Friday, May 1, 2015

T-minus one month

Hi friends,

Well there goes one more month, and it's crazy to think there is only one month left! I've thought a lot about what I wanted to share from this month, and I feel like it is just so hard to choose. I feel like I've learned an incredible amount this month and gotten to do some really hard/fun things as well. In a vain effort to be concise, I'll only pick a few to share.

At the beginning of the month I got to share my first sermon in front of FOCUS. It was on Good Friday, so my sermon was over the hope found in the cross and resurrection. I don't think I've ever been so glad to have had to do announcements until that point. I was able to speak comfortably in front of all those people because I've already had to address them almost every week before hand. Also I realized I really like giving/thinking about sermons. That sounds weird. I just never would have thought that would have been the case, but I like sitting and thinking on a subject, then I like sharing those thoughts and emotions.

This month we also started a class over the Holy Spirit. I can't even begin to tell you how confused I am about the trinity. I think on some level that confusion will never go away: God is mysterious and larger, more complex than we can ever fathom. It has been nice actually thinking about him, though. I just never gave the Holy Spirit much credit in my day to day life, but the Bible talks so much about the Spirit and his role in our faith. I think I've just realized that I had this profound ignorance on the subject, and I wasn't giving the Spirit enough power in my life. I think back to my Body Stewardship class, and I think about all the things I wanted to change to be a better steward of the body God gave me. And it comes down to just that. I wanted to make those changes, so I failed. I didn't give those changes to the Spirit. I didn't ask him for his power or strength in making those changes. Yet God has given us this precious blessing of letting His spirit dwell in us for those exact purposes! I still have no idea exactly what that relationship should or will look like moving forward. I still think there is much to think about and change, but now I know that I should be thinking about this.

As this internship draws to a close, I can't help but feel sad. I almost want to start the year all over again. To sit and think about all these great topics because I feel like hearing and reading all that material just once isn't enough. I feel as if I've only retained a very small amount of information. I am excited for next year and all the new possibilities that await, but I am sad that means that this year has to end.

There are a couple of things I'd like you to pray for! We have our Spring Formal coming up this weekend. This is a time where we come together for one of the last times as a community and celebrate/commemorate the year. I'd like you to pray that everything goes as planned, and we can end the year well. I'd like you to be praying for all the students finals and moves. A lot of our students will be going home to difficult situations, so it'd be great if you could pray for their summers as well. In a little over a week, we'll be sending a group of students to Washington for SICM which is basically a Christian leadership retreat. The students learn so much, and I know from personal experience that it can have such a big impact on those going. I just ask that you pray for the trip and for God to be preparing the hearts of the students going, so they can get what they need to take away from the experience. On a more personal note, I'm starting fundraising for being on staff. I'd like to ask that you keep that in your prayers as well. While this is a really great time to see God as provider, I don't always see it as such. So I'd ask that you pray that I keep my spirit's up and be diligent in the work set before me. Also if you know of anyone who would like to support a campus missionary-let me know!

I hope April has been just as good for you. Thanks for all of your support. Ministry can be really hard and knowing that there is a community out there who care makes doing it that much easier. As always let me know if there is anything I can be praying for you about:)

P.S. Sorry for being lame and not having photos! I was such a slacker this month...

You da best!

1 comment:

  1. Hey Sarah! I am glad you have gotten so much out of the intern classes! I know we haven't spent a lot of time as a staff talking about trinitarian theology, so that is definitely something exciting to learn about from Garrett's class. We will also get to spend some time this summer talking about it more in depth. Yay!

    I thought your sermon was so moving as you shared about some of your own struggles. I am glad you enjoyed doing it, because you will be getting plenty more chances in the next year!

    PS you can always borrow pictures from students' Facebook pages. That is what I usually do :)

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