Day One.

I made it! I am settled into the Peter Pan Motel after a long day of traveling and many meet and greets. 

My morning started off saying goodbye to some special people at the airport who I will miss but am so thankful for their love and support.

It was bittersweet to say goodbye to them all, but I was so excited to be headed to California! ....And so we were off :)

Flying was good, except the mild turbulence, but we arrived to San Jose airport safely, praise God. From there, we met up with about 10 other students and took a shuttle together to the Peter Pan Motel in Santa Cruz. As soon as we arrived, we were greeted with awesome and cheerful staff members and immediately began to meet the rest of the students on summer project. 

I am sharing a room with 4 other girls, and I am having so much fun getting to know them already!

After dinner, we all split up into small groups and got to know each other a little bit better as well as pray for this summer together. The evening ended with hanging out and taking a tour of the Santa Cruz Boardwalk.

Today has been a crazy/tiring/awesome/exhausting day. I am already loving it here, and I cannot wait to see how the Lord is going to be working this summer. What an encouragement it is to be surrounded by so many other students who have the same desire and passion to grow together and share the gospel in this area. Tomorrow begins the first part of training, so I am headed to bed for some much needed rest. Thank you so much for your love, prayers, and support :)  

                                                                                                                           

This is my address for the summer:

Kaitlin Blalock

Campus Crusade for Christ

Peter Pan Motel

313 Riverside Ave

Santa Cruz, Ca 95060

T-Minus 7 days

Okay so obviously from the title of this post, I am ONE week away from summer project. There are a lot of emotions running through my head at this point, but mainly this one:

sheer excitement. 

Time is flying, and I am seriously trying to make the most of this last week in North Carolina. I have lunch dates with friends planned for the rest of this week as well as little hang outs here and there to catch last minute hugs and farewells. 

Support

I wanted to update you guys on how support is coming along. This whole process has been overwhelming with how gracious and good the Lord is in providing the funds through faithful supporters. I have been so humbled to see others give so generously toward this trip. I had about 3/4 of my money raised as of last weekend. This past Sunday night, my church back home did a special fundraiser to support my trip and raised above the total cost of the trip!! Can you imagine how overwhelmingly excited I was? I couldn't believe how wonderful and sweet every person was that contributed from my church back home. I can do nothing but thank my God for his promises. Raising support has definitely taught me to not worry, but trust that God will provide. I am so grateful for every person that has given financially in support towards this opportunity I have to spread the gospel.  To God be the Glory!

Preparation

As far as packing goes, that has not started yet. I detest packing about as much as I hate washing dishes or eating broccoli. Hopefully I can start on it the latter part of this week so I am not stuck cramming everything in the night before I leave. 

Prayer Requests

There are about 10 or so students that will be leaving Wednesday to fly up early and clean the Peter Pan Motel and prepare it for the rest of us students when we come next Monday. Join me in praying for them as they are going to be travelling  from various states, that the flights go as scheduled and they arrive safely. So thankful to be spending the summer with those that have a heart to serve the rest of us students!  

Well, one more week before this motel becomes my home for 10 weeks :) :

WOOP WOOP!!

2 Corinthians 9:8 

 "And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work."

About Me...

11 days until I am on an airplane, bound for Santa Cruz, California. I can't believe its almost here! I've spent these last six months imagining what it's actually going to look, smell, feel, and even taste like. Actually, the thought of not knowing what to expect, makes me so much more excited. This summer is going to be so amazing and wonderful, and I am sitting on the edge of my seat anxiously waiting to experience it! 

With that said, I wanted to tell all of you fellow readers a little bit about myself. I'm not sure who is going to be reading and following my blog over the summer, so I figured it would never hurt to introduce myself to you guys :) For starters, my name is Kaitlin Blalock and I am a 21 year old Junior majoring in Communications at NC State . (GO WOLFPACK)

I have a wonderful family that I love so much and am so thankful for everyday



I live with four beautiful ladies, who also happen to be my best friends since high school :)

I have the best friends and some of the most wonderful people that have been such an important part in my life over the years. Sorry I couldnt picture you in, I wouldn't know where to begin, but you guys know who you are and I love you all dearly :)

Interests include:

soccer, tennis, running

taking pictures

NCSU football games

Bojangle's

laughing

my family and friends

enjoying life

And most importantly, I am saved by grace through my Savior Jesus Christ, and I strive everyday to know Him more. I thank my Father for blessing me with this beautiful life that I live, to praise and worship Him, and to have the opportunity everyday to share with others the living gospel.

Favorite verse: Hebrew 12:1-2
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God."

I will give a shoutout to a very dear person of mine, who just so happens to be joining me on Santa Cruz Summer Project! The Lord has truly blessed me in knowing this awesome and sweet girl who not only is so fun to be around, but also encourages me and builds me up in my relationship with Him. I am so excited to have one of my closest friends, Laura Beth, alongside this journey with me to share with and confide in. Definitely check out her blog too if you get chance :)  

And so the countdown is on: 11 MORE DAYS. :)

"Fill us up, Send us out"

I cannot believe this summer is literally right around the corner! 24 days until Santa Cruz, California becomes my home for 10 weeks. Yikesabee! I cannot express how excited I am for this wonderful oppurtunity to share my Love for Jesus to the people of Santa Cruz.

I created this blog so I can keep up with all that this summer has in store, and to show my friends and family, who have supported me so graciously, how the Lord is going to be working in my life as well as the lives of the people that I come in contact with this summer.

 A year ago, I would have never even considered spending my WHOLE summer devoted to a missions trip. The thought of being gone, for that long and away from everything I was used to, scared me. I was happy in my little comfortable life. I didn't want to let go of it. The Lord really began to work in my heart during my Sophomore year at NC State. He allowed me to become completely broken so that I had to search for Him and to long for Him to become the one and true desire in my heart. He pursued me so that I in return would pursue after Him wholeheartedly. Over the year, I have grown to see the truth of John 3:30 which states: "He must become greater; I must become less." Its not about me, and it never will be about me. My purpose, as I live for a short while on this Earth, is to glorify and proclaim the gospel of His saving Grace. I want to tell the people of Santa Cruz what the Lord has done in my life and what the gospel means to me by loving them and serving them. I am going to miss my wonderful friends and family and especially Bojangle's, but I am so humbled and anxiously awaiting to see what God has in store for me this summer as I invest in the lives of others. I am so blessed with this oppurtunity that God has given me. I pray He use me and reveal Himself to me more than ever before as I share His love.

"May God be gracious to us and bless us
and make his face to shine upon us

that your way may be known on earth,
your saving power among all nations.

 Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you!

 Let the nations be glad and sing for joy,
for you judge the peoples with equity
and guide the nations upon earth. 
 Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you!

The earth has yielded its increase;
God, our God, shall bless us.
 God shall bless us;
let all the ends of the earth fear him!"

-Psalm 67