Project Impact- summer 2018 

*if you do not know what project impact is... it is a 9 week discipleship and leadership program in Lawrence, Kansas that I applied for and found through my campus ministry*

I honestly don't really know where to start because I wish I could tell everyone and very little detail about project but sadly that can't happen. Thankfully I dedicated a journal for memories and all of my prayer and notes from this summer. 

1. MY JOB...

So after prayerfully job hunting non-stop for the first couple of days @ project God provided through a daycare... wahoo, a job right?!! 

No... if you know me then you know I've never been good with kids and never really had a large heart for them. I know I sound like a monster lol, but it's true I have always just assumed I never had a natural motherly instinct and kids just don't love me. I was put as an assistant teacher in the headstart classroom. All 8 kids under the age of 2 with only 3 of them actually potty trained. Needless to say I learned patience. But most importantly I learned to have a heart for each of the kids, none of them had good home to go to and they were all developing at vastly different rates. My heart broke that none of these kids got more attention at home. I specifically read books with a little boy named Chase everyday and on my last day in the class we read it and he was able to name every fruit and votable in the book without my help. I cried a lot, all he needed was consistency. 

By the end of the summer I no longer questioned why God placed me there. These kids taught me more than I could ever ask for. Patience and what it looks like to be a light and to just simply love on others. I learned a lot from my coworkers as none of them were believers and it put me in an uncomfortable position a lot of the time because I just wasn't used to not being in the Bible Belt of Texas and Oklahoma anymore. My coworkers asked me to cover for them a lot of the time and as much as I didn't want to I chose to put them before myself and help serve them as much as I could in the classroom. (Heart Attitude #1 putting others before yourself, Philippians 2:3-4)

2. LAWRENCE

Like stated previously with no longer being in the Bible Belt or hardly leaving Texas other than vacations and school I was in for a rude awakening. Lawrence opened my eyes to what it's like to leave home, literally and mentally. This might not make a lot of sense to those of you who travel often but I was born and raised in the small town of Decatur all my life surrounded by the 'Christian Culture'. So when we went out and evangelized to the town of Lawrence, the responses we got we extremely hard for me to deal with. Planting seeds was something God taught me a lot through. I remember crying after our first EV night in a ice cream shop realizing that so many people didn't except Christ after telling them about the Gospel. I learned this summer what it is to plant seeds and how that is something bigger than we could ever be and that as a follower of Christ I could be watering that seed in some way or just planting one. 

3. COMMUNITY P.1

God already answered the prayer of blessing me with a sweet sweet ministry back at school. BUT God continued to teach me and grow me this summer in so many different ways through my project family. 

Going into project I was heckin' nervous that I was going to have a hard time making friends. I didn't really have a reason for this other than that I just let doubt consume me in that way, that I wasn't a good enough Christian or fun enough. Anyways  with everyone living in such close quarters/ actually doing life with your small group I soon let all the doubt go. I doubted what God could do through this community, silly me. I learned so much by simply being intentional and vulnerable with others. I made so many new friends this summer I can't help but smile so big when I think about how cool God is like that. He didn't have to provide yet an even bigger community for us, yet he faithfully did. Being able to grow with everyone else this summer left such a big impression on my heart. I remember in the middle of the summer praying for God to give an opportunity for me to interact become closer with the Fort Hayes girls and he answered that prayer SO big by the end of the summer (Now they are all coming to visit Stillwater in November!!). I won't explain everything I learned from my project peeps, but just know that God uses community in some dang awesome ways. 

4. INTENTIONALITY + COMMUNITY P.2

Community 2.0 is my second biggest take away from this summer. With Project impact being in Lawrence we are partnered with a church called RockHill with the most amazing and welcoming people you will ever meet. God has already blessed me and taught me so much from my community at school. So I kinda assumed he was done teaching me the power and importance of community ... lol I was so wrong. 
Rock Hill really welcomed us and made us feel comfortable and loved right from the first Sunday. All of us had each picked an area to serve in the church from the welcome team to the tear down teach for every Sunday service. With serving we are all given the time to really get to know rock hill people and it was so awesome. I know for a lot of us we didn't really wantttt to volunteer but in the end we all loved what we did because of engulfed it made it us in the community. It just goes to show no matter where you are it is important to find a church, serve there and be involved in your community (there is probably about 100 different types of scripture to back this up). I was extremely convicted all summer to really get involved in my church back in Stillwater. Rock Hill is one awesome church that will forever have a place in my heart. 
The whole summer everyone in our little project community had a personal almost unintentional, intention to be intentional... lol does this make sense?!?
I basically mean because everyone was being so vulnerable and honest our summer was the producing fruit from being so intentional with one another and in everything we were doing.  Our work situations, our living situations, our new friendships and our temporary church home :)

I really hope this made sense lol. It is kinda hard summing up nine weeks of intense spiritual  training. All in all I wouldn't have traded my summer for the world, and I am beyond grateful for everything God taught me and provided. 



Much love, Celine

Project Impact update!!!

We are entering week 4!! 

That is absolutely mind blowing. 

In those four weeks I have developed meaningful friendship with so many people here. People from other schools, our staff and coworkers. After non-stop job hunting the first couple of days God provided jobs for every single person here at project. God placed me in a daycare. Yes, laugh because I did. Not to mock my job or belittle it but I am not good with kids whatsoever. I have learned a lot in the 2 full weeks of working there. A lot about kids, but in that God has been humbling me. This is something I wouldn't have picked for myself or where I thought I would end up. That's why I laugh, God works in the coolest ways.

