Yoooo!

I just got back from Bethany beach with friends last night and have never been so sore and tired. We kayaked, biked, ran around, swam and went ham non-stop. My friends from home are all like that, so its pretty fun.  Surf was little, but it was still great to check out the surfers at this spot we found.  But when we were playing tackle frisbee I wrecked my back.  It's pretty bad, and I can't stand up very long, and swimming starts in two hours so that will be nuts.  Haven't gotten it checked out yet, but might need to do that sometime...

I haven't had much work, so I've been going to concerts and the beach the last couple weekends with friends which has been great.  I also went to Harrisonburg last week which was awesome.  I met up with Chloe, Rosie, and Emily to get ice cream and hang out for a while. I got Emily's camp deposit, and Chloe is mailing hers in soon. We talked about who they want to see at camp and other people who really want to come. They told me that Mikayla O'Falen really wants to come so I am praying hard that the Lord makes that possible! It was so great just to see them and talk about life and talk to their parents as well.

I drove my sister to JMU as well on my trip, and the Lord really did some crazy stuff in our conversation.  She talked to me about how hard things were and how she was unhappy.  She talked to me about how she is starting therapy and hoping that she can get some real help. I think this is really a huge thing for our family and for Brenna.  I really pray that she can see the Lord working in all of this and hopefully stop going out so much.  It was hard in the beginning because she was smoking a lot and on the property and that was frustrating, but I think therapy and being open will be good for her.

I've been meeting with Megan, a girl who was in WyldLife when I led, every week. That has been the coolest. We talk about her life and her friends and Jesus a lot.  She wants her friends to know Jesus so bad, and its neat to not be leading here anymore, but her to encourage me at Skyline. She's incredible.  Pretty amazing.  The Lord is really working in so many ways, and it makes me want to go back to Skyline and be there all the time.

I've been running a lot lately and am stopping to pray at schools in my neighborhood.  That's been really cool too that ministry doesn't stop at where I lead.

Evan's great. He is such an example of Jesus when things are hard at home, and I've been so blessed by our relationship this summer already.  We are going to start up a Bible study together soon and I'm pumped.

The Lord is so good here, but sometimes its hard with my family not being very open about their faith and my friends being crazy.  Miss you guys lots. Read Romans 8, its been really meant a lot to me lately.

Praying for y'all.

-dev

True talk, boo

Started From The Bottom Now We Here...

So I'm going to go ahead and tell you about my life since finals... hope you liked my title cause that song just so happens to also be stuck in my head. I don't hate it.  HAYYYY

     I did pretty well on final grades, but this semester was so much more about Christ than grades, that I honestly didn't even care that I didn't get the straight A's that I thought I "needed" (or maybe it's early symptoms of senioritis, what do you think Dr. Ukor?).  It was so awesome being in Harrisonburg for 2-3 weeks after school was out.  I just got to spend a lot of time studying, hanging out, shadowing doctors, as well as some awesome time with the Lord.

Since I've been home, things have been going fantastic!  I've been able to hang out with a lot of my friends from high school, but even more time with my family.  I'm getting SO pumped for my brother to come to JMU next year.  Being in Hanover (where I live) literally screams the Lord's creation at me, so it's impossible to ignore it.  Besides hangin out at the pool, I've just kind of been studying and catching up with friends.  Oh yeah, and running too.  For those of you who don't know, I hate running.  Well, I did, but it's growing on me; what?  I didn't really have a choice considering I'm running a half-marathon this Sunday (please pray for that, I'mma die prolly).


Meredith and I are great, and it's awesome to have her to push me to Christ, and to have someone (besides ya'll of course) who I can fellowship with.  She's about to leave for Israel in like, 10 days, so that's going to be sad (for me), but more exciting.
     I really really MISS YA'LL A LOT A LOT.  As much as I love it hear at home, I just love/miss hangin out with ya'll, spending time at the school, and making absolutely ridiculous comments around the Hulvey's living room.  Dang.  I also decided I want to post a series of pictures to update you with fun facts of my time here as well.  So, here are some pictures, but don't look at the 3rd one if you have a weak stomach... just sayin.

Me and my sister Addie watching Barney today!

Got to ride through a freaking racetrack in this car with Pete, it was wild.

Went frog giggin the other night, also got a snake.  Woh

Little Vine video I took at the bay of my brother skim boarding.. haha

At the end, he says "I'm a boss" so get your mind out of the gutter..

In the words of Kathryn...

