Long Overdue....

Well…it’s been a while to say the least! Things got a bit crazy at the end of GMS. If I had written a post while I was still in Vermont, I don't think it would even be understandable. I had a hard time even speaking in proper sentences, let alone writing! My brain was fried! I've had some time to re-coop and get ready for the start of things here at Penn State.
It’s rather hard to sum up a summer in a short post. I left the summer so encouraged by what God did in the lives of the students. The speaker who spoke at our last Nav night was one of my favorites of the summer. He hit on Psalm 127:1 – “Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain.” Without God, we are nothing. What happens isn’t a result of us, it’s a result of Him. Bob (the speaker) used to be a missionary in South Africa and shared story after story about what he saw God do during his time there. His stories amazing and inspired me. I loved hearing how God used somebody to touch the lives of others. God didn’t have to use Bob and his family, but they were willing and they obeyed…and as a result so amazing fruit from their ministry. He challenged each of us to look beyond ourselves and see the people around us. How can we love God and do good to those around us. How am I living my life? Do I seize every opportunity to share Christ with others? And I don’t just mean by my words, I mean by my actions…do I love them or do I judge them? Am I prideful towards them or selfless and humble? Bob made it seem so easy, but then he shared some of his failures…and we realized it wasn’t always roses for him. The thing is that Bob never gave up. He never lost hope…he kept to what God had asked him to do. And as a result there are spiritual generations of people in Africa who will never be the same because they know Jesus in a deep way.

The talk was a perfect way to end GMS because it challenged the students to think beyond themselves when they get back to campus. How will they take what they learned during the 9 weeks in Vermont and use it to share Jesus with others? I’m excited to see what they do. I’m most excited about Emily and Natalie (pictured here with my co-leader, Emily)…two girls who were in my freshmen bible study last year. They grew tremendously this summer. We sat at dinner one night and talked about how things can look different this year in our Bible study. They’re excited to take what they learned and share it with the girls who weren’t with us this summer.