But Why a Blog?

The most blatant reason for starting this blog is for a class I’m taking here at Gardner-Webb. But, I am making this blog not just for my professor to read, but to have a record of my time in college and of my growth as a person so that one day I can inspire or help someone else through a problem or situation they are facing like my own, or maybe something to show my children one day. Maybe even to seek advice for situations I am struggling with. However this blog turns out, I intend to make some kind of positive difference whether in my life, someone else’s, or just to brighten up this dark jungle we call the internet that is so overburdened by bad news.

Through this blog I hope to share many things with you all ranging from my struggles with classwork to my questions, discovery and growth in and relating to the Bible and my walk with Christ, even to how I am trying to sneak past the notorious freshman fifteen, or anything else that I may face my freshman year.

Though it would be an incredible opportunity to have a huge follower base for my blog so that I could possibly inspire someone to take up photography, or convince someone to consider Gardner-Webb University as their college of choice(which you totally should), or to help someone grow closer to God in their spiritual walk, I am doing this blog for me. This blog, I hope, will keep me grounded and will remind me of who I am and what I am here to do. So if one day I get lost in the piles of homework I need to do or if I start to feel suffocated by homesickness or loneliness, I can turn to these blogs and to my Bible so I can refocus on the important things in my life: future, faith, and getting through my freshman year.

 

-Lisa M. Martinat

“Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s.”  – 2 Chronicles 20:15b

Long Time No See

Hey Guys! Sorry it has been so long since I’ve posted, the last month has been a whirlwind of family, friends, endings and beginnings. So, a quick rundown of the last month: I finished my first semester of College with A’s and A minuses, so a pretty good start to my Freshman year. I went home for Christmas Break where I got to spend lots of time with family and friends, and I probably saw most of you at some point! Christmas was amazing! Not to mention a New Year came to pass! Happy 2018! 2017 was quite the year from losing some family members, graduating high school, turning 18, getting engaged, seeing Metallica, Avenged Sevenfold, and Volbeat (Rock On!) to starting College. 2017 was a year of surprises and beginnings and endings. Lord knows what 2018 might bring for me.

Here is a cute picture of Cody and I over Christmas Break! (Just Because)

Coming back to school after such a long and wonderful break was hard, but not near as difficult as I thought it was going to be. Leaving and saying good-bye is always difficult but as soon as I got back on campus and saw my friends it made everything easier. I hadn’t realized how much I actually missed my friends and college life until I was back and involved. It hasn’t been a week yet but it feels as if I have been back for a month, but I guess that is what a lot of free time does to you! I am extremely excited for this semester because I have my first American Sign Language class with my Deaf professor and I have Photography. I can already tell that this semester will be hard work, but oh so much fun. I won’t be as diligent with my posts because they are no longer mandatory, but I do plan on trying to update at least once a week.

Thank you all for your encouragement and love!

-Lisa Martinat

“Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s.” – 2 Chronicles 20:15b

Things Work Out

Not gonna lie, last week was a pretty rough week for me. I was struggling in some of my classes (not like pass or fail, but letter grades)  and I was missing home and family a lot. So often when things aren’t going our way we get overwhelmed and feel as if we are going to be stuck there without redemption. But every time I struggle with something or am having a hard time, God steps in and changes things for the better and reveals to me why I have had to struggle. Like I said, I was struggling with my letter grade in some of my classes and I was getting very overwhelmed because I really wanted to have a 4.0 for my first semester of college and it didn’t seem possible. However, after talking with some of my professors throughout this week my grades are coming up and looking like I should end with most or all A’s. I don’t want to get too excited just in case something comes up, but I have a lot more peace about the end of my first semester.

Boy, this semester is coming to a rapid end and it is exciting, overwhelming, and highly anticipated. Today was my last day of Tuesday and Thursday classes which is a little sad, but also super great. Even though none of my classes were bad and I didn’t dread any of them I would say that I prefer my Monday, Wednesday and Friday classes more.  Anyways, just wanted to update y’all on the academic portion of my life. Thank you all for your prayers and encouragement for my first semester of college, it means so much and thank you for reading this blog because sometimes it is my escape and where I can vent some of my feelings towards college and the experiences of my life thus far.

I love you!

 

Random picture of Crystal and I because I miss and love her!

 

-Lisa M. Martinat
“Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s.”  – 2 Chronicles 20:15b

 

Majors

I knew from about November my Senior year of high school that I wanted to major in photojournalism. I was hesitant at first because I didn’t really know of any way to take what I really love (aka, sports photography) and turn it into a career. Before I realized that photojournalism was a possibility I considered my other options and things I am passionate about that could lead to possible career paths. Some of the ideas that popped into my head included a teacher, an accountant and a social worker.

