My post a few months back about being in the Spring of life and just beginning to discover things about life has been blooming. This last month I:
*Have made friends with the Summer Program students who are amazing, loving, and encouraging--a great change from Spring school where I felt pretty lonely a lot of the time.
*Have been learning the difference between trying to love people well on my own versus loving Jesus and allowing Him to love others through me. When I try I fail... miserably. When I focus on just loving God it seems like there is more love and joy than I can contain. That has been really cool to see in the developing friendships I have here.
*Have been pondering the possibility of going back to school for a Masters of Social Work Masters Degree so that I can work in International adoptions and foster care
*Have had the opportunity to go summit 3 mountains and spend 6 days on the trail where I have experienced more community with the students and some great times enjoying God's creation here in the Alps (one of the mountains was 3,000 meters high! About 9000 ft!)
However, even while things are crazy in bloom in my life there are still struggles along the way. At this point in my time here at Bible school, I feel a bit restless. I have discovered aspects about missions that I like and aspects I don't like and in a lot of ways I feel ready to leave this place and start taking some new steps into the directions God is laying out for me. That said, I would appreciate prayers for contentment and endurance for my remaining time here. And also prayers for continued direction for whatever the "next steps" may be for me. One interesting message from one of the lectures that I attended here... the lecturer said that in life it will often be the mundane moments that are the most difficult to get through, not the crises or the huge disappointments, but the everyday. I think that is so true for my life. In the really hard times I can't deny God's presence, but in the routine of life it is easy to forget about His faithfulness. My prayer for me and whoever is reading this is that we can experience the fulness of life and joy in Christ even when we are cleaning the bathroom, cooking dinner, brushing our teeth, etc. etc.
There is so much more that I would love to tell, but I think I've reached my quota for the day. I'll try more frequent and shorter posts again in the future :) Thanks for all your support as I learn how to live with Christ and serve with Him here in Austria!
4 comments:
So good to hear from you, I shall be keeping you in my prayers, that the Lord's leading will be clear for you.
I agree that the toughest times are often in the everyday-ness of life. Crisis I can usually handle with the Lord's help...I guess I tend to forget Him in the mundane days. That's a lesson we all need to learn.
I have enjoyed your mountain pictures when posted. You are in a beautiful area that's for sure.
Thanks for the update...praying...
I resonate with this statement, Emily: "In the really hard times I can't deny God's presence, but in the routine of life it is easy to forget about His faithfulness."
Glad to hear how you're doing!
Ya that really resonates with me, too. Its a struggle to wrap my mind around the greatness of God in quiet or boring times. Faith isn't easy but I am so grateful for it.
I will be praying for your peace, contentment, and endurance as you try to make it happily through your time there. I hope you make many more discoveries about who you are in Christ and about who you are to become.
Laina
Post a Comment