the end is really the beginning

Today is the last day of debrief, and I'm sitting alone in the room where we've met for 3 days readjusting to being back in the States. It's strange to think that up until 3 days ago I had been in Ireland for two months. It's as if I dreamed the whole experience; it ended just as quickly as it began. 

Over these past few days, I've heard so many stories of funny and awkward experiences from all over the world, stories of how God moved, people coming to Christ, or struggling with the reality of sin. How do you put into words the fullness of all God did this summer? That's been my greatest struggle. I have stories, I have significant examples of God moving. But I feel that much of the significance of his work was in the little things that typically go unnoticed. My attempts to put into words the experience as a whole always seem to fall short, and in a sense, undermine the magnificence of it all. Suffice it to say then, that God moved. Simple, but the best way I can express this summer. God moved, just as he always does. I have been stretched, challenged, I have experienced an overwhelming love for a people, for individuals, that my heart has felt as if it were breaking, I have desired to share the full burden for a person that they would be free from the weight for even a moment, and I have learned to lean into the pain so that God could show me more of my sin and the extent to which I need Him to save me.

As for where to go from here, I don't know the plans He has for me, but I know that my purpose is simply to walk with God, and to be so sensitive to the Spirit that I will go wherever He leads me. This is the end of a summer; the end of a stage in my life. This is also the beginning of a life well lived for the glory of the Lord.

still kickin

Just a brief update for everyone. I know it's been awhile since the last one. Things are going very well here. It seems as though we've moved on from our month of sunshine and now we're welcoming a month of rain. It's been cold and wet for the past two weeks and I'm positive that this will be a continued trend for the rest of our time here. I'm not complaining though. I'm going to enjoy the cold while I have it because home will be HOT. 

This past week we had our Holiday Bible Club (vbs as we know it). It was so much fun. We had a different pace for that week then we normally do so the slow down was nice. Heather and I led worship. There is really something beautiful about the way children worship. They don't care who's watching, or how good the music is, or what they look like singing. They just enjoy themselves and belt out the words and jump and dance. It's really very humbling to think about how paranoid we are in worship as adults, so concentrated on ourselves that we can't focus on God. Children have no inhibitions. The children seemed to really enjoy it, and I did as well. It's refreshing to be able to just preach the gospel, to teach Jesus simply and straightforward.

This week it's back to the old schedule, and then next week we have soccer camp. Only 2 weeks until I'm home. It's pretty unreal, and I'm very excited to see my family and friends again. At the same time it's hard to think that my time here is almost over. My biggest fear is to focus my eyes on home too soon. I'm still here, and God's still working. He is always working. Please be praying for me to focus on the work that God has for me here, and for me to fix my eyes upon Jesus. If nothing else, just fix my eyes on him and the rest will follow.