1 month today

Today is September 4th and that means that it has been 1 month since I left the south (although sometimes I say certain words with a bit of a drawl...or so they tell me)!  I can't believe it!  How I miss the 7 of the other first guinea pig interns for Precept Ministries!

Wow...We were the first!! How awesome is that?!  Lord, why did you choose me??  It is really a miracle I was even there this summer!  These 7 grew up basically with each other every year, seeing each other once at Boot Camp every summer.  I was blessed to be able to join them and be a part of this family that's goal was to teach the Word of God.  It was nothing that we did to deserve this opportunity, but by God's amazing grace!  It's so amazing to think how the Lord orchestrated the past couple years, meeting the right people and providing for me to serve with Precept and then allowing me to serve there for a few months this summer!  How great is our God that we serve!

I just want to list a few of the things, I can think of on the top of my head, that He taught me:

-humility

-reliance upon Him

-sensitivity to the Holy Spirit's leading (especially during teaching times in class!)

-not showing partiality

-faith and works

-being a doer of the Word and not just a hearer that deludes himself

-sensitivity to others' feelings

-loving people in my thoughts toward them

-different ways to have small groups and the importance of them

-we studied Acts, John, James

-how to better study the Bible for myself

-the importance of the Word

-the importance of prayer

-that pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God is to visit orphans and widows in their time of distress

-the tongue and how destructive it is!

-what spiritual warfare looks like

-teaching and how to effectively teach and how to hold a discussion just using the text in front of me

-working hard

-how the body of Christ should look like

-Discipleship and mentoring

-Hungering for God's Word

-how ministry looks (and how various it can be)/how ministry shouldn't look

-learning about how a ministry runs

-how vital Prayer is

-trusting God with today, and then when tomorrow comes, trusting Him with that day

-getting strength from only Him

-being real and honest

-Godly marriages and families come in all different shapes and sizes because He has different purposes for each one.

The Lord blessed me so much.  I got to work with amazing people that constantly kept pointing me to the Lord and encouraged me to glorify and serve the Lord.  I was able to work with some pretty great kids too.  It was so amazing to be a part of their lives for a couple weeks.  I love keeping in contact with them on facebook.  

The Lord definitely got me out of my comfort zone (He always does...and I'm SO thankful He does:)).  He let me help lead worship on the praise team.  That was definitely a humbling experience in itself!  

The Lord truly blessed me beyond imagine this summer.  I can't believe how much he grew me.  This summer was definitely a catalyst in my life and I will always look back to it as a defining point in my life.  

So...THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU all of you who prayed for me and gave support for the work that God did in my life this summer!  I can't thank you enough for making possible everything that I experienced this summer!  THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!

Now I go on to my next "big adventure" (as a lot of people are calling it).  I don't want this time in my life to be the only time that I have big adventures!  I want the Lord stretching me all the time!!  Oh how I pray that I would never be content in where I am but that I would always press on to be stretched and molded by Him!

Focus on the Family in Colorado Springs, CO.  Wow, how did I get the privilege of getting to go there?  Precept and Focus all in one year???  God you are so good!  I am excited.  I'm ready to meet new people and grow with them.  I'm ready to hike in some of the most beautiful mountains God has created!  I'm ready to continue the path that the Lord has me on.  I'm ready to learn everything He wants to teach me this Fall.  I'm ready for a "real winter"! :)  

I leave Monday with my parents.  They had their 25th anniversary (Praise the Lord for awesome parents who love the Lord so much)so they are coming with me and then spending a few days in Colorado themselves.  So I'm kinda hogging their luggage space to fit all of my clothes! :)  Pray I can get everything in 3 suitcases:)  lol

I can't wait to update again what God is teaching me (hopefully how to pack for a whole semester in a limited amount of space)!