I love kids, not in the creepy pedophiliac way, but I enjoy being around kids and usually I have a knack for making them smile. I also love to teach people how things work and to explain concepts that I understand well. My whole life people have encouraged me and told me “Oh Lisa, you would make a great teacher!” though I don’t disagree, I wasn’t sure if that was where God was and is leading me. Even though I didn’t choose teaching, I constantly find myself in teaching situations. For example, last night two of my friends and myself went to the grocery store to grab some things and when we got back on campus Lydiaruth asked if I could help her with math and I agreed because, well I actually really like math (which is why I considered accounting). We spent nearly two hours pouring over her study guide for her test and I guided her in solving problems that she was struggling with. Though I didn’t choose to become a teacher for a living, I have a feeling that I will always be some kind of teacher.

Though many options were present, here I am going to Gardner-Webb and studying photojournalism. I can’t believe that I have the opportunity to actually turn my love of photography and sports into a career, one that I will love and not dread going to everyday. I start my first photography class next semester and I am beyond excited to continue to grow in my skills and become a better photographer.

-Lisa M. Martinat
“Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s.”  – 2 Chronicles 20:15b

Christmas Time

I know it is only December 6th, but shouldn’t it feel like Christmas at least a little bit? It seems as if each year it feels less and less like Christmas and we have to be nearly on top of Christmas Day for it to feel like Christmas. What makes Christmas feel like Christmas? For me it means Christmas movies, songs, decorating the Christmas tree and wrapping presents. A lot of these things are missing from my life right now because I am at school, so maybe it’ll all pick up when I go home. As I get older it seems as though the year goes by even quicker than I can remember it ever going. Time is just running away from us, quicker and quicker every year it gains another step in front of us. Even though Christmas may feel so far away, it is just 19 days short of being Christmas Day! I am beyond ready to go home next Thursday and jump into the Christmas spirit with my family!

-Lisa M. Martinat
“Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s.”  – 2 Chronicles 20:15b

Oh Western…

“Life is hard.” This is the understatement of the century. Life can seem to be so much more than hard, sometimes it seems unbearable. On the other hand, there are times when life is wonderful and things just seem as though they couldn’t get any better. In my almost first full semester of college it has been a roller coaster full of highs and lows. The thing is though, most people don’t like to ride this roller coaster alone and sometimes that’s kind of what it feels like. I know that I am never alone because God is always with me and that is amazing, I also know that my family is just a phone call or text away and that I have friends on campus, but one of the people that I want most to be with is just not close enough. As you can probably guess, it’s Cody. One of the hardest things about life and college right now is not being able to be physically with Cody because I constantly struggle with self consciousness and fear of missing out. Being two hours apart at different Universities with different atmospheres, different friends and ultimately different experiences is difficult for me. I know that I want to spend the rest of my life with Cody, every valley, every plateau and every mountain top he is the one I want to experience all of this with and right now, it’s not possible and I get frustrated.

This weekend I was kind of “Spontaneous” and drove up to Western to see Cody and actually I am still here now because it got late and part of me just wasn’t ready to leave. Cody and I both agree that being together here at Western is so natural and life is just better when we are together, we motivate each other to do better and that is a whole lot easier to do in person. Don’t get me wrong, I like Gardner-Webb and I love the friends I’ve made and the experiences I have had, but getting a taste of life in Cullowhee with Cody makes it that much harder to go back. It also doesn’t make it easier when he tells me how much he loves me being here and how much better he feels with me being here. I understand that I am at Gardner-Webb for a reason and that this period is only temporary, but I just wish things were different.  Life is good, but I can’t help but look forward to the day when Cody and I can be together everyday, rather than seeing each other every few weeks.

-Lisa M. Martinat
“Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s.”  – 2 Chronicles 20:15b

Spontaneity

Spontaneous is not a word that would commonly be used to describe me. I am very much a planner whether that be on a day to day basis with homework or when going on vacation I like to have a set plan. Often times when my plans get thrown out of wack I get super stressed out and overwhelmed. Well Friday afternoon I was sitting in my room doing some New Testament homework and I was hit with the strongest urge to go to Western. I mean, I needed more footage for my Final Project in Digital Media Convergence, footage that required Cody, plus he also has a concert tomorrow/today (Sunday) which is another reason to go. As soon as I got the urge I called Crystal and asked her what she thought, she of course said I should, then I called my mom to ask her if she thought it was okay…and she said yes too. I got off the phone with my mom and threw some clothes in my duffel bag, I packed my car, grabbed Chick-fil-A (because its wonderful) and hit the road. I didn’t tell anyone else until I was over halfway up the mountain because I remembered I needed a parking pass. I didn’t tell Cody though, so you should have seen his face when he opened his door to see me standing in the hallway. The whole drive up the mountain I continuously questioned myself, my actions and my motives because I am not very spontaneous and I struggle with making strong decisions without doubting myself. It all turned out pretty great though because I have had a pretty good weekend with Cody and it was really needed after a kind of rough week. Extra bonus though: Christmas Break is only a week and a half away!

