Happy 4th of July!

Hello everyone. It’s always hard to know how to title these entries and where to start. I have had a good week. I moved last weekend, and am really liking my apartment. I plan to take pictures soon and put them on the website. It has been great making it like home here. I have borrowed some picture frames and put pictures up of my family and friends back home – it makes me miss all of you more, but I love having them up to look at. God has blessed Sue and me so much in this apartment. He has provided all that we need and more.

Winter camp for the youth group was good. It was very chilled and relaxed, which was actually quite nice. As most of you know, I am a perfectionist and like sticking to a schedule, but it was so great to not be so consumed with this. I did a lot of the admin for it, which I enjoyed… was pretty unorganized because I only had about a week to organize, but it all came together okay… just a reminder that God’s in control. ☺ I had the opportunity to talk to a few of the girls who were really touched and I could see God working in them in different areas of their lives. It is such a blessing and excitement that some of these girls are opening up to me and wanting encouragement.

One of the pastor’s here, Alastair, asked me to come and share with his life group on Wednesday. He asked that I share about America and a little of my testimony. I was quite excited that it was the 4th of July… so I began by sharing what the 4th is in the states and what we generally do… and also shared what mom and Maggie were doing. I really didn’t know what exactly to talk about or what they would want to know, so I just opened it up for questions to see what they would be interested in. It was so amazing. I shared about my family, Christian Fellowship, Granny’s House and friends and about some of my upbringing and testimony. I love it when we don’t plan a lot and God always comes through. They wanted to spend some time at the end praying for me, for Christian Fellowship and for America. One particularly powerful time was when they asked me to name the pastor’s of Christian Fellowship and we prayed for each of you by name. It was incredible…. and made me miss you guys!

Speaking about not planning a lot and seeing God come through… I am speaking at the prison this Sunday. I have been working on this more this morning and plan to spend some time today doing this. I feel like I know the general topic God wants me to speak on, but am having a hard time with the specifics. Please pray that God leads this and directs me where to go. Please pray that the power of God meets with us and that He brings the ladies there that He desires.

On a personal note, I have been sleeping much better. God is continually teaching me total and absolute surrender to Him. I was reading Practicing His Presence yesterday afternoon, and came across this quote:

“Moment by moment I’m kept in His love, moment by moment I’ve life from above;; Looking to Jesus till glory doth shine, Moment by moment, oh Lord, I am Thine.”

Sounds like a good place to end. I love you all so very much.