(I work with 2 year olds! I love my class they are cutest kids.)

God is teaching me and surprising me everyday, especially with this bunch of little ones.

(this is a pic from my first day of work!)

I was talking with Connor the other day and we decided the best way to explain our training and the endless things we are being taught on top of the countless ways we are continuing to grow our relationship with Christ, is that we are drinking from a running facet constantly. 

I am constantly thanking God for placing me here. I have a whole new perspective of what community looks like from being here. The challenges we are faced with are ones that we will face back at school and in the work field when we graduate. To be honest I am so overwhelmed with all of the information and things I am learning, especially about myself. I am shocked by how little world experience I've had. I didn't realize how living in a small town had effected my perspective so much, even with me going out of state for college, I am still in a little bubble. 

We have been doing these small trainings on global experiences on other religions and other cultures foods and I am very thankful for them. 

Approaching this fourth week makes me want to cry. I love it here. Lawrence has a lot of character, A lot different from Decatur, Texas that's for sure. 

Random but I started this thing called "Sunrise Saturdays" here where we go get up and watch the sunrise at 5 in the morning on Saturdays. I really love it and am thankful for the people who join me every week. 

(this is my small group)

GET YOUR SPECTACLES OUT BECAUSE THIS IS A LONG ONE

WOW, oh wow! God sure knows how to move, like who knew... HA. 

Coming back this from break this semester was such a challenge. 

But let me back it up a little.

Last semester I applied to be on the BCM's (baptist collegiate ministry I am involved with on campus) leadership team, I am now on the hospitality team. I freakin love it, it's such a fit; since last graduation I've found my love for people, and through this team I get to serve those people I love dearly. Its been so awesome and I can't wait to continue with it (btw my team ROCKS). 

With a new semester means new classes. 

I felt so distant from God within the first two weeks of classes. 

I struggled ... a lot. I knew getting used to having a new set of classes every couple of months would take some adjusting, but I didn't expect to struggle like I did. I was so extremely nervous and FULL of anxiety.
At one point I called my mom and let her talk my ear off to call me and on the other side of the line I was balling because I just wanted to go home, she still doesn't know this ( lol hi mom! I know you are reading this!)

anxious anxious anxious

it ate me alive

I honestly cried and CRIED out to God why this happened and why I was having anxiety again, especially because it hadn't been that bad since LAST April. 

frustrated.

I realized I wasn't having time with God and listening to him or even praying. I let the busyness of school completely overtake me. 

it all made sense I didn't have Gods word rooted in me

I wasn't even processing what God has been trying to tell me. 

sad.

I had a longgggg talk with God and surprisingly not right then and there obviously I realized my anxiety was silly and had an overwhelming sense of peace wash over me.

Since the middle of January I been running around non-stop with friends, school, the BCM and Phi Lamb!!

I got the amazing opportunity to go to SMU in Dallas for a Phi Lamb leadership conference!! Such a fun time!! Also if I met you there leave a comment or something !!

OH!

did I mention I am a APPOINTED OFFICER...!!!!

HA... definitely not the plan but I really felt that I needed to apply and .... I got it. 

I received the position of SisterHood Chair 1 of 3 girls. 

Its been a journey and being able to serve the girls in Phi Lamb by planning bonding events its like  a dream. To be honest I haven't prayed all too much about leadership specifically in Phi Lamb God just kinda placed this in my lap. It's been a EXTREME learning experience knowing you can't please everyone. I love it though. I am excited for what's to come!!

PRO LIFE TIP: introduce your friends to your other friends....

SURPRISE they will love each other!

literally all of January looking back on it I've done this a handful of times on accident and its been so cool to see all the different areas of my life mesh. 

God is so FREAKING COOL like that

*pause*

Whoever may be reading this I would really like to pray for you along with a prayer request of mine!

I have no idea what in the heck I'm doing this summer. There is A LOT of pressure when surrounded by so many opportunities to grow and serve others and grow over the summer. 

So I ask that you would pray that I am obedient and open to whatever God wants to me to do this summer.

 I don't want to waste the time I've been granted. 

*back to your regularly scheduled blog post*

In this busy season of life I am in I've learned to be ever so grateful to be able to BE BUSY.

Not everyone can run around all the time or at all. Just trying to be humble with what I've been granted, a busy life and I love it. No complaints (if I do complain you have permission to throw a verse at me and literally hit me ((@the hive)). <<< not kidding lol.

This is a fun life. Thank you God. 

p.s. the Carrillo Fam has a new member #gethyped #ITSAGIRL 

Love, Celine

HELLO SWEET FRIENDS

It has been way too long since I've updated everyone! But I have completed my first semester of college!!! I know post on that coming soon life has been sweeping me of my feet lately, in a good way of course!! But my birthday was the yesterday the 6th! Whoo 19!! I feel so old lol. 

All I wanted for my birthday was some quality time with my best friends (AKA my mom and Fallon) and coffee! I researched the best coffee shops in the Dallas area for a couple days and our first stop was the Local Press +Brew. Very asthetically pleasing but very small. 

The exterior of the building was beautiful and the coffee got an A+ from me they make their own Almond Milk! so good! I also went for the vegan donuts sadly they were out of them.