I'm really sure where to even start, so I guess I'll just jump right in to stuff we've been doing.
We got here Friday afternoon, and were put straight to work. We had to help get the house prepared for meetings and mission teams. Norm, our supervisor, told us we are gonna pull off more events and stuff this summer than any other church plant. We'll be busy, busy, busy, and have been, but I'm sooo excited about it! On Saturday we threw a block party in conjunction with a local event, and I think it went really well. We had the space jump set up with food and stuff and had a lot of kids and parents come by. We were mainly getting the word out about our VBS called Awesome Rockin' Jam Camp which we started yesterday. Our first mission team, from Paragould, AR, came in on Saturday, and have been doing a great job with VBS and everything else. We had 3 non-church kids show up yesterday to VBS and we had 7 more today! I think it's been going great so far and can't wait to see what happens tomorrow. There is one girl that's especially caught my attention. Her name is Tara, she doesn't go to church anywhere, and her mom has stayed for most of the time both days. She's a really shy girl, but has been becoming more open the more time we spend with her. I really hope that this will make an impact on her and her mom, and I really think it will. So tons more stuff has happened, but I'm not gonna go into detail about everything because nobody wants to read that much stuff (except maybe my mom). :)
God's been teaching me a lot as well. I know I have a great opportunity to learn a lot of new things and to build on my foundations this summer just with what I'm doing and who I'm around. It's really cool that wherever I go, God places a great spiritual mentor(s) there.
A few things that God's been revealing to me are about fear, trust, and power. In Proverbs 29:25 it says "The fear of man is a snare, but the one who trusts in the Lord is protected." Then, in Ephesians 1, it talks about our inheritance a lot, and God's great power. I know that because I'm such a control freak, I tend to not trust God in all things and fear what I can't control...or what I think I can or can't control. So when I'm reminded that my fear is actually a snare, and trust in God is protection my view on life becomes a little different. God's great power is the reason that I shouldn't fear. In Ephesians 1:19 it words it like this: "the immeasurable greatness of His power." I don't view His power as immeasurable greatness, if fact, if I can't measure it, I usually don't trust in it. However, I can put my hope and trust that His power is SOO great that I can't even fathom it. I can see it...like at the resurrection of Christ...but do I live like I serve a God who is capable of doing things I'll never comprehend? Do I pray with the mindset that the God of the universe, creator of all things, has immeasurable power, and that He actually listens to what I have to say? well...I guess the answer to those questions are not lately, but just like in the end of Ephesians 1, I pray that "my eyes may be enlightened so that I may know."
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I am praying for you and your team as you minister this summer--it is such an inspiration to other students that you have 'given up' your summer and free time to serve the Lord and further His kingdom. Our generation is the future of the Body of Christ, and it is so encouraging to see you and others stepping outside of your comfort zone and abandoning yourself for Christ. When you walk in His footsteps, He will bless you greatly for it (and I'm not talking 'physical' blessings like money or success, but spiritual blessings and true joy). One book that I am reading right now is David Platt's "Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream." I'll be posting my thoughts about it on my blog. So far, it is definitely worth reading, and I think that you would really enjoy it!
ReplyDeleteAlso, when you talk about the "immeasurable greatness" of God, I'm reminded of something that Beth Moore once said: As humans, we cannot and should not attempt to reduce the miraculous to merely logic. We can't analyze the miraculous power of God according to our human knowledge, and it is a travesty to attempt to do so. Part of not being able to fully comprehend the wonders of the Lord is to fully depend upon Him--if we were to understand everything we would have no need of Him whatsoever. So every time you feel discouraged because you can't quite understand why something happens, or where you're supposed to walk next, take the opportunity to grow your faith even more by just surrendering all of the questions to God and just rejoicing in His grace.
I look forward to more of your updates, and I can't wait for Vancouver (you're going, right??)
One word: FAITH. It's all about the unseen things. Hebrews 11:1-Now faith is substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Words won't come to mind that I can give for advice but that is because I have faith and it never ceases. And maybe that I start with the simple stuff. If I believe in the concept, I try not to go too deep in and learn the rules if I am serving God without knowing the specifics. Sorry this is jumbled. An example of what I am trying to say is baptism. [1st thing that came to mind] I have gone to three different denominations; two does bapism by sprinkling and one by submersion. Sprinkling usually is done when you are a baby and the parents and members of the church guide the child, teach them how to be christian thoughout the child's life. Submersion happens after a person accepts Christ into their heart. Is there a right and wrong way? Is my best friend who was sprinkled as a baby saved liked I am when I prayed the prayer and was baptisted by submersion? I honestly don't know. I just have to hope that both are the right way to heaven. Plus, I believe in the process, not the conversion. My friend has grown up in church where the members and her parents taught/showed salvation, similar life lessons, the 10 commandments, and hopefully the same key concepts I did. I have to have faith that it is the same thing and that she will go to heaven and living for God the best she can. This may have been a really bad example. I hoped it helped in some way.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, sounds like my kind of summer. Getting to play with kids and meeting new people all of the time.