$3,650 is what I needed by Friday... I got $3,756 in my account right now. First I would like to Thank God for working everything out.. and being in control like He always is :D You see there was a check that got lost in the mail.. and I was getting a little nervous.. but it got here! Even though we can't always trust the mail services, we can trust God, right?

Second THANK YOU to everyone who contributed finicially. I am still in shock from the abundance of generosity shown. I truly appreciate it and it means so much to have people care about this. Thank you :D

Another cool thing. If you do the math, I roughly have $100 left over (which will go towards my tuition for the classes I will be taking my first month down there). Guess how much money I had to go ahead and pull out of my own account to turn in to meet deadlines? Yep.. $100 dollars. Thank you God. I love moments like these.

I was having a conversation with a guy in my brother dorm a couple of weeks ago... started out just as a normal, polite conversation. "How are you doing, Nikki?" and then I said "Wonderful!" Apparently I said it really enthusiastically, because he questioned if there was any special reason why? After laughing at this, I said "Well, technically I always have joy, but today I am extra-happy." I think that we can always be joyful... nothing can take away our true joy, which is salvation in Christ. Happiness, on the otherhand, I think that we control. Anyways.. I told him that today I just felt extra-blessed. It wasn't that I was more blessed that day than any other day. Everyday of my life I have been richly blessed; it is just that some days I am aware of it more than others.

Tonight in my prayer leader class (I am on leadership for my hall here at Liberty as a prayer leader; we must attend a weekly class for training), the stat was given that we were in the 1%... One percent of the world gets to go to college.

Just by going to college I am in the 1%, but I wonder how many in the 1% have a relationship that will last for eternity with the God of the Universe?
I wonder how many of that 1% has a family that loves them.. they may not always like her, but they definetely love her.. and always show it.. more than they should.
I question how many of that 1% has friends that constantly blow her mind--friends that are still her friends even after she has mistreated them at some point in life. Friends that build her up and always "got her back."
I wonder how many have a roommate.. who they now consider a best friend after 3 years-- a best friend that has been a living model of faith for them to look to daily and who sometimes acts like their mom when needed.
I wonder out of that 1% how many have a chance to go to another country for the summer... I could keep going... I think 1% looks big to the percentage I'm in, and I didn't even finish my list.

I am richly blessed everyday... but today was one of those days where it was brought to my attention even more.

Psalm 92:4

For you, O Lord, have made me glad by your work;

at the works of your hands I sing for joy.