Bella Erazo

Day 28: Receiving Salvation

In this episode, we meet Bella Erazo—the freshman of the cast. She discusses how the first two weeks of college classes have been and the new friendships she’s making. Most importantly, Bella gives us insight into her brand-new eternal relationship with Christ. She just got saved!

Hi! My name is Bella and I am a broadcasting major with (hopefully) a minor in marketing. It’s my first year here at Cedarville and if I am being completely honest, it has been a very overwhelming experience. I was a homeschooled student so I wasn’t used to seeing people my age every day, let alone living with them. Luckily, I was blessed to have an amazing roommate who I bonded with very fast. As well as great girls in my hall who always had a smile and or something positive to say. Coming from a home with four sisters, having such a welcoming community of girls helped me feel at ease. Something exciting happened the first week of school… I GOT SAVED! I remember leading up to arrival week I would cry thinking, “How did I get into this school, I know my heart isn’t right with the Lord.” I was thinking something similar in the chapel on August 23rd when Brian White shared his testimony. I have never related to someone’s testimony so much.

For eighteen years I lived in constant fear of death because I understood the reality of what came after… and I wasn’t surrendered to Jesus Christ. Any time I felt like I was going to die (which seems dark I know), I would quickly pray a “salvation prayer” in hopes that would secure me a place in heaven. But deep down I knew the only thing I was surrendering to was my desires. Because of that conviction, Fall Bible Conference was an extremely difficult time for me. Sitting in that evening chapel, when Brian White did the altar call I knew what I needed to do… but I was too scared to do it. “What if I’m judged? What if I lose friendships? What if I lose the amazing opportunities I had received because I wasn’t a true believer before coming here?” These were just a few of the lies I was telling myself. So I stayed standing in my row watching. They called again and for some reason, I couldn’t move. I was so held back by my fears of what others would think or do if they saw me at my weakest. When they called a third time something Dr. White said stood out to me. He said, “If you’re not ready to walk down in front of three thousand people who are gonna cheer for you, then you’re not willing to surrender.” At that moment, I was confronted with an idol of my heart—my reputation. I spent the majority of my life caring more about other people’s views of me than how the Creator of Heaven and Earth saw me.

I don’t remember much of the walk down to the stage that night, just that my heart was pounding so hard I was sure someone could see it. I’m not one to be at a loss for words, (just ask anyone who knows me) but at that moment I was silenced. I realized I was hopeless on my own. My reputation (or status) would never be good enough. But, I also realized the gift of God and the true freedom that comes with trusting and repenting. I gave my life to the Lord and have been doing my best to walk that out ever since. It’s a little scary at college, there are so many things that I don’t know or understand but now I have an omnipotent God to trust and rely on. After that amazing high, I had my first low point of the semester. I bombed a quiz. All of a sudden that overwhelming feeling that I had when I first arrived on campus came back and I had a breakdown. I called my mom in a panic saying how I didn’t know if I could do this. Maybe I just needed to go home and pick a different career path. Anxiety is something I’ve always struggled with, and if I’m being honest, it’s something I’m still working on. But after a long talk and some thinking, I was reminded: You’re here for a reason.

I don’t know why God placed me at Cedarville University but I do know this, I want to use my time here wisely. I want to learn all I can while meeting and building as many friendships as possible. More importantly, I’m here to grow in my relationship and understanding of Jesus Christ, and learn how to serve him in all aspects of my life. 



Day 56: The Value of People

Bella took a quick trip home for the weekend to visit her family despite recommendations from friends to stay at Cedarville. She explains how important her family is to her while affirming the friendships that are still growing at her second home. People have value, and Bella tries to see that in every moment. 

It’s almost fall break! I’m so excited to see my family and take a break from school! I love this place, no doubt, but lately, the weight of midterms has just been getting to me (I feel like I’m saying that school is stressful every week). Luckily, I was able to go back home last weekend. That was very refreshing! I was a little nervous about heading home though. I hear a lot of advice from upperclassmen saying to try to head home as little as possible to focus on the relationships you are creating on campus. While I one hundred percent agree with this advice, I’m so glad that I decided to take the trip. In a way, I feel like going home prepared me for the week to come.

