What a great place to look over the lake and pray for the people who need to know Christ
It's beautiful!
My Team
Precious Georgia Ladies
Debbie and I
An answer to prayer... I have a new sweet friend who just happens to be from Texas!
This is what I get to see when I go for a hike!What a full week it has been! As we sat outside this morning for church (may I just add that I was shivering? Oh Tahoe weather! J) I couldn’t help but praise the Lord for how He is already stretching me and growing me. I have been here one week and I feel like I have already learned so much about serving Him fully, loving others fully, and sacrificing fully. You may think I’m crazy when I say that I have to sacrifice and be uncomfortable when I can see the most beautiful lake, but it’s not exactly a piece of cake out here. I feel like this is one of the hardest places I have ever been called to. If I am being completely honest with you, I would have to tell you that in my mind I constantly have to tell myself that I can not just pick up and go home. I have to remind myself that I am not here for me. The Sovereign Lord called me to Lake Tahoe to do ministry through teaching, and this is where I will stay until He calls me else where. I already miss home more than I could say in words. I miss my parents, my brothers and sister-in-law, friends, Sadie Grace and Miss Molly, going for runs on dirt roads where I can actually breathe, and not having to share a room and shower with 5 other girls. As much as all of those people and things bring joy to my heart, they are things that have been given to me as a blessing from Christ and in no way should they be put before the One who created them. I have prayed to be broken and uncomfortable so that I have no choice but to turn to Christ. I believe that is becoming a reality here in Lake Tahoe.
I found out this week that I will be teaching 1st and 2nd graders! I am SOO excited! I have been told that they are the wildest age group here but I believe that they are exactly what I need. They are a really fun and active group which means that I will get to plan really awesome lessons that they will actually participate in! So exciting!!
Recap of my first week: We had a group of ladies from Atlanta come this week and teach while we were in orientation. What a blessing they were!!! They cooked for us most nights which really helped me get settled into a new place. Gotta love southern food! J We had orientation in the mornings and then helped with the students in the afternoons. (Also in the afternoons, we are responsible for cleaning the entire building. My job- Cleaning the bathrooms… I am now the expert toilet scrubber!! Ha! J) We took the kids to the beach 3 afternoons this week and took them hiking on Friday. There is something about hiking up a mountain with students from PreK-6th grade that just made me a nervous wreck, but it turned out to be a blast!!! There could not have been a better place to eat our little sack lunches! Yesterday my team took a road trip around the lake, did a little bit of shopping in south shore, and went to a Bible study with some of our new friends. It was a much needed break and bonding time for our team! We are all so different, but things are actually running pretty smooth!
On a much different note, many of you know that this has been a summer of death. My church family from back home, my community, and my BCM family has lost so much throughout the course of the summer. I received word today that they have only given my pastor’s wife a few days to live and my heart is just breaking all over again. I long to be there with my church family, but I am having to tell myself again that I am not here for myself and that God is in control of all things. My prayer is that He is glorified in life and in death.
This morning I went for a hike up a mountain that has a cross on top of it. I of course can’t breathe at this altitude so I really had to push myself to just keep going. As I was hiking, I couldn’t help but think about how that hike represents my semester here and my life as a whole. Some parts are easier than others. Sometimes you just have to stop and reflect on the purpose for working so hard (and catch your breath!!). At other times you feel like you could take off running! In the end, there is inexpressible joy! There is the one who is not still on that cross, but that has risen again and sits at the right hand of God. What a beautiful picture this paints in my mind! I want to run this race with endurance. I want to get to the end of the semester, and at the end of my life whenever that comes, and feel inexpressible joy! I want to see Christ! May God be glorified as I go through this life. May God be glorified here in Lake Tahoe and any other place He might call me.
Sorry this was so random. I have had so much going through my head this week, but I’m really having a hard time putting it into words.
I love you all so much. Thank you for your prayers, encouragement, and support. I stand amazed at all of the many blessings in my life!
I found out this week that I will be teaching 1st and 2nd graders! I am SOO excited! I have been told that they are the wildest age group here but I believe that they are exactly what I need. They are a really fun and active group which means that I will get to plan really awesome lessons that they will actually participate in! So exciting!!
Recap of my first week: We had a group of ladies from Atlanta come this week and teach while we were in orientation. What a blessing they were!!! They cooked for us most nights which really helped me get settled into a new place. Gotta love southern food! J We had orientation in the mornings and then helped with the students in the afternoons. (Also in the afternoons, we are responsible for cleaning the entire building. My job- Cleaning the bathrooms… I am now the expert toilet scrubber!! Ha! J) We took the kids to the beach 3 afternoons this week and took them hiking on Friday. There is something about hiking up a mountain with students from PreK-6th grade that just made me a nervous wreck, but it turned out to be a blast!!! There could not have been a better place to eat our little sack lunches! Yesterday my team took a road trip around the lake, did a little bit of shopping in south shore, and went to a Bible study with some of our new friends. It was a much needed break and bonding time for our team! We are all so different, but things are actually running pretty smooth!
On a much different note, many of you know that this has been a summer of death. My church family from back home, my community, and my BCM family has lost so much throughout the course of the summer. I received word today that they have only given my pastor’s wife a few days to live and my heart is just breaking all over again. I long to be there with my church family, but I am having to tell myself again that I am not here for myself and that God is in control of all things. My prayer is that He is glorified in life and in death.
This morning I went for a hike up a mountain that has a cross on top of it. I of course can’t breathe at this altitude so I really had to push myself to just keep going. As I was hiking, I couldn’t help but think about how that hike represents my semester here and my life as a whole. Some parts are easier than others. Sometimes you just have to stop and reflect on the purpose for working so hard (and catch your breath!!). At other times you feel like you could take off running! In the end, there is inexpressible joy! There is the one who is not still on that cross, but that has risen again and sits at the right hand of God. What a beautiful picture this paints in my mind! I want to run this race with endurance. I want to get to the end of the semester, and at the end of my life whenever that comes, and feel inexpressible joy! I want to see Christ! May God be glorified as I go through this life. May God be glorified here in Lake Tahoe and any other place He might call me.
Sorry this was so random. I have had so much going through my head this week, but I’m really having a hard time putting it into words.
I love you all so much. Thank you for your prayers, encouragement, and support. I stand amazed at all of the many blessings in my life!
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