See you later, PLC

Goodbyes are the worst.  Calling it "see you later" instead of "goodbye" doesn't really help, either.  

I had a big "see you later" with a place that has been my home for the past three years: Prairie Lakes Church.  Not sure if I can possibly say how much I've appreciated being a part of this church family but I will certainly try!

When I first got to Cedar Falls to start school at UNI, I absolutely hated it.  I was planning on moving back to Ankeny after my first semester.  I was lonely and homesick and missed my mommy.  It wasn't until I started getting connected at PLC that I realized I was exactly where I needed to be.  

Through the past couple of years, God has grown me and shaped me more than I have ever grown and been shaped before.  Through an internship, a job, and volunteer experiences at PLC I learned what a positive work environment looks like.  I learned about my personal strengths and how to build up strengths of others.  I was poured into and was also able to pour into others.  I learned about healthy relationships with the "least of these" and how to work to alleviate poverty in an effective way.  Most importantly I learned that I never have to stop learning!  There is always room for growth and challenges.  

The best memory I have of PLC is Good Friday 2013.  That night, through worship a message from pastor Jesse I was finally able to truly realize the impact of Jesus' final words before dying on the cross: "It is finished."  This was a life-changing evening for me - I even got "it is finished" permanently imprinted on my body to remind me of the freedom and completeness that come from those three simple words.  

God's work through Prairie Lakes Church has empowered and prepared me for wherever God may lead me next.  I am so beyond grateful for their support and so beyond excited to see what this next season of life brings.