Tonight I had my first real class with the art therapy department. And I must say, I'm pretty excited. All through undergrad I took these psych classes full of theories, and now, they're actually being applied to ART. And it's exciting to me, because I don't have to do it myself, and all those theories translate into something real- or at least applicable, to things I care about. Already, in our first class we talked about Jung and the mandela (something I already knew) but talked about how often mandelas are created unintentionally in art especially by children.

I know 99.9 percent of you don't care. But the thing is. I DO. And so do the 17 other girls in my program.

I'm supposed to be here.

I know I keep saying that, but its so incredibly comforting knowing that there are other people with me going through the same experience and understand how exciting it is when everything (finally) clicks.

I have nothing to complain about. I miss my friends and family, but this experience is so worth it.

Pray for me, but more importantly that I continue to be so content and able to see God heaping blessings over me. Pray for my faith, that it grows stronger and fortifies in these new conditions. Continued prayer for my mission of faith within the Aston- I've, literally, encountered many shut doors... but there is a group here well equipped to change lives. Pray for the girls of the art therapy program- I'll be with the same small group of girls for the next two years. Pray for them. So many come from such diverse backgrounds, and have suffered through a lot in life and have found solace in art and see potential for it in helping others. These are souls with compassion, but good intentions are nothing without knowledge of Christ. Pray for my witness and strength of character that I can exalt Christ in my actions and relationships with each of them.

so. blessed.

-meredith*