Peace an love, (amen)

BRANDON WONG

From Fenwick Island with Love

Wrote this a few days ago so some is not actually true #longharidontcare.

Currently sitting in the beautiful family room that overlooks the bay at my grandparents beach house. Today begins family beach vacation, Drew and I drove down today and the rest of the family comes tomorrow. I'm excited to be busy cleaning out my grandparents house and spending time with the family, eating and talking together. Break/life has been good so far, very slow but good. A lot of my time is spent alone outside, crafting, cooking, or watching TV. I spend a good amount of time at the gym and that is usually the most exciting part of my day. I've spent a good amount of time with Kathleen, which has been great and so refreshing. We are so similar and have both grow a lot in the same ways, which is cool to talk about. 

I've been talking a lot with a girl Katie Rae who is from GA works for CURE international and leads Young life in the Hershey, PA area. She is SO cool and reminds me a lot of the kind of people in Harrisonburg, INDIE. I'm excited to have her in the area and to hopefully get involved with the Young Life community there. I wouldn't say I'm excited about PSU or Hershey but I know it is where the lord wants me. I am excited to hang out with my cousin, who just got married which was SO fun. The morning of her wedding I went to a meet and greet and it was great but I realized how much change is coming and how much work the next 10 months will be. It is definitely going to be a long year but I know the lord can get me through it. I am officially living in Briarcrest Gardens with Meghan and Alyssa who are both in the program. They both seem really sweet, both PSU graduates. We will all share a bathroom but have our own bedrooms. I'm not nervous at all to live with them more nervous for change, which is good.

Jesus is good. Not great, but good. I've been spending a lot of time but don't feel really challenged.  It is hard to get involved in any kind of church at home bc I know I will be leaving soon. All these transition years are hard bc I feel like I'm not in one place for long enough to settle into a routine or church/community. Nothing too exciting just been spending time at home with the family planning Taylor's bridal shower.

Prayer requests: my back (literally can't express how bad it is when I wake up), PSU/Hershey and housing, Drew and my family obviously still praying they meet the lord I have had great conversations with them all

PS COMING TO HBURG WATCHING POLLY THE MONTH OF JUNE!!!!

Love and miss you all

I still laugh at this

Been hard at work planning (like the color theme?)

Psalm 25:14

I miss you guys so much, so I decided I'd start the posts for this summer. I really enjoyed Ryann's text last week asking for giggles and prayer requests. Made it seem like we weren't so far away from each other...

Last Wednesday, Ryder had asked us to submit our club talk videos. As I was preparing for mine, I became so excited and wished that I could share it with the kids right then. I spoke about Jesus healing the blind men in the gospels with the main point being how Jesus' power is made perfect in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9-10). Challenging the kids on recognizing that when they aren't as capable of doing something that they wish they were able to do, it's because God made them that way with a purpose and that purpose is to honor and glorify his name. Isn't God so good to reveal these things to us?! Who else is able to find complete comfort in struggles and weakness? I also referenced Luke 12. Do not be anxious. So comforting. 

So this past weekend I went to Nags Head with my best friend and some of her friends from church. I had known a couple of them, but there were also some who I had never met. These 4 days could not have been more encouraging. Watching these boys interact, read, talk about the word of God, play guitar and love one another was really fun. Sitting on the beach is always great too. I could stare at the ocean, watch the birds, and play with the sand all day. I had a lot of great time with God on the beach. Psalm 25:14 was one verse that I thought about for a good time. I have that eagerness to learn and faithfully fear him everyday. 

We had a last minute addition to our trip, which was a kid named Ryan. He was an old friend of one of the guys and wasn't a Christian or a part of the church, but seemed very broken and looking for new friends. His friend Will and my friend Michelle were able to talk to him one night for 2 hours about Jesus. Michelle came up to me that night so excited and blessed from the conversation that they had. The next night Ryan told us deep things about his family life and really opened up to some of us. If you guys wouldn't mind praying for Ryan and the time that he takes to start learning more about Jesus that would be awesome. God has been so great in the circumstances so far from Will beginning to talk to him again and the opportunity for him to come to the beach with us. He seems really excited about coming to church on Sunday, reading books, and listening to podcasts. He hasn't been able to sleep much for the past 4 months if you could pray for that. He is also struggling with his identity and who he really is, which God will be able to show him! I know this is a lot, but thanks so much guys!

I'm driving down to JMU the 29th and leaving on the 31st if anyone will be down there! Looking forward to being in the school those days and seeing other friends who are there for maymester. 

Love you all! Post something soon :]