Looking back at this summer, I can't believe it actually happened. God blessed me so much through this summer that it honestly feels like a dream. In two days I move back to Orange City to start another school year and I feel like I'm just waking up from something so amazing it refuses to be real. I knew at the end of last school year that my 3 month "break" would be amazing, but only God knew just how blown away I'd be. You guys, I'm honestly just baffled. And because I still can't find a way to wrap my mind around my summer I'm going to give you a brief play by play before I get to my point.
I went to Guatemala for 5 weeks and worked in an art school...Erin Holle worked in an ART school in GUATEMALA where they speak SPANISH. HELLO! under the laws of physics or genetics or somethin' that NEVER could have/should have worked out. But it did. How? Because God wanted it to and He did great things in many people's lives during those 5 weeks. I came back with new friends, new skills, new ways of looking at the world, and a new closeness to my King.
2 days after returning to the States I spent a week (more or less) at my grandparents' cabin on Baby Lake. I had been looking forward to relaxing by the lake, and thinking and telling my family about Guatemala. PLOT TWIST!! I got SO sick. A parasite named Randall, side affects from taking medication incorrectly, and a terrible cold because of my changed immune system, add cramps on top of all of that and it feels pretty miserable. If you define relaxation as sitting in a chair and not moving for 3 days, yea I did that. But it didn't feel relaxing, not even a little bit. However, it did slow me down enough to force time with my thoughts and left me with nobody to talk to but God.
Squeezed into that few days at the cabin was the 4th of July. Mhmm..way more exciting than just watching some fireworks this year. My best friend Megan got ENGAGED! That means in less than a year I will have another friend getting married! Exciting is an understatement.
I spent that next week at camp because, well to be honest, even though I've become more introverted this summer I do adore my time spent with people and couldn't stand being so close to my friends without seeing them. I also adore Camp Lebanon~A Meeting Place with God. Since I wasn't technically on staff for that week, and nobody really knew in advance that I was going to be there I just volunteered and helped out wherever I could. Through that week God showed me some aspects of what it looks like to be a leader in ministry in the States.
THEN (I know, it just keeps going, it's so great) my beautiful friend Nicki got married on July 20th. What a beautiful day it was. Full of love, joy, prayer, and smiles. CONGRATULATIONS ZACH AND NICKI WITTENBERG
Following the wedding I got up at 5:30am and booked it back to Camp. For the next three weeks (ending today) I counseled at camp. Walking into it I was super overwhelmed and did not feel qualified whatsoever...lies from the enemy. I have been challenged immensely in the last 3 weeks. Each week God gave me some situation or thought that I had not dealt with before. I learned SO much, I wish there was a way to tell you, however, one of the pressing lessons was Philippians 1:27~"Whatever happens conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ". But overall, I learned that I am not in control of anything. I have 0 control, not even a little bit. I learned that that's a very very good thing, because if I didn't have someone guiding me, things would turn horribly sour before I knew what was even happening. I have been blown away by God's love and overwhelmed with joy that can only come from Him on a daily basis. God also gave me a glimpse at my future, which I have been begging for for quite some time considering this summer was the farthest my mind had wondered for the past 4 years. And even though it is a small view I'm ridiculously excited to move forward and unpack it.
So much has happened since I left Orange City. I'm still processing a lot of it. But I grew this summer in ways that I can't explain in a silly blog. The love, joy, and (somehow) peace that I was blessed with this summer blows my mind. At times (a lot of times this summer actually) I've been so overwhelmed by the constant love that I couldn't do anything to express my thanks to Him but throw up my hands, laugh and shake my head because of being so awestruck.
He is GOOD.
He is LOVE.
He is LIGHT.
He is HOPE.
He is PEACE.
He is TRUE.
He is JOY.
He is LIFE.
My heart will sing no other name.
No comments:
Post a Comment