Midterms are coming up soon and there isn’t anything more comforting (to me at least) than a hug from my mom. I also was worried that going back to Indiana was going to make me not want to come back here. But in reality, going home made me more excited to come back to Cedarville. It was genuinely such a joy to be surrounded by my family. I noticed I was more present with my family because time with them (in person) was limited. I got to watch some movies and get coffee with my little sister, go thrifting with my mom, and even get some really good advice from my dad. I also got to visit my niece and nephews which was a highlight of the trip! We played a few card games which were way too intense. I did not know they were going to be so good at the game! As I was leaving to head back to Cedarville my mom said something that made me laugh. She said, “Be safe and text me when you get home.” That made me happy because in a way I am starting to think of Cedarville as my home. It is very different, for sure, but the relationships I’ve made here are starting to feel like family.

Going back to the midterm week though, I feel a little stressed out! One of the many things I’ve been struggling with here at Cedarville is my schedule. It is all over the place. I hardly know what day of the week it is. That is the main reason I am so stressed, I spend my time on the wrong things and end up feeling behind. Moving forward though, I decided to start seeking some advice from people around me who are a little more mature in this area (now to just actually put their advice into practice).  I tend to talk very fast, and I feel like it is a reflection of what exactly goes on inside my head. One thing the Lord has been teaching me recently is to just rest with Him for a minute. I’ve talked about this a few times before on the podcast but taking those moments every day to just be with the Lord. A verse that has helped me remember this is Psalm 46:10. I have a lot of projects coming up and they tend to overwhelm me. I am very new to my major and so I can get all up in my head and convince myself I’m the only person who doesn’t understand what is going on. But every time I’ve started to get overwhelmed the Lord has placed someone in my life to come alongside me. Whether that is just having someone remind me to rely on Him and be an encouragement or even offer to help me and teach me a little more about the major. I’m so grateful for all the wise and knowledgeable people the Lord has placed around me!

Day 70: Learning to Enjoy Life

Bella’s last two weeks were filled with multiple events! Fall break, bringing her sister to campus, improvements in Biology, and a bit of an embarrassing moment at Tossed. Needless to say, Bella is still living a very full life at Cedarville.

This last week has been a little stressful. I just was on fall break, which was very relaxing, but coming back to school was a little harder than I thought. Over my break, I visited home and it wasn’t very eventful. Don’t get me wrong, I loved to be home and caught up on some sleep, but coming back to a routine was a little tricky. I was lucky enough to bring my little sister back with me. She hopes to be a Cedarville student herself after she graduates and that was a blast! Sunday night I told her we had to get up early to get ready for my 9 AM. Monday morning rolls around and I wake up to my alarm. I completely forgot why I had set an alarm (thank you fall break) so I just turned it off and fell back asleep. My sister was the one to wake me up a little after 9 and said “aren’t we supposed to be in a class right now?” Needless to say, I missed my Monday morning class (sorry Professor Clark). That was a bit of a bummer because I hate to have missed a class, but the rest of the week was so much fun! I got to take my sister to a few classes and introduce her to all my friends. She fell in love with this place! Which was a cool thing for us to share, and maybe one day we can attend Cedarville together. I was also very lucky that she and my roommate became friends. So they got to hang out and bond a little as well! I’m gonna miss having her around campus, for sure, but I do need to start focusing on school again. A little update about that… This Module of Biology is making sense! That’s very nice because even though I’m still gonna apply myself as much as possible I like knowing I’m not doing it for anything. On a lighter note… there have been lots of embarrassing encounters these last few weeks though! I usually am not one to get too socially embarrassed but lately, it has been one awkward encounter after the other. I work at Tossed, and I’m usually the wrapper because I like to talk to customers. I had met one customer, who coincidentally happened to work there as well. We started a conversation and a few days later I saw him while coming out of the ENS. I feel comfortable enough to say hi, so I yell “hi guy from tossed!” I didn’t quite catch his name (which is embarrassing enough) but all of a sudden, the door comes slamming in my face. Not only did the door hit my forehead but I then got caught in between the door and the wall. Luckily, he laughed nicely but it was one of the more embarrassing encounters I’ve had so far on campus. It was right after my Bio Mid-term, so it was quite funny and a nice way to laugh out my stress. So in a way, I’m thankful but hopefully, I will not be catching any more doors. 

