Hey everyone!
I’m so sorry for taking an unexpected and prolonged vacation from blogging. Truly, truly I say to you, I have missed you. Here’s what’s been on our agendas as of late:
- Our Summer Project team of 19 students and four staff members arrived about three weeks ago. We’ve been insanely busy partnering with them. It’s been such an encouragement to see them out on campus everyday sharing their faith. I love having them here!
- Initiative Evangelism: every Thursday we have been blessed to have anywhere from 2-5 students come sharing their faith with us on campus. Last Thursday, I met with a girl named Alice. One of the guys that comes sharing with us brought her. Alice and I went for a walk around campus and then sat and talked about salvation, Jesus, and grace. At the end of our meeting, Alice prayed to receive Christ!
- It’s so hard to say goodbye to yesterday. Boyz 2 Men anyone? Us STINTers are currenly trying to wrap up this ministry year by sharing the gospel with key contacts and beginning to say goodbye to people, places and things. I know I’m coming back next year, but it has been incredibly difficult to say goodbye. I know, I know. I’m coming back in two months, but I’m saying goodbye to what this year has been and who I’ve spent it with. My team has become my family. They are some of my closest friends, and 5/8ths of them aren’t coming back next year. Read on for a seriously embarassing cry story:
Yesterday we had to say goodbye to Malika Monkeys (a ministry near Dakar). As I walked out of the front door, I felt my eyes start to overflow with tears. You know how everyone has different types of cries, but also every person has multiple kinds of cries? Okay, well, it was one of those high-pitched wimpery cries you get when you’re shocked that you’re crying, but you are slightly okay with it so you just let it go regardless of how it sounds. Of course about three minutes after said meltdown occured, I thought the sound of my cry was hilarious, so I started laughing harder than I was crying, which let me tell you was a beautiful sight. So glad about six summer project people were able to witness that… not.
All in all, the past few weeks have been amazingly challenging. I feel so revived around our Summer Project team. They are America’s future leaders, and it’s so beautiful to see them lay down their rights, pick up their crosses and follow Christ wherever He leads. I’m digging that. I’ve loved, even in this short amount of time, seeing them grow in various ways. I love seeing them trust Christ, choose joy, and push through the hard times by seeking Christ. It’s been so refreshing, encouraging and a true delight to have them with us.
The past few weeks have been challenging because we’re in the midst of transition. I genuinely just learned last week that this whole “transition stuff” never stops. It is hard, and it hurts. Saying good-bye isn’t easy nor is it fun. But, I am trusting that God is who He says He is and that He will remain constant in my life. God has good plans for me, they just happen to be layed out over 643,234 transitional phases. Luckily, His plans aren’t up to me. I just have to press into Him in the midst of what appears to be a foreign land bewildered by chaos and trust His leading. He is the good shepherd afterall!
And that’s where I’m at.
“Thus says the LORD: ‘The people who survived the sword found grace in the wilderness; when Israel sought for rest, the LORD appeared to him from far away. I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.’” (Jeremiah 31:2-3 ESV)
You are truly walking with the Master.