

Been Awhile

Hey everyone!

It's been quite sometime since I've posted. A lot has changed in my life over the past several months. I moved to Texas and began attending at Texas A&M University as a Political Science major. It has been a great experience, but difficult adjusting. Balancing my time has been challenging. I am enjoying my classes though and am able to keep up with my shooting as much as possible, which isn't quie as much as I'm used to.

Speaking of which...
I went to the World Archery Festival in Las Vegas a few weeks ago to compete. It was a great trip! My family met my sister and me there and it was so good to see so many dearly loved archery friends (my other family). I ended up winning the compeititon (much to my surprise). God is so faithful, even in our lack, He proves to be our All-Sufficiency. Not that I will always win, or always shoot high when I haven't practiced as much as is needed. But He is faithful and He blesses us with good things. I just saw my results at Vegas as a special blessing from Him.

I am now shooting Indoor Nationals and just shot a personal best in competition for my first round with a 296 (another big surprise). I'm really working on just trusting God, day by day. If He is who I am living for, then I will accomplish what I can for Him and pray that He be glorified. But it can be hard. Living for self is so natural. Being success focused rather than God focused. Even when it just comes in the form of your to-do list running your life. Always the rat race of getting places on time and doing everything that fills our plate. Thank God we live by His grace, we accomplish what is needed, and that He is ever present to carry our burdens. I just need to remember that. I don't have to carry it all by myself. And in my self-sufficient habits, I try, then fall. He is always there to lovingly pick me up, dust me off, and gently take my burden from me. He is so patient, to be there every time I make that same mistake of attempting to handle everything independantly. This week I really worked on praying, meditating on the Word and praising the Lord when I began to feel stress. Would you know, this week was much more smooth than the past several. Learning to lean on the Everlasting Arm ;-)

I miss writing here and will try to keep up better in the future. I have more to wrie but will have to wait til next time. Goodnight!