-Lisa M. Martinat
“Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s.”  – 2 Chronicles 20:15b

Dressember

Beginning tomorrow, December 1st I will be wearing a dress every day until the end of the month. Dressember is an organization that centers around bringing awareness to human trafficking and modern day slavery. The dress is the symbol, the flag that the organization uses to represent the freedom that we seek out for all individuals. Currently there are over 30 million people who are enslaved around the world including children who are used in sex trafficking. People hear the numbers and read the statistics but it hardly hits home. I hope that through wearing a dress every day of December, along with my friends, that we can bring awareness to the lack of freedom and justice that there is in this world. I urge you if possible to participate in this movement, women wear a dress and men can wear a tie (or dress if he prefers). If you cannot participate in dressing up I urge you, if possible, to donate to this movement that affects millions. I will leave the link below to both the organization and where you can donate to my specific fundraiser. Help those who cannot help themselves.

Dressember Website

Donation Page: Make a Donation!

-Lisa M. Martinat
“Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s.”  – 2 Chronicles 20:15b

Thanksgiving Break

It has been a while! I haven’t posted this past week because of Thanksgiving Break. Let me tell you though, it was one of the best breaks I have ever had and it was very much needed. After two weeks of “Hell Week” I needed a couple of days to relax and see my family and friends. Over the past week I was reminded of dozens things I am thankful for including my entire family, Cody, my friends and  my Youth Group. But, more than just people I am thankful for Jesus and his sacrifice because without him and his life my life would be meaningless. I am so very thankful for the abilities and passions he has given me in photography. There are so many reasons we have to be thankful each and every day.

I loved being with my family and friends (especially time with Cody) which is wonderful, but it made leaving that much harder. Home sickness comes in waves and after being home for nearly a week and then having to leave to go back to Gardner-Webb for 2 1/2 weeks, which includes exams, it felt as though I was hit with a giant tidal wave. Don’t get me wrong, I love Gardner-Webb and the friends I have made here, but these people and this place are not what I have grown up around, they aren’t the people I have lived with my whole life, or the people whom I will marry. I understand now why people tell you not to go home the first few weeks of college and to not go home often because home and family are so familiar and to visit constantly it becomes an endless loop of sadness, being left with a feeling of being ripped away from things and those you love.

I am thankful for time with family and loved ones, but I am also thankful for God’s blessing of Gardner-Webb and for giving me the opportunity to pursue a career that I love. I am thankful for each one of you who take the time to read my blog. Thank you for your continuous love and support.

-Lisa M. Martinat
“Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s.”  – 2 Chronicles 20:15b

Like a Lifetime

It feels as though the older I get, the quicker the year goes by. I wonder if it is because I have been through so many years that another year doesn’t seem that much longer? It isn’t just the year that goes by quickly anymore, the semesters fly by. After Thanksgiving Break which is this week, we have to weeks of regular classes and then exams. While nervously looking forward towards exams and Christmas Break, I have also taken time to look back on the semester that has passed.

It shocks me to think that I have only lived here at Gardner-Webb for just over three months, but it feels like it has been at least two years. The same feelings are applied to my friendships I have formed down here. I feel as is I have known my friends for years, some like a life time when in reality I have only known of them for three months. It is amazing to see how strong of bonds can be formed in just a few months when you basically live with someone like you do in college. Though I don’t room with my friends, we do all kinds of things together like watch movies, eat meals, homework and just hang out and through all of these experiences I have formed friendships that I know will last my lifetime.

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I have made so many amazing friends while being here at Gardner-Webb, friends from all across the nation. Just the other day I spent nearly four hours talking theology and about life with a group of four friends. We were able to discuss things such as our views on Free Will vs. Pre-Destination, the return of Jesus, the creation story and everything in between, all without getting angry and creating divides. I learned more about my friends and their beliefs along with some ideas and analogies I had never thought about.

It’s crazy to think about the short time I have been at college and all of the experiences I have had and try to imagine what the next two and a half years have in store for me.

-Lisa M. Martinat
“Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s.”  – 2 Chronicles 20:15b

Liking yourself?

Yesterday at Joyful Hands practice we played a game where we all sat in a circle, we had a bowl of assorted M & M’s in front of each person and based on the colors and amounts of candy we had in front of us we were to tell the group things about ourselves. Some of the things we were to tell about ourselves consisted of:

Yellow = Movies/Shows we like

Green = Favorite Food

Orange = Pets we have Had

Blue = Things we like about ourselves

Red = Hobbies

Brown = Things you can’t live without

People had a ton to say when it came to pets, food and movies, but when it came down to what we all liked about ourselves the silence would take over and people complained about not having many things they liked about themselves. Listening to people contemplate what they liked about themselves was extremely disheartening because we have evolved into a society that has beat us down and made us criticize ourselves until we no longer can easily identify what we like about ourselves whether it be about our personality or our physical body. It also made me really sad that most people said they could not live without their phones as one of their top items.

I am going to challenge you and myself to increase our positivity and change how we view ourselves. Everyday I want you to take time and look in the mirror and find one thing that you like about yourself, look yourself straight into your eyes and say “I have ______.” or maybe “I like that I am ______” It cannot be the same thing everyday. I will also take part in this challenge and I will do my best to update you guys on how its going.

You are fearfully and wonderfully made, so embrace it. Try and see yourself as God sees you.

-Lisa M. Martinat
“Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s.”  – 2 Chronicles 20:15b