Day 84: Smart Decisions

Bella gives us a look into her most recent exam, her new endeavors at the gym, and her courageous decision to begin counseling at CU. 

This week has been stressful. We had Biology exam 3 and I think I finally did well. It was funny because the whole time I knew each answer. Like I didn’t have to guess or reread the questions a few times. It’s funny though because maybe I was just over confident. But for the first time I feel so so good about the exam. I guess we’ll figure out if it’s false confidence or not when I get my grades back.

I’m so excited for Thanksgiving break though! My entire family is coming over to our house to celebrate and I just miss everyone so much. I’m also bringing a friend back to celebrate with us. She isn’t able to go back to her family for Thanksgiving so she is getting to join ours! I’m just not excited for the drive.

On an exciting note, my roommate and I have started to go to the gym. It’s been a lot of fun. Like I’ve said previously, I have a lot of energy and need to expel it. So going to the gym with her has been a really good stress relief. Her sister is actually a personal trainer so she has a lot of knowledge about what to do, and how to do it properly, which is good for me cause I know very little about it all. Now to just make it through this next week. 

Day 102: Self Reflection

As the semester begins to wrap up, Bella tells us the good news about her biology exam. She discusses what it’s been like living away from her parents for the past few months. And as she learns to be self-aware, Bella reveals the ways in which she believes God has changed her as a new college student. 

I got the bio exam back… and I passed! Better than passing, I got a 90! I literally feel on top of the world right now. I have another bio exam and a presentation coming up. Those are big stressors but once I’m done with that I can relax a little more I think. I just got back from Thanksgiving break, and I won’t lie… I already miss my family. Something about the holiday season is making it a lot harder to be apart. We made a lot of good memories though. Got to spend time with family and even took my friend ice skating for the first time! She did amazing by the way… better than I did the first time, that’s for sure. I also got to talk to a few old friends as well. We don’t talk as much now but it was nice to see them before coming back to school. I was not ready to come back but I’m just gonna try and keep my head up!

Speaking of coming back… finals week is looking a little daunting. I’m nervous that I’ll be so overwhelmed and stressed, but I hope that is not the case. Kinda off topic but I had an interesting conversation with a friend the other day. We were talking about the changes we’ve seen in ourselves regarding our time here at Cedarville. I’ve noticed just how much I’ve grown as a person. I feel like before Cedarville, I had an idea of who I was but so much of my identity was wrapped up in my family. Don’t get me wrong, in no way were my parents controlling, I was just so dependent upon them. Coming here and moving out really made me have to start making my own decisions, not just relying on my parents to make them. I feel like I’m becoming more of an individual and am learning a lot more about myself everyday. There are many things Cedarville has taught me (even in such a short amount of time) but one thing that stands out is just how little I really know. I guess that’s the point of school though. If you already knew everything, why would you go?

Day 112: The Study Nook Story

Bella tells of her adventures leading up to finals week, including fun class experiences, dessert runs, and an awkward interaction involving study spots.

Stress, if I could choose one word to describe this week… that is the word I would use. There is just so much to do, but so little time. Honestly, I’m kinda enjoying it though. It’s my first finals week as a college student and finals stress is just a part of the college experience. Or at least that is what I am telling myself.

On a lighter note, I feel like this week has been one of the most enjoyable weeks at school so far. Most of my classes have been fun because it’s the last day and I have benevolent professors. Professor Dearden’s pack class was for sure interesting. He came dressed as a gorilla. No one knows why, he never specified. It was for sure unexpected though. Some of the other experiences are sad though. Right before I came in to record this, I had my final lab. The beginning of the lab was kinda awkward, we had just met each other and it was different. But as we went through the class, they started to become my friends. It was sad because that was our last class working together. I’m so glad for biology to be over though. I have talked a lot about the difficulties of that class and I’m ready to move forward and switch up the classes. Next semester is very different. It’ll be a whole next schedule and a thousand times busier.

