When thinking of a word to describe 2018, “whirlwind,” comes to mind. Good, bad, amazing, sad, confusing, disastrous, depressing, uplifting, it had it all. I spent time at home and I flew thousands of miles. I climbed mountains and I went to the ocean.

But most importantly, I grew. I became closer to God. I had more opportunities for outreach and evangelism. I came to know more about myself and those around me.

So here are some pictures. Well, not just some. A lot. I may or may not have put a lot of my favorite pictures in my post. (and currently it looks like WordPress is going to mess up the quality – oh well)

So don’t scroll too fast. (I mean you can if you want, but you’ll miss what I have to say about individual pictures and experiences.)

In May I went backpacking with my family, saw my first bear in the wild, and graduated from high school!

In July I had the privilege of being a summer camp counselor. This is how I described it on Instagram:

Two weeks serving. Some would say you’re just there to watch kids and make sure they stay out of trouble. But that isn’t it at all. It’s watching miracles. Seeing hearts touched. Becoming more and more a friend of my Father in heaven and seeing others do the same. It’s incredible. It’s an experience I wouldn’t trade for anything else.

(it feels really awkward quoting myself)

The summer camp I work at is actually very different from many others. It focuses on Biblical teaching, mission work, and practical skills. But that doesn’t mean we don’t have fun!

In between {vegan!} banana splits, swimming, singing, camp mail, and all the things we learn, it’s hard not to have fun!

I’m just gonna encourage you to check out that picture right below this. Between hiking, swimming, canoeing, and backpacking, I managed to get myself a some pretty rad Chaco tan lines, if I do say so myself. K, I’m proud of the weirdest things…

Speaking of backpacking, I went on three backpacking trips in 2018. Two with the fam, and one with friends.

(backpacking food – gourmet style)

 

Look at this little friend we found! This little snake was a beauty slithering in the middle of the trail. I can’t resist these things. Of course I had to hold him!

(Note – because I don’t want to get in trouble: Don’t go around picking up snakes. Or be aware of the danger if you do. Basically, if you get hurt, I’m not to blame. Your common sense is.)

Little Brother (who is now taller than me) carried some popcorn over about 4 miles of trail, and once he popped it, the whole camp came begging for some.

In November, our community was the center of a devastating natural disaster. We were gone for two weeks, and turned hard times into good times by visiting the ocean!

To finish off the year, I flew to Houston, TX to attend the annual GYC conference.

First off, I don’t like big cities at all. But…

The conference was amazing! I spent time with friends I hadn’t seen since July, learned how to form an effective public talk, and even got to see Pastor Ted Wilson speak live. That was an unexpected treat!

And that is my year. SO many miracles. SO many lessons learned. (Oh and I became an adult, like what…?!)

I like public speaking more and more. I love my campers. And Chaco tans. And canoeing. And I prefer trees and lakes over skyscrapers and cement any day.

But wherever God needs me is where I’ll be. And that is my goal this year. To listen to His voice and see what He has in store for me next!