Winter Retreat

-
Normally a winter in NJ brings a dash of snow here and there, but I'm beginning to think I brought back more of Germany than I realized! The past several weeks have been littered with snow days, for which both students and teachers have been grateful! 
Last week I had the privilege of traveling to upstate NY, one of my favorite regions in the US, with our church youth group for their winter retreat. We spent several days in a cabin with no internet or running water, and had a fantastic time! The purpose was to remove distractions for the kids in the youth group, but I needed it just as much as they did. I was so grateful for the chance to get away with our teens and make time with God an even bigger priority. How often do we think about spending time with Him, and tell ourselves 'I'll do it later'? We make time for that which is truly important to us. Our actions and words stem from our hearts, therefore putting Christ first in our lives starts in our hearts and minds as well. This happens when we acknowledge Him in all our ways (Proverbs 3:5-6), are still before Him (Psalm 46:10), and seek Him first (Matthew 6:33). His Word is a lamp to our feet, a light to our path; in His presence is fulnes of joy. There is nothing more important in life than Christ and our relationship with Him, and the way that we live should exude that. 
We are also told to take the good news of the Gospel to others, and with that in mind I would ask for prayer. I am prayerfully considering where God would have me go in the coming years, and doors are opening. Please pray for wisdom and discernment, and that I wouldn't second guess His leading. His way is perfect, and I trust Him to continue guide as He has been so faithful to do before. 
Also, it may seem a bit early, but I am also preparing for another summer with the Csehy Summer School of Music, another ministry to which God has called me to dedicate my summers. Each year I am amazed at the group of people God brings together, so please pray even now that God will direct exactly the faculty, counselors, staff, and students that He desires to be there, and that He will begin to open hearts to be changed and molded into His likenes.

God is truly good, all the time.
Have a blessed week!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Remembering Easter Week

-
Image
    It’s been a while! This summer marks three years of living life and seeking normal in the United States. I haven’t figured it out. But I have realized that writing helps, so I’m going to do more of that. Putting my thoughts here sometimes feels like I’m writing to a void, but if you’re a human and you’re reading this, I'm grateful. I'm just looking for a place for my thoughts to belong. I’m working on a new title, too, so stay tuned.      Easter week holds a wide range of emotions for me and at the close of Holy Week, they're feeling a little more pronounced. I have happy memories of childhood celebrations with my grandmother and immediate family. Chocolate and celebrations of Christ’s resurrection are closely associated in my core memories, which can’t be a bad thing. In adulthood, learning how to celebrate with new traditions has been a difficult process. When I approach this week, though, several key memories from the recent past are on my mind. Near...
Read more

Commissioning

-
It's funny to discover how God has directed our paths even when we didn't realize He was doing it. My pastor had scheduled a Commissioning Service for me during tonight's evening service on Wednesday, and we were thankful God had directed him this way when we found out I was leaving on Monday! Tonight's service was a huge blessing. A former missionary, and great student of the Word, gave the challenge to me out of Micah 6:8. This was very special because God had begun to use that verse in my life during the time at Csehy this summer. Now it's meaning is intensified for me.   " He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?" Micah 6:8  The first two commands pertain to dealing with mankind, and the last to my relationship with God. If God is first in a person's life, everything else will fall into place. This is my prayer as I enter this new phase in m...
Read more

I really hope He knows what He's doing

-
A few days ago, I learned a lesson that I’d love to share with you. Our dorm dad, Marty, was working on a student’s ipod. The ipod was sitting in about a thousand pieces on the table in the living room, and Marty was hovering over it working away. Charlie, the owner of the ipod, was also hovering nearby. In fact, he sat next to Marty for nearly an hour, watching with great intent and concern on his face. At one point, I happened to catch Charlie’s eye. He gave me this incredibly serious look that said “I really, really hope that he knows what he’s doing!” From Charlie’s vantage point, Marty was picking apart his beloved ipod, and at times it definitely looked like it was beyond repair.  I walked away a minute later, and I realized that I’m really glad that I can’t always see just how God is working in my life. If I could sit and watch, like Charlie was doing, I know that I would experience a lot more anxiety. I would probably have the “I really, really hope that He knows what He’s ...
Read more