I recently applied and got a new job. Next semester I will be working at Cracker Barrel as a waitress. I’m super excited because I love getting to know and make connections with people. I know serving and working in the food industry can get a bad rap, but I enjoy it. I start after the break, so I’m very excited. Over break, I’m really excited that I get to go home and see my family. I talked about my family before and how much I miss them but I feel as the holidays get closer, I realize I miss them so much more. Christmas was always my favorite holiday because I love every being together. It’ll be a little different this year because I will be working and getting ready for the new semester. But I’m still excited to see everyone and spend time being all together again. 

Day 141: Academic Troubles and Fighting Homesickness

In her fifth week, Bella dives into the massive changes that come with the beginning of a college career. From learning how to ward off procrastination to living life without her family, Bella discovers several methods to help her adjust to her new situation. 

I’m not gonna lie, these past few days have been a little stressful. The semester is starting to get heavier and I’m feeling a little overwhelmed. In high school, I was always the student to only study the day before a test and then perform well. It was a bit of a rude awakening when I tried to do that here. I recently took my first exam and let’s just say… I am a little disappointed in myself. I knew college was harder than high school, but I guess I did not anticipate how heavy the workload was going to be. It was a little discouraging to see myself not do as well as I had thought. I’m also starting to miss my family a lot. I’ve always been very close with them, and lately, I’ve been feeling distant. I miss my sister a lot. Both of us are starting to get busy schedules, so there hasn’t been as much time to call. That has been hard because I do miss spending time with her. Recently, I got to facetime my niece and nephews which ended up being a lot sadder than I expected. When I left my youngest nephew (who is one and a half) was still figuring out how to talk. Now he can say full words, he even says my name. This is the sweetest thing ever, don’t get me wrong, but it made me realize that I am missing a lot of them growing up. I understand that my being here is a big part of my maturing, but it still is sad to think about the people I love back home. In a nutshell, I’m starting to feel a bit homesick. It is kinda a scary thought, letting go of childhood and embracing something new. I know the point of college is to grow, but growing up can be uncomfortable. A new chapter in my life is beginning, and I’m excited about everything that comes with that. But it can also be a lot to take in. I trust that God is in control, but that is a lot easier to say than to act out. Lately, I’ve just been working on devoting moments throughout the day to spending time with the Lord. I haven’t always been perfect at it, but I’ve realized the more I do it the less overwhelmed I feel.

Day 146: Learning Curve

The second semester of Bella’s college career has officially begun. But before she dives head first into its craziness, Bella shares how difficult but beneficial her finals week went. 

Wow, so much has happened in these past few weeks. I can’t tell you how much I needed the break. But looking back at finals week, all seemed to go relatively well. They were hard for sure but none of my grades necessarily dropped, and for that I am proud of myself. There were a few rough patches through the week but luckily I had friends who were very supportive and made it easier. Something I’ve talked about before is that I struggle with anxiety. Over finals there were a few things that made me feel overwhelmed. Not only was it hard to be separated from my family, not really knowing what finals would be like didn’t help. When I was studying with two of my other friends, something embarrassing came up. I don’t usually feel all too embarrassed, but this story was something that did embarrass me. I guess you could say that it was the straw that broke the camel’s back. As insignificant as it was, all piled up it sent me into a panic attack. Although I talk about it openly, anxiety is something that is very embarrassing to me. I left the bathroom right before things got too crazy. But it was really eye opening was the progress I had made when it comes to my anxiety. I have been working a lot with my counselor and she definitely has taught me a lot. For the first time I was able to control the level of the “attack” and help calm myself down without anyone else. Although the situation wasn’t ideal, it was something that really helped open my eyes to how much I’ve personally grown and improved. Moving onto break, most of it was just hanging out with my family and going to work. But after such a chaotic semester it was nice to go back to something familiar. I personally love just hanging out with my family so a nice relaxing time at home was just what I needed. I did get to work a little as well, but sadly all the money went to books for this semester. But I guess that’s just college life. Although this semester is a little intimidating I am excited to see what’s to come! 

Day 160: Tough Choices

Rather than taking major courses, Bella opts to take only Gen-Eds. And when it comes to worship chapels, she was convicted about her attitude toward them. Bella shares how she made tough choices about her major and about her treatment of worship. 



