It was pouring outside and the temperature was dropping so I knew I needed to get on the road soon, but my roommate and I couldn’t seem to stop chatting. I blew off my dad when he called and told me the weather forecast and that if I was going to make the trip to Ohio I better go now.

I figured I would get on the road in a minute.

An hour later I finally made my way to my car to begin my two-and-a-half hour trip to see Brandon. Long-distance dating was the worst.

I drove on that same highway like I had driven a million times before, but this time was different.

I guess the temperature finally hit freezing as I was passing that semi. My car suddenly spun out of control and I saw myself heading sideways into an 18-wheeler at 70 mph.

My grandfather is a minister, my father is a pastor, and I’ve worked in a church.

I’ve seen dirt.

After living in four cities and being a part of three church-splits, I have felt my fair deal of pain. I have felt the confusion when friends begin doubting church leadership I have trusted. I’ve felt the anger when people leave the church without explaining why. I’ve felt the world tip sideways when a pastor’s secret life is exposed.

I’ve felt a lot.

But I don’t have to tell you that. The reality is if you are a Christian, you’ve felt a lot too by now.

I have now officially been in the “real world” for four years (as opposed to my first 21 years which were apparently fake).

College was rough in some aspects, but it also was the most incredible years of my life. I don’t regret anything to the point of beating myself up over it, but I do think if I had to redo the experience, there are 7 things that I would do differently. Hopefully these can help a young college “Jordan” out there (AKA a Type-A student that reads blogs like this to add to their “To Do In College List”).

I just bought $25 concealer for $7. I love Cyber Monday.

But most days, I don’t love the Cyber World so much.

Especially since I’ve began blogging. Now I’m beginning to think every day is Cyber Bully Day.

You know what I’m talking about. You’ve either been the perpetrator or the victim. Or both…I’ve probably been both.

If you want an example, open your Facebook feed right now, or click on a popular blog post and scroll to the comments section.

The Internet has become the bully’s playground.

I had two loves growing up: youth group and softball. I got a high from both of those activities that nothing else gave me.

My church friends were my closest friends. Plus, I thought a few of the older boys in the youth group hung the moon. (Now I married one and I realize he doesn’t even hang up his towel but that’s a different blog…)

But more than all of that, I can truly say that I had an unquenchable fire for the Lord that was growing inside of me at a very fast rate. And church fed that. I even wanted to be a missionary one day thanks to the influence I was gaining at church.

I also loved softball. Scraped knees, dirt under the nails, and horrible tan lines were my fashion statement. I had dreams of playing ball in college, but I quickly realized playing high school ball three months out of the year wouldn’t get me there. It became a year-round effort that required me to play on a travel team as well.

There was one problem: Travel ball meant playing on Sundays in the summers.

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