God is the most detailed Planner of all time! Nothing is a coincidence when God is on the move! My Heavenly Father took countless pieces of a puzzle and hand picked where each one would connect. I just imagine the joy radiating through Him and the smile on His face as I kept watching Him open doors for my weekend at Liberty!
Four years ago, I met a girl named Natalie at FUGE camp in the mountains of North Carolina. I was thirteen years old going into eighth grade. At the time, I was struggling with finding my identity in temporary things and needing freedom from some unhealthy relationships. It was my first time attending FUGE camp, and I LOVED each second of it!
At FUGE camp, campers sign up for tracks which are activities they will do each day. I was in a painting and peer evangelism track. On the first day of the painting track, everyone was put into groups. My group included two other girls, one guy, and myself. One of the girls (Natalie) and I really connected. We had a lot in common and just instantly bonded.
Each groups’ painting was to be sold for missions’ money. (Natalie’s church actually bought our painting!) The finished product of our canvas was red with the Earth in the center. A mission statement (“Pray Give Go”) was written inside of the Earth and white prints of each of our hands extended towards the Earth.
Although Natalie and I had only met the week of camp and spent a few hours together, we knew God had allowed our paths to cross for a divine purpose. Once camp was over and we were all back home, Natalie and I became pen pals and constantly encouraged one another! During the years between then to now, we dreamed of the day we’d see each other again in person.
I believe God gives us glimpses into the future through nudges.
For some reason (I know it was God), I had a “crazy” thought that maybe- just maybe- Natalie and I would go to the same college one day. God had also given each of us a nudge about Liberty University. We both knew something was special about the school and how it could and would possibly be a huge part of our lives.
Fast forward to the fall of 2017…
I am now a junior in high school and Natalie is a freshman at Liberty University!
The teachers of my school go to Myrtle Beach each year for a conference. While they are gone, students receive a few days out of school! This year’s break was September 27-29 along with the weekend!
One of my aunts planned a vacation to Massanutten Virginia at the end of September. She asked my mom if our family would be interested in joining her. Behind the scenes, my mom helped plan our trip to Massanutten while also hoping we could tour Liberty while in Virginia.
Over the summer, I received an email from Liberty regarding a scholarship opportunity. It was called the Unashamed Project. The requirements were to:
-Write a 500-1500 word paper on how you live unashamed for Christ
-Submit the paper by a certain date
-Register for and attend September 28-31 CFAW
-Present your paper to a panel of judges
What the paper asked for was what I had just shared on a television broadcast with Mrs. Elkie Brabble! I remember going into my parent’s room and showing them the video with information about the Unashamed Project Scholarship. They also realized this was clearly a door God was leading me through.
*Spoiler Alert: I was not the receiver of the scholarship, but I did gain some things that were even more valuable!
At this point in the story, I was out of school, had Liberty’s College for a Weekend, and a scholarship opportunity while my family had a resort to stay at ALL during September 28-31!
God truly blows me away with His goodness and faithfulness!
After finding out I’d be at Liberty for the last weekend in September, I told Natalie! We then found hope in the possibility of me rooming with her! Since she had only been at Liberty around five weeks, she didn’t really know what the process required to host a CFAW student.
After checking into Liberty around 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, I received my room assignment with Natalie! My parents, Darby, and I finally made it to the right dorm building after turning around a few times.
Once I found the right room number and knocked lightly on the door, Natalie and I were reunited in person for the first time in four years! After rooming with her, Natalie told me the fact she was able to host me was a God thing in itself!
This post gives God glory for orchestrating every detail for my weekend at Liberty! He is so good! I have SO much more to tell you about my time at Liberty that I’m having to split it up into a few different posts! Be encouraged that God’s timing truly is better than anything we could ever plan on our own!
Giving thanks,
Haley
Undeniably His 
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