So, it’s been like a million years since I have posted my last blog, especially since I wanted to post one every week! I’ve been super busy and loving it. Some of the ministries I’m involved in is feeding the homeless (B&B), helping out with the youth, tutoring women to help them get their GED, and having a Bible study with a group at the homeless shelter. Then I’ve got my praise and worship internship responsibilities. In a couple of days, a group of us are leaving for Kauai for a missions trip. We are going to be teaching a group of about 100 children a musical in a week. Then shortly after I get back I’m going to be a counselor for a week of camp. And somewhere in there is a week of VBS. I’m loving the business though!

One of the biggest reasons that I wanted this internship is because I wanted to be picked out of my comfort zone and placed somewhere entirely new so I could have new opportunities to grow closer to Him. I think sometimes we get stuck in our daily routines and are so comfortable with our lives that we just settle and get in a funk. I know I do. I’ve wanted this internship to be a time of spiritual growth and stretching and God certainly is stretching me.

One thing that I’ve been struggling with is my attitude. I’ve been on my own for almost ten years now and I’m used to doing things my way, coming and going as I please, and having as much alone time as I need. I’m a person who wants and needs solitude. It’s a bit different here. Because I’m involved in so many ministries, I’m always around people and because if this my attitude gets a bit crappy at times. I started praying that God would give me patience and direction.

Then I was finishing up "Crazy Love" by Francis Chan and God really brought to my attention the last chapter of the book where Chan is challenging us to treat people as if they are Christ. He talks about the scripture... "Whatever you do to the least of these, you do to Me." That struck me. Despite what is going on in my life, I always need to treat people as if it were Christ Himself.

Then a couple of days later my super cool advisor (that’s for you, Amanda!) sends out an email that challenges us (those who have an internship this summer) to remember that we are serving God. She bluntly asks us how is our attitude and reminds us that we need to check our hearts and priorities. She goes on to tell us that ministry is not an easy thing but in the midst of it we need to recognize that we are serving Christ... even if we are scrubbing the toilets (her words, not mine)!

THEN it gets even cooler! When we were having our Bible study at the homeless shelter (called "Talk Story"), the lady who leads it read from Pilippians about how we are doing what we do for Christ and not for the recognition of man or for ourselves! Crazy! Three times in less than a week. It's pretty sweet and very encouraging that God cares so much for us and hears our prayers that He'll send us a message from so many (completely) different sides. One's a famous author, one's in Hawaii, and one's in NC. Pretty good stuff!

So, I don’t chat your ears off, let me wrap this up. If you could, please pray for all of these ministries, especially the missions trip to Kauai. Over half of the 100 children are kids who don’t go to church at all. It’s a pretty cool deal.

Also, I’m going to try to make this a weekly deal not a once-every-month thing. So keep checking!