One week from today we will be on our way to PNG!
Looking back over this past year I can see God working in ways I couldn't have seen at the time. On the surface I would say not all that much happened. I was always busy, and things did happen, but in contrast to other years it was relatively uneventful. But that was used, or caused, by God to give me a firm foundation on Him and to teach me to rely on him and trust him for my future. I think those are things that will be important this summer and in life in general. Also this year and even especially this past week I've been thinking and praying about my identity in Christ, and that goes back to Him being my firm foundation. And I can joyfully and confidently say that whatever context I'm in, I know who I am in Christ, because I know who He is, and I know what He says is true. I was talking with my friend Lacy recently and she was talking about giving God a name for each year, based on what he's done in your life, etc. Well for this past year I would call God "My firm foundation" or "the God who knows". A treasure which I discovered in Matt Miller's bible study this year, and my new favorite verse as of a few months ago, is Psalm 11:3-4 "When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do? The Lord is in his holy temple; the Lord is on his heavenly throne." I think that verse addresses both of those names for God simultaneously.
I haven't tried to directly prepare myself for this summer. I don't think I really can, there's no way I can know what to expect. But I have prayed about it and sought God, and he will give me strength, and each next step as me feet fall, and everything else I will need.
Thank you for praying, God bless you all! I want to hear about your summers and what God is doing in your lives!
4 comments:
Bethany, your words are very encouraging and also very helpful. Thank you for putting this into a blog. I had not considered putting a name for what God has done in the past year but I suppose I could.
For me this past year, I'd say that God is the God of "Absolute Truth". Everything about Him is truth and nothing is true without Him. I've found that no matter what people believe and argue about, no matter what we consider to be important in this realm, no matter what philosophical reasoning we try to create for everything around us God is the only answer. God is Truth.
I look forward to talking to you when we get back and hearing about all that God does for you this summer.
My dear Bethany, I'm so excited with you about this summer! I've seen you going through so much this past year, and I've seen God working through it all. I see your beautiful heart, and I know that He has been, and is going to keep on working in you and through you because you have a heart for Him. I am I so thankful for that! I love you! I will be keeping up with your blog this summer. Be safe! I will be in touch. :)
This blog thing is so great! I am looking forward to seeing how God shows himself to you this summer! I will keep you and all the other interns in my prayers. God bless!
Josh
Hi BEthany,
I'm really looking forward to reading more. I am so glad you are over there. You will be prayed for.
Chris
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