Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Whoa! 4 Weeks!

Above is a picture of tone of the socials - the Low Country Boil. So much fun!! 
 
It's crazy to think that I'm 4 weeks into Project! It feels so long ago that I got here but at the same time it feels like it was yesterday that I got here. This week is pretty packed full because it's relationships week. Relationships week means we talk about guy/girl relationships, friendships, marriage and how all of this is supposed to reflect Christ and both girls and guys are to point each other toward Christ. It's been super sweet to delve into how much Christ loves His bride the church! So much so He gave Himself up for her! For me! It's also been good to be reminded that I am not made for this, that I will never find "the one" because Christ is that One. He is the ultimate satisfaction, the ultimate bridegroom. Being reminded of that made me long for heaven! 

Perhaps one of the sweetest times this week was during our Bible Study Training time on Friday morning. A video was showed of Papua New Guinea and the Kimyal people receiving the written word of God for the first time. The people were crying and thanking God for bringing them such a gift. It made me realize how blessed I am that I have the written word of God, on my phone, in multiple versions, access to it virtually anywhere. I am so incredibly blessed! It also lit a fire in me to go and share this amazing gift with others. I don't know how and I don't know where, but God does and wherever He wishes, I will go where He sends me. 

One sweet thing to look forward to is I get fly home for the weekend next week for a friends wedding. So excited for this sweet friend! I'm also excited for the time in the planes and airports to be able to process everything that has been happening these last 4 weeks and figure out what God has really been doing in my life. To be able to step back from project and reflect halfway through is such a gift! So thankful! 

Thank you for all your sweet prayers and encouragement. God is doing big things! 

Sunday, June 10, 2012

One week in!

The girls - Sarah, Kayla, and Ella - I will be leading and living with for the next two months :) 

I've been down on project for a week and a half and I've had a lot of ups and downs emotionally. I am learning that I am indeed deeply sinful and have no idea what I'm doing. But a sweet friend reminded me shortly before I left - without my failings there would be no need for the Gospel and that is what I'm clinging to. 

But He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. ~ 2 Corinthians 12:9

My perhaps most deeply rooted sin is that I love to have control. I want so badly to control people's thoughts of me, to manipulate what they think of me so that they think highly of me. But this being my first project ever and being a room leader - there are lots of things I don't know and can't control. God is slowly prying my hands off of the desire and need to control everything and instead teaching me to trust Him. God has me here for a reason, He is sovereign and planned these two months from the beginning of time. And I'm learning to believe and know that I should never ever be in control. Who am I compared to the God of the universe?

The schedule here is really intense. We work about 40 hours a week and have talks, small groups, leaders training, or an all project social almost everyday. Leaders have Wednesday evenings and almost all of Sundays off so I'm learning to use those times wisely. It's been really hard. I'm learning that I have a lot lower capacity than I thought and I absolutely need those times off to withdraw to have some introvert time. Pray that I use those times and never neglect them! 

Would love for you to continue to pray for me as I learn to let go and let God!