So this upcoming semester was hard because I’m starting to feel overwhelmed with committing to a major. I’ve always had a hard time making big decisions, or committing to them. So now that it’s the second semester and I was lined up to take a few more heavier classes it was overwhelming to think “what if i’m making the wrong choice?” So I opted to take only Gen-Eds this semester. Because of this, I kinda thought this semester was going to be easy. Sadly I was mistaken. Gen-Eds (at least these ones) haven’t been a piece of cake. I think that’s good though. Even though they’ll just be Gen-Eds, they’ll be challenging and force me to work hard. I think there was something interesting that the Lord has been teaching me lately. I love chapel, but the one day in chapel that I never looked forward to was worship chapel. I never thought much of it and even though I never said anything out loud… it was because my heart wasn’t in the right place. I had started to fall into a pattern of seeing worshiping the Lord as something to be put on the back burner rather than a main component of my day. That was very eye opening and something to be working on. Just giving the Lord my best and praising him through all situations. There is quite a bit to do this semester and although I’m nervous, I’m excited to see where the Lord leads me through this semester.

Day 178: Present Hardship, Future Gain

As Bella further defines her interests and crafts her schedule, her current friends are starting to drift away. Bella discusses how she attempts to move on while taking advantage of the present day. 

I’m not gonna lie, these past two weeks have been absolutely amazing. This semester feels like it has been such a fresh start. One thing that was kind of a struggle this semester was just the changing of friend groups. I feel like a normal part of life is just growth, and sometimes with growth, you make new friends and don’t hang out with the same people you used to as much. That was a little tricky to handle at first. It felt kinda uncomfortable to be not so close to people I used to be close to. It felt like I was losing people who I thought we’d be friends with for at least the rest of the year. I’ve mentioned before that I’m not the biggest fan of change so this was something uncomfortable for me to walk through. Luckily, I’ve been learning to rely on the Lord more—like really enjoying and focusing on my time with the Lord and not just treating it like a box to be checked off. I feel like a big thing that has been helping me do this is my Bible and the Gospel class. It’s really been keeping me accountable to taking the Word more seriously and being more intentional about bringing the Lord up in my everyday life.

On a bit of a less serious note, one thing my friends and I started talking about was documenting our lives. We saw a Tik Tok of a friend group that made videos of everything they did throughout the week. Also, one of my friends loves taking videos himself and it was so it might be a possibility. I just want to document all the experiences I have had in college. It is such a small portion of my life, and I never want to forget those who I am with and the memories I have been making. I am starting to realize that college is going quickly, and things are always going to change. So, make the most of the moments that we are given and the people we are with.

Another cool thing that happened this past week was I got an interview with Lake Anne. It is a Christian camp in Michigan for kids and I was really interested in learning more about it. I feel like—just for myself—I wouldn’t be the best counselor, or that it wouldn’t be a good use of my talents. In other words, not my strong suit. But, they have a media team that I was really interested in joining. Pretty much I’d be given a camera and an age group to follow around the entire week. Then I would edit that video together so that the kids could take it home. It’s a reminder of everything they did, everyone they met, and what they learned that week. I was really interested and although I don’t have the job yet, I’m really hoping that the Lord opens that door. I have been so blessed and lucky to have all these people in my life. I just really have been wanting to find ways that I can honor the Lord with my gifts. I’m thinking that this could possibly be one of those ways! 

Day 188: Switching Majors

Bella takes us through her decision to switch to Psychology as a major from Broadcasting, including all of the discussions she’s had about it. Even though she still wants to be involved in broadcasting as a hobby, Bella shows us her passion for the mind and her choice to switch her life’s direction.

Okay, the past two weeks have been a little uneventful. Although some things have happened, it’s been super busy with school. Something cool that I have been doing is changing my academic discipline—from broadcasting to psychology. It’s been something I’ve been thinking a lot about and I’m ready to make the decision. Broadcasting is an amazing major and I still want to be a part of the Orgs on campus, but in the end, it’s a hobby for me. I’m meeting with a few people from the major and it’s been going well. I’m very interested in the neuroscience aspect of the major, or early childhood development of the Psychology department. I’m excited to start some new classes with that next semester. Another really big thing I’ve noticed happening is my desire for the Lord is growing. It’s been something I’ve prayed about more consistently, just that I would desire to follow the Lord and desire to get in his Word. We’ve been doing spiritual disciplines worksheets and they’ve really been super encouraging. One thing I’ve realized is the more time I spend in the Word, the more excited I am to get into it next time. It’s been super encouraging and I’m excited to see how else I am going to grow. 

