Upside-Down Smiley Face

Happy Monday. Insert my favorite, most-used emoji: the upside-down smiley face.

It's me, your favorite inconsistent "blogger" aka someone who posts only when she feels like it or is compelled by the Lord, etc. 

I've been up to a lot of things recently since my latest post, and I thought I'd share some of the highlights in the life and times of Meaghan Mercy. 

Number 1. 

I've moved into my apartment on campus with my three best friends. You've probably seen them on my Instagram.

Tiffany: "Let's take a cute laughing pic!!!"

Our apartment is literally the cutest. We have art and string lights and a tapestry people!!!! What's more home-y than that.

But my favorite part of living with these girls is just coming home to them. I love coming home after school or work to Kire' cooking lasagna or Allie watching Grey's Anatomy or Tiffany playing guitar. I love coming home to deep conversation in the living room. I love coming home to silent company after a tiring day. 

It's good. I'm excited for the abundance of opportunities to love and serve and share life in the closest quarters with these ladiez.

Number 2.

I've been busier than I've ever been in my life attending and inviting people to Chi Alpha events during the starting week of school. 

Because of the flooding in Louisiana, LSU cancelled all of their welcome events for freshman; which meant we couldn't throw many of our original events because they were supposed to be on LSU's parade grounds. Also we didn't find this out until hours before the first planned event. Insert upside-down smiley face.

BUT the XA staff rallied, and we pulled together some pretty stellar events like "Out Til Curfew" Pancake Night (btw Baton Rouge had a 10pm curfew for a hot second because of the flooding and looters, etc.), Grill & Chill (a hotdog & icecream party... ironically the Chi Alpha cafe's air condition broke that day el-oh-el), and Chicken & Waffles night. 

Ultimately, it all worked out for the better and by God's grace alone. I remember walking around campus an hour before one of our events started, wondering the likelihood of anyone even showing up... but I was immediately convicted and reminded that the Lord would be faithful to deliver. None of these circumstances came as a surprise to Him... We aren't dependent on our abilities or events to introduce people to the Kingdom of God. God is going to have His way, in spite of undesirable circumstances. 

And He was faithful to provide. We are blessed with a cute cafe space close to campus and string lights and luxury waffle makers; and the Lord brought people. 

He brought people for us to serve and connect with, and those connections from those crazy slightly spontaneous events are carrying over into the semester. I learned so much from the Lord in those few short days of chaos, and I think that set the tone for what the rest of my year will look like. 

Number 3.

I started school. Insert another upside-down smiley face.

But with school starting came the first lifegroup of the semester (<-- check out Allie and I's bomb LG pic)! And the first Chi Alpha Thursday night service called The Point! My roommate and bestie Allie and I are leading our first freshman girls lifegroup this year (Tuesday nights at 7pm people!!!!), and I'm excited for the growth and good things to come not only in my life, but in our girls' lives. 

Leadership is something I've prayed about for a while, and I know God has been preparing my heart for this year. I've been stretched and grown so much already - especially in my prayer life. 

Never have I been in such a constant state of prayer. I find myself praying throughout the day for my lifegroup girls, the ministry, The Point, my co-leader Allie, our pastors, divine appointments. I fill up pages and pages in my journal with prayers for crazy, miraculous life change on this campus. I pray for each new face I've met this year, that they would encounter and know God in a way they never have before. And I believe prayer makes the difference. I've seen that difference, and your own life changes when you're in constant communication with God throughout the day. 

Yeah, and so that's my life.

In other news... I've been wearing a lot of Disney socks lately. The roomiez have already yelled at me to do the dishes. I can't seem to pronounce my "O's" well in my words like I have a northern accent or something question mark question mark. 

I love my school, and I love the people here. Stay tuned for more exciting things to come. Insert real smiley face. 

(BTW if you're a freshman girl at LSU or even if you're not a freshman and you're reading this and you want to hang out, get coffee, go canoeing - then hit me up!!!!)