Another two weeks of the Institute done. I cannot believe how fast time is flying! Two weeks ago was Evangelism week. Can you please say convicting and stretching?! Evangelism is something that I have always been nervous about. I am not a naturally outgoing person, I’m afraid of rejection, I’m afraid of not being good enough, and so many other things. I know that God is in control and I know that I in myself cannot “save” anyone, but that its Christ working through me, and while I know all of these things, it doesn’t necessarily make sharing my faith much easier. I think that is where some of my greatest frustration came, knowing the Truth but not having the Truth ease my anxiousness. In fact I had a complete emotional breakdown Wednesday after class because I was so anxious about going out into the community in order to share the Gospel on Thursday. But God is so good! I’ve always been a firm believer in wanting to live my life in a way that is pleasing to God and through that hopefully people will notice there is something different about me and then ask me about it and then I am more than thrilled to share what God has done in my life, but I want people to approach me not the other way around. Well Thursday I headed to the Branson Landing to talk to people and hopefully share the Gospel with them. I had talked to a couple different people but those conversations hadn’t really gone anywhere so I decided that I wanted to buy one of the kiosk workers hot chocolate as a way to break the ice, I was going to take some to a guy that I had been talking to earlier but then I saw this girl at a scarf kiosk and God just told me that she was the one that I was to take the hot chocolate to. So I took it over there and we talked for a little bit but not too much came of it so I went on to find more people to talk to. Then as I walked past her later that morning she called me over to thank me for the hot chocolate and she told me that it completely made her day and that it was so good to know that there are people who still care in this world. I just told her that I know how much God has blessed me and so I just wanted to be a blessing to someone else and then I got to share with her about the Institute and what I’m doing in Branson and it was just such a neat time that we spent together. I found it amazing what God can do with something that only cost me $1.50. I’m so excited because God really laid it on my heart to start passing out hot chocolate to the kiosk workers on a regular basis and so me and a couple of other girls went this morning. It was such a great morning of just being a blessing and being blessed by the new people we met. I cannot wait to go back and hopefully continuing to build relationships with the people there. I have so much to learn from other people!
This past Monday we talked about Spiritual Gifts and Personality. Such a neat time! It’s so neat to see how different everyone is, yet we are all made in the image of God and that each and every one of us plays a vital role in the Church. I think that is a hard thing for me to remember at times. I so often see the fun, outgoing people and I so wish I was one of them, but that is not the way God made me. Yes, sometimes He is going to call me to be that person and He will give me the power to do that, but that is not me and that’s ok. He made me just the way that I am for a reason.
Tuesday through Thursday Chad came and taught Church history. Not a favorite subject of all, but I loved it. I think everyone also got to see the importance of knowing Church history, plus everyone was excited to hear from Chad, especially on a topic he is passionate about. Looking at what the Church as a whole has done right and wrong since the Destruction of the Temple in 70 AD and seeing where the Church is right now and where it might be headed.
Bible Overview Project is almost done. We had our last checkpoint on Thursday, we will draw which era we are going to teach on this coming Thursday, and then we will teach them on the Monday after. A little nervous about getting up and teaching, but I know it will be a good thing for me. I also have my student speaker this Tuesday, I’m nervous about that, but I know that God will use me to speak Truth. Please be praying for me as I prepare for my student speaker, that I will let God lead what I say and that He will speak through me. Please continue to be praying for my finances, I know God will provide, the waiting is just hard sometimes. I was so blessed and humbled this week by a donation that I received that I was not expecting at all, God is so good! It was a reminder for me that God will provide even though I don’t necessarily know how and I cannot limit God and the way that He works. Thank you for your continued prayers! Please let me know how I can be praying for you, it’s the least I can do when I know how much you guys are doing for me. Love you all!
No comments:
Post a Comment