Day 209: Discovering a New Home

Bella tells us about the relaxing times she had over spring break and growing more comfortable with campus life. She also shares some exciting new friendships with other girls on campus.

I recently went on spring break and this week was very mellow. I was super lucky to be able to chill and relax and not have too many worries when coming back home. I mostly hung out with my little sister because I don’t have too many high school friends, and the ones I did were busy working. I am really glad I got to hang out just for the week because I don’t get to see her as much anymore and that makes me sad. She is growing up a lot and going back home reminds me of that, but the more I am home and the more I see her, the more confident and mature she gets. I am so happy that she is making good friends and great memories as well. Another fun thing about the break was also just getting to hang out with my dad too. My dad has never been a big caller, so we don’t call each other so it makes when I see him at home even more special.
Moving onto when we got back here at Cedarville… I am super lucky to have been able to start strong (as far as habits go) this week. I can sometimes struggle when returning from breaks because I have to make another schedule. Luckily, it was something I planned for so I wasn’t completely thrown off when returning. Another positive that I have been experiencing is friendships this week. I would say that I have a lot of friends or people I know and talk to. Something I have been praying about is that I would find more girlfriends that I can do things like Bible studies with or have more accountability conversations. That is something that I took notice of coming back from the break. This week I was able to grow in my friendship with a girl I somewhat knew. It was encouraging and we got to talk about the possibility of having more weekly times together. Maybe even doing a bible study. I also got to plan my new work schedule with another girl who is becoming a good and encouraging friend. I also found myself making a few summer plans with a girl, who I am so lucky to have in my life. Although I don’t know if these relationships will continue or even grow any more than they already have, I look forward to seeing and trusting the Lord with them.

Day 223: Finding Companionship

Through the creation of a Bible study, Bella has found a meaningful friendship to foster. She plans to develop this more as the semester wraps up.

These past two weeks were really good. There has been a lot of growing on my end this semester, and although I am so grateful and happy, I am also a tad bit overwhelmed with it. This semester I did really well at concreting the habit of reading every day, but something I’ve been working on this week is just getting up early enough to spend the mornings with the Lord. The more I do this, the more I realize that my day goes better. I can see things through a more biblical perspective and love/forgive others better. Small things that made me feel overwhelmed no longer throw me off, and I don’t feel as anxious about them. I think I hit a good rhythm this last semester and before the break, but sometimes adjusting and resetting habits can be a whole new struggle. I’ve been starting a Bible study with a friend lately, and that has been such a HUGE blessing in my life. Although I think that we aren’t too close yet, we’ve really been able to get to know each other on a deeper level. We hold each other accountable and encourage one another through their own personal walk. Her positive and joyful spirit has been such a blessing in my life. I have also been developing my relationship with my roommate more. We’ve always been close, but this semester we’ve just been more open about where we are in our relationships with the Lord. Because of that, we have a deeper connection and can hold each other accountable and just encourage one another when things get hard. I am truly so grateful for the relationships that the Lord has blessed me with this semester. As this semester starts to come to a close, I am getting registered for classes. I had everything planned out perfectly, and when I checked my schedule… a lot of classes I need for the major I have been waitlisted for. That was something that was stressful, but it was also a blessing because I got to work through my emotions in a healthy way. Worrying isn’t going to solve the problem, so I did what I could and I’m going to trust the Lord with the rest of it. It has been so encouraging to see myself grow and my relationships be deepened through that.

