Summer 18'

This summer was like no other for me. Growing up, summer meant swimming and no responsibilities; which was the exact opposite of what the summer of 2018 held for me. I completed Calculus 2 (with and only with the good Lord helping me). So as you can imagine, there was not very much free time involved with my day to day routines for a "summer break" There were a few times I did get to soak up the summer sun and just so happens that my friends were there to capture the moment. *cue the photos below taken by Lani Sanchez*

But ah yes, not everyday was it Katie lounging by the pool. Most of it was getting out of class in the afternoon and avoiding doing my homework until I finally forced myself to get it done. The point of me saying all this is to tell you what I learned this summer: (yes, lots of calculus; but also something much greater than math).

Going through something as challenging as this summer course made me realize how important it is to depend on the Lord. For me, He is what kept me going and what saved my days. Once this course ended, it also made me realize it is more important to understand that I still need God even when there is no obvious need (the obvious need was my sanity through the journey to get my degree). Once calculus ended, I had my first worry free day in a long time, it was strange for me to relax my brain. In a way it was trained to be on high alert and to think a certain way for so long: always worrying about the next due date, praying everything was done right and on time. But now that this actual break had hit me before the fall semester came, it was harder to see the need for God when the worry wasn't invading. But the reality was and still is that I need God when worry is there and when it isn't just because simply I need Him at all times of the day. So I certainly think God allows us to go through different mental, physical, emotional battles to teach us lessons. Yet at the beginning of this summer I thought this mental battle was for my degree at the end of the day, but God knew this mental battle would teach me so much more than just calculus, but also about my spiritual life and reveal more of Him to me each day.