Thoughts by Hannah Michelle

21. What? I’m 21 years old today, which seems a bit unreal. I normally am not a big fan of my birthday (I mean usually its super cold, and I’d really rather have something cool to do, but normally I have school, etc.). However, I always try to make the best of it. I’ve made it 21 years without drinking, and tonight I’m not going out to be wild either; but instead, I’m spending some time at my pastors’ house.   I am excited to turn 21, however, because my license is finally sideways like I’m an adult, and I can now apply to be a CASA (Court-Appointed-Specialized Advocate) for children who are going through abuse/neglect cases.   Birthdays are such funny things.   For me, I always end up reflecting back on how I’ve changed over the past year.   And this year?   This year has been full of changes. The past year - December 2017 – I began my winter quarter at MCC, and had to drive to the Fort Omaha campus. I got my bangs cut, wh...

“Why does God let bad things happen to good people?” This is, for me, one of the most annoyingly simplistic questions people tend to ask.   You see, being raised Methodist, I’ve had an answer to this since I was quite young. It’s as ingrained in me as are the ten commandments and that Jesus loves me, this I know.   God “lets” bad things happen to ‘good’ people because people have the freedom to make the choices they are going to make.   So, today, when the president of my university stood in front of us at chapel asking this question, I think I audibly sighed (I mean I’m not sure if it was audible, after all, as I generally cannot hear those sorts of sounds anymore).   I’m so tired of this question.   Now, I love discussing this with my youth.   But in my head, the fact that a grown adult asks this question just seems ludicrous… Until I started thinking. Just like I need to remind myself about other “basics” of my faith, I nee...