Day 241

These past two weeks have definitely been eventful. I feel like I was on a roll previously. But these two weeks were different. I recently lost a relationship with someone who was very close to me. I don’t fully understand what happened. In all honesty, there was a lot of pain in that. It was really hard, and something that I didn’t think I was going to have to face. I felt like I was on top of the world these past few weeks to just be randomly shot down. It was difficult but through that, I think I learned a lot about myself and my relationship with the Lord. 1) I don’t deserve anything, not even the air I breathe. That was a hard thing to remind me of. I often find myself thinking about how I deserve these things because I am improving in my walk with Christ. I am living my life the “way I should,” therefore I think I should have what I want. That is the wrong motive, and it was a hard truth to face. 2) People aren’t bad people just because they hurt your feelings. I was really angry at this person for a long time because I didn’t see a reason they would no longer want to be around me. I don’t understand and to be honest, I think part of me doesn’t want to either. They hurt my feelings and I am confused, but they love the Lord and are doing their best to walk that out. I should still be praying for them, even if we aren’t going to be as close as we were before. I’ve hurt people before in my life as well, and I have received a massive amount of forgiveness. From people, of course, but more importantly from a loving and merciful God who forgave me for things I had no right to be forgiven for. Bitterness only hurts yourself and your walk with the Lord. On a bit of a lighter note, I really enjoyed the weekend. My friends and I have been playing spike ball a lot! Or at least when the weather is warm. It has been so much fun! I haven’t played for very long, but I feel like I am gaining a good understanding of the game and getting fairly good at it. It’s honestly been one of my favorite things to do on campus this past week.

Day 251

These past two weeks, in comparison to last week, have been pretty chill. I have mostly been finishing homework and preparing for exams. Although I’m really glad homework is almost over, I am going to miss some of this year’s classes. I feel like I learned a lot, and overall I am going to miss (a few) classes. My friends and I, since we’ve been having light loads lately, have been doing a lot of fun stuff outside of campus. We went to a Reds game the other day, which was so much fun. For context, I don’t watch baseball so I actually don’t know what is going on. I was there for the environment and the Reds won, which was all I really cared about. We paid for seats that were way up there but ended up being able to sit maybe 10-ish rows from the field. It was a lot of fun and I think everyone enjoyed it! Looking ahead to the summer, I am currently planning on what job I am going to work. I am thinking I might work the job I did the last summer. I already know what I am doing and I can get put on the work schedule right away. I did apply for a few other places, so if they happen to reach out I will be taking those jobs (just cause they make more) but I don’t know if that is going to happen. If I do take that job, there is a boy there that isn’t a believer. We were friends last year and we’ve had a lot of conversations about faith and he knows that I became a believer. I guess I am just hoping that maybe this summer I can have a few more of those conversations, since I am much stronger and more knowledgeable in my faith now, I am just hoping that the Lord would use me in this situation. Overall, I am pretty nervous and excited about this summer. 

Day 391: Stronger Than Ever

Sophomore year is off to an incredible start for Bella. Relationships are growing, spiritually is excelling, and Bella is thriving in her new job at Beans-n-Cream. She gives updates on her summer and talks about her plans for the year.

 

This summer wasn’t very eventful. I mostly worked and hung out with my sister, which was exactly what I needed. After such a crazy semester last year, it was good to have a relaxing summer break. Something new that happened this semester is switching dorms and losing a roommate. My roommate from last semester and I were very close. It was really hard coming back at first because I knew she wasn’t going to be here.  Although it was hard because the Lord provided a lot of friends for me. I was given four girls in my hall that have truly been such a blessing. I knew most of them from last semester, but living with them has helped create such a good and Godly friendship already. I also got a new job this semester! I work at Beans! I was actually so excited when I got the job because it is usually a pretty competitive position. It’s been so fun so far, and I’ve been able to meet so many other girls on campus there! I also get a free coffee every shift which is a much appreciated bonus. Overall I’d like to think this semester is off to a really strong start. My faith is the strongest it’s been, my friends and I are growing close and encouraging each other to honor the Lord and I am on top of all my schoolwork. Hopefully, the rest of the semester can stay on this track! 🙂 

Day 405

These past few weeks have been very packed full of studying. There hasn’t been too much going on, just getting ready for exams and quizzes that I have lined up. Even though I have been packed, from both work and classes, I still am loving my classes and getting to know the other people in my major. I also am looking forward to a new ministry opportunity, The Barn. Saturday will be my first time going, but I’ve heard great things. I am excited to see how the Lord uses me there. Talking about ministry, this summer I am thinking of attending a few missions trips. I feel very passionately about missions, and I am not sure how the Lord will use that in my life, but I know I have to start somewhere. A few friends, who are in similar majors are thinking of going and we’re encouraging me to check it out. Overall, not much has happened these two weeks, but i’m looking forward for what is to come soon.