SHELBYE AND HANNAH WERE VISITING! Ah, I was excited. They are two of the teen leaders who worked here last summer. They came back to visit for one weekend. I spent the afternoon with all of the staff at the beach. It brought back so many memories!
After work at night we all got ice cream and headed down to the beach for the sunset. We ended up staying down there after the sunset. Hannah had brought her guitar so that we could worship. Being surrounded by people whom all share the same love for our Lord was amazing. We were able to have a time of laughing and goofing off, but also a time of praising God. Sitting in a circle with the beach as our backdrop, we all just let go. As soon as a song was finishing I heard the waves crashing on the shore, and I felt the wind blow through my hair. The Holy Spirit was so evident that night! God spoke that night. He spoke to me and I was reminded of his great power. There is so much in this world that I fear. It is not worth it. God is all powerful. He will take care of everything. I was also reminded of the fact that
God loves me just the way I am.
Sunday:
I had the opportunity to work in the upper-el room this week. This is the group of 4th-6th graders. I think I fell in love with it! The kids are crazy, but seeing them worship the Lord at such a young age is priceless.
Hannah, Shelbye, and the rest of the people from UC left that afternoon. It was hard letting that happen. I missed having them around. But I am so blessed by the short weekend that I was able to share with them.
Monday:
I spent the day on the beach with Susan, Kendra, Sarah, Josh and Jon! Everyone but Susan and I left. So she and I went on a walk down the beach. I am not sure how far we walked, but it was beautiful out. The sun was out, but the heat was not overwhelming.
Fay and I had a date today(: We painted our nails. Which means glitter!
I had one of the best quiet times as well. I spent an hour and a half reading Matthew 6, 7, the book of James, and a chapter of Captivating. It never fails to amaze me that though the Bible was written so long ago, it still is relevant today. I still learn from it.
Tuesday:
I had the morning off from work which meant that I could go to teens! The speaker that morning was the missionary from RBC. We were all handed note cards and told to start folding them. It could be in anyway. The point was to show us that God bends every person in a different way with a different purpose. That stands for the talents that he gives us.
I was surprised by Austin Stech today! He is a friend that goes to Grandville high school. I never see him, but he and his youth group showed up at Maranatha which was a great surprise!
I spent the afternoon at the pool. As I was walking back to my cottage, I was thinking about how Andrea Luurtsema had texted me that morning and how I had not texted her back. I saw a girl a little way down the beach that reminded me of her. But wait...I froze. I took off my sunglasses. I could have sworn that I was seeing things. Suddenly I had a girl running at me full force. ANDREA! It really was her. That was the best hug ever! One of the best surprises ever when I was thinking I had to wait a whole year to see her again!
Susan and I had been friends for two weeks! We went on a celebration date. At first we had no idea what to do. We went on a nice walk just talking. Afterwards we went back to Lebanon and made a frozen pizza! Wow, my friends are great cooks :p
Wednesday:
Pizza buffet for lunch with Susan! I do like me some pizza. Spending time with Susan is not so bad either. Afterwards I went to Meijer with Susan and Collin. Now I am not sure why, but I love going to Meijer in the summer. It is one of my favorite places ever. Going with them, was a whole new adventure in itself. I do not think that I have ever laughed so much at Meijer!
Kendra, who is one of the teen leaders this summer, and I got to hangout! We started out at the beach, but the flies were biting like crazy so we headed up to the prayer tower. On Maranatha that is one of my favorite places to be. We sat there just talking. She is a beautiful woman on the inside and out! Having the chance to get to know her has been great! We dove right into great conversation. We connected on lots of levels!
Wednesday night was spent at staff Bible study where we focused on Luke 4 learning how to go through a chapter in the Bible!
Thursday:
Batman came out....whelp. That means nothing to me. I have never seen any of those movies. So going to the midnight premiere had zero interest to me. Susan did not end up going either. We made ice cream floats and shakes. We were both a little slap happy...and I had never seen Susan like that. I was doing all I could not to lose it. Our night was spent watching the Wedding Planner! Ah, chick flicks! Never fail to get me!
Friday:
Prayer tower in the morning. My favorite day of the week. I skipped going through the stations with the teens. I just went to the prayer tower to have some quiet time before everyone came up. God really does listen to me! Fay and I had a great talk. She gets me.That is one of the best feelings in the world when someone gets you and fully understands.
I got a headache in the afternoon and ended up crashing before work that night. Since I was working in a different department that week, it meant that I would be at the Friday night program. Every Friday the children go up front and sing for the parents. When I was younger I hated singing up front. I would stand up there glaring, refusing to sing. Yet, I was back up there. I enjoyed it this time, even smiling. Thankfully my parents did not hold true to their threats of taking pictures. There was a bonfire after singing for the children. For every child that says their memory verses, they got to chose a counselor of their choice to pie. When I was yunger I always said my verses...now I was on the otherside. Caleb, my brother learned all of his memory verses...
of course, who did he chose to pie? ME. Oh joy.
Once I was showered I went to meet Fay for another date! I am learning so much from her and I hold every moment that we have together as a treasure!
The staff went out and bought energy drinks...me being super smart drank some of one at 11 at night. They had never affected me before. Of course it did that night! I was so tired, but so full of energy. I could not sleep at all that night. That is never happening again!
I am becoming more aware of the community that God is forming around me. I am making friendships that I never could have imagined. God just never fails to provide me with friends that I need! From the new friends that I am getting to know, to the old friendships that are continuing to grow-so blessed.
I faced fears this week. God took those away. I am being reminded that God's plan is always the best. God has everything under control. I fear because God's plan may not be my plan. So crazy. God's plan is always better.
Working in upper-el was like God was speaking to me confirming that I was supposed to pursue teaching. I loved it oh, so much. Working with children makes me so happy!
Luke 4:1-13
Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry.
The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.”
Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone.' The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And he said to him, “I will give you all their authority and splendor; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. 7 If you worship me, it will all be yours.” Jesus answered, “It is written:
‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.
The devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down from here.
For it is written:
“‘He will command his angels concerning you
to guard you carefully; they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
to guard you carefully; they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
With love,
Hannah Louise
No comments:
Post a Comment