Well, this past week has been crazy! And I feel like this is the first opportunity I have had to just chill for a little while. For real. I have been so busy. But at the same time, I have seen God move in amazing and incredible ways. And not just in my life, but in lives around me.
Last week, the mission team from TN was here. And they were a blessing to me in so many different ways. I got to watch them as they loved on the old ladies that are so dear to my heart all week long. These ladies were so blessed, and their smiles were never-ending. And I could tell that for the first time in a while they felt loved by more than just a couple people and important. Because of this group's committment to these ladies, I was not only encouraged, but I was loved on as well. I could most definitely feel their love pour out into my life, which was much needed. I needed to be reminded that I was loved. And I needed to be around them. So I was with them as much I could be, without interferring with my duties here as a missionary. So every night I was with them for worship and hanging out with them afterward. At the end of the week when it was time to say goodbye, I didn't want to. They became my family, and I didn't want to have to say another goodbye. But it was time. God definitely sent them here at the perfect time. He knew that my week was going to be a rough one and that I would need the love an encouragement from my family.
After they left, I felt a renewed strength to minister to the people around me for the remaining three weeks I had left. I knew that God had me here for a purpose, and I am going to do everything I can to reach the people here in the LowCountry.
We still haven't been able to perform, which is frustrating. But, yet again, God knows what He's doing. He has a plan that is bigger and greater than anything I could have ever even imagined. And it's so exciting thinking that He is going to do something amazing over these last two weekends. We'll be performing for a couple of block parties over the next couple of weeks, as well as at a Fine Arts concert thing at a church, and possibly a couple of Boys and Girls Clubs. And we still have the possibility of 3 days of performing at Coligny Plaza. But we're all trusting that God would have His will be done, and that we wouldn't worry about anything else.
Working with the kids yesterday at Sandlewood Terrace was amazing. And let me just tell you why. We showed up at our normal time, but not near as many kids showed up this week. We had our regulars, but a lot of the new kids we had last week never came. So we ended up telling the story first, because they were all so quiet. And it went well. And then we sang some songs, which is always a lot of fun. They went outside and played for a few, but it was extremely hot yesterday, so they ended up coming back in after about 10 minutes, and we had snack. Well after snack, one of the little boys, Cody, he's 7, hurt his finger really badly, and started bawling. So I scooped him up, and Erica went and got some ice. Well, he sat in my lap for a while keeping the ice on his finger, and after his finger stopped hurting, he ended up just falling asleep on my lap. (Let me give you some background on this boy: He comes from a broken home. He lives with his mom, but has to visit his dad every once in a while. His mom works all the time, so she's not home much. And he has two older brothers, who are not the nicest to him. So he doesn't get too much attention from many people. He had just gotten back from visiting his dad, and he said he didn't get much sleep there.) So he passed out on my lap, and slept for an hour. I was in heaven. And that hour allowed me time to pray for him and lift him up before the Father.
Lifeguard ministry has been going well over the past couple of weeks. We are building relationships with a lot of the guards. And it's been awesome. I have so many stories of guards that I could tell. They all have very different backgrounds, and they are just great people to know and to talk to. Last night was our second to last lifeguard dinner, and it was great. We had around 30 guards show up, which is incredible! But more than that, we got to talk with a lot of them afterwards. Usually, they show up, eat, and then stay long enough to listen to one of us share our testimonies, and then leave. But this week, we had at least 10 stay about an hour after to talk with all of us. It was amazing, truly. One of the guys I had a chance to talk to was Jordan. He grew up as an MK in Venezuela, so he was asking lots and lots of questions about what all we were doing. And I also got to talk to a guy named Shawn. So it was great to have them all stay for a while after and talk to them. We are going to be starting a worship service for them for the last two weeks we'll be here, because a lot of them are looking for a church or somewhere to go worship. So we're going to offer that for them. And I am so excited about it! It'll be great!
Last Wednesday I got to go to Ridgeland Baptist Church and got the chance to share my testimony with the youth group there. It was great, and all the youth were awesome. I'm supposed to go back next Wednesday, so I'm kinda excited to see what God is going to do then.
I can't even believe that I only have two weeks left in the LowCountry. It seems like just yesterday that I got here, but it's already almost time to leave. WHERE DID THE SUMMER GO?!?! I feel like I still have so much left to do, but I know that God has been using the time that I've spent for His glory, and He's going to continue to do so. I trust in Him for all this. And I believe that He's taking care of me in amazing ways.
He's been changing me a lot over the summer. And I am most definitely not the same person I was when I drove out here. He's been working in my life in amazing ways. And I know that it's not going to stop after the summer is over. This is only the beginning.
The other day I was reading through Proverbs, and I came across Chapter 10 verse 25. I am pretty certain it is one of my new favorite verses.
"When the whirlwind passes, the wicked is no more, but the righteous has an everlasting foundation."
I love, love, love that verse. I feel like my life has been a whirlwind over the past few months. So much has been changed. So much has been uprooted. And so much is still up in the air. I don't know what I'll be doing over the next semester other than attending SEBTS. I don't know much about my roommate. I don't know where I'll be working, going to church, spending breaks, what classes I'm taking, who my close friends are going to be, etc. All of these things used to be causes of worry for me. But now they are a cause of joy and celebration, because my foundation-Jesus Christ-is solid. He is going to take care of me. He is going to provide for me. He has plans that are greater than anything I could ever ask for or imagine (Eph. 3:20-21). And at the end of it all, He is all that matters.
My life may be a whirlwind right now,
But my God is my firm foundation.
And I am secure in Him.
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