It's Been Real, Co-Lin.

Hey Y'all!

My last day at
Copiah-Lincoln Community College

I can't believe. I just can't believe that my first 2 years of college at Co-Lin is over! I finished up last Tuesday and in 4 days I will be graduating with an Associate in Arts degree (general studies).

As I look back and reflect on my time at Co-Lin, as excited as I am to move on to a university to finally study what I need to study, these are two years that I will never get back. I have made some amazing memories here at the Lin, and I have made some amazing friends that will be my "forever friends." From being a trailblazer and showing people that Co-Lin was "the place to be," to being a part of the President's council and helping the school out, and being part of the BSU leadership team as the Mission's Coordinator, I have loved every minute of it and every bit of it was a true blessing! At my time as Co-Lin, I have been able to be a student intern for my church to prepare me for Ministry and I became a licensed minister! God has blessed me so much these past 2 years, and I am so grateful and blessed.

I will now be going to William Carey University in the fall to major in Religion and minor in Intercultural Studies! 

I can't wait to see what God has in store for me these next coming years, and I will forever be grateful for the experience He let me have at Co-Lin.
Thanks for reading!
Tonya, or as my friends call me, "Koala" "TanyeWest" "Tanya" "TT" 

This Thing Called "Passion"

This post is wayyyy past due! I started writing it, and then school work and life caught up with me and I never was able to finish! But it's not too long, :)

In January, I had the awesome opportunity to go to this thing called the Passion Conference. Though this was my third time going, there is always something so new and exciting happening! Being able to gather with thousands and thousands of college students and leaders, is most definitely an experience! We are all united on a weekend for God's fame and glory!

Jesus is the only reason why we are there. 

To worship Him, to know Him more, and to grow in Him. 

Once again, Passion made aware of the importance of ending slavery. Our generation believes that slavery will end in our lifetime! There are over 27 million slaves in our world today. Human and sex trafficking. It's so heartbreaking and this should not be the case! 

Thankful for this year's Do Something Now project: raising support for reaching unreached peoples in the world. 

My eyes were opened to how many people in the world have never heard the name of Jesus. Over 19 million people! They have no church, no missionaries, no outreach, and little to no scripture or believers. This is heartbreaking. Everyone needs to hear the name of Jesus! As I was looking around at the crowd of people around me (20,000+ students and leaders) lifting up their phone light to represent each unreached people group, I felt so heartbroken. This slide came up on their powerpoint. . .

"Will You Go?"

Those words hit me. It's like God was saying to me, "Why are you letting your plans get in the way of Mine?" Every time I come back from a trip, people ask me, "Will you be going back? Do you plan on moving there? Do you plan on being a missionary?" And I always tell them no and that I don't feel like I am supposed to go live someone and be a full time missionary. And I still don't know if that is what God wants me to do. But God opened my eyes that night and it was like we were talking one on one to each other and like no one else was around me. He made me realize the real reason why I said no to all of those things, was because in reality, I want to live in my comfort zone, I wanted get married and have kids, I wanted to have a nice house, all my selfish and worldly desires. I don't know if those things will happen! I was letting my own plans and desires get in the way of God's plans. That night, I gave my entire life to God.

If You want me to be married and have kids, then it'll be a blessing. If not, so be it. I will still live for You. If You want me to move to another country and do Your work, I'll do it.

God, use me. Where You want me to go, I will go.

Thank y'all for taking the time to read this!

Watch for more blogs coming soon! :)

Tonya