Where to begin!
This week has been a changing one! It was the 24/7 week of prayer. There was a room set up, where we were all assigned 1 hour time slots a day, with the idea that no one ever left the room. Some nights I would set my alarm for 4:00 AM, go downstairs, and have a very real hour of prayer. For me I found that some of the times I felt God the most, was when I got up from sleep and gave myself to Him, out of my normal routine and with no distractions at all. What happened this week is difficult to put into words and bring justice to. The Holy Spirit was moving in our hearts, and none of us left the room feeling the same as we had been entering. We were able to be raw and real with God. Wrestle through things, give Him praise and share in fellowship as a community. In this one week we saw so many prayers answered, and the dynamics of our have group also changed, in terms of being able to become more real with each other, and being intentional about our conversation.This is something that had been on all of our hearts for the last little while. Praise God!
This week had a lot of significance for myself. On Monday in chapel, I was able to share my story- and be more honest than I ever have. I can only describe what happened as the prompting of the Holy Spirit. We were on the dock as a group, and as Jim was talking and opening chapel, my heart was pounding, and I could not hide my tears.I talked aloud about internal struggles I have faced on my own, and in voicing them, I felt walls I had built up crumbling down, and as I sat in the middle of 30 people who love me, I felt their hands come around me in love and support. After I was finished speaking, the group put their arms on my and went around and told me how they loved me, followed by a prayer. How do I sum up this most powerful and overwhelming experience in one word?FREEDOM!
God is healing and shaping me. I feel so alive in Him and He has become so tangible and real to me! I am learning what it means to surrender.
The day after I shared my story I was in the prayer room by myself. It is a beautiful room, with a window looking out to the ocean and beautiful mountains surrounding. I was sitting in the window seat reflecting on what I had shared, and what God was doing in me. As I looked out the window, I saw a storm in the distance, the mountain I had been looking at now had grey clouds around it, and the sky had become a grey colour. I reflected on things in my past that had been dark and grey, and the storms I had been through. As I continued to sit there, the sky began to clear up, within 3 o
r 4 minutes it had become completely clear and beautiful and the mountain was perfectly visible. I left the chair for a few moments and when I came back I was at a loss for words. The most brilliant rainbow was right in front of me. The biggest and brightest I have ever seen- I looked the end of it came right out of the ocean that was in front of me. Behind it formed a second and bigger rainbow and it was the most beautiful and remarkable thing I had ever seen. Over the next 30 or 40 minutes, the rainbow disappeared, and a the mountain began to grey again- this time it was much less dark, and the rain was much less intense and the sky remained clear. It was remarkable. This was me.
Little did I know, a friend of mine was downstairs, and had seen the rainbow also, and took this picture.
The rest of my week continued to be wonderful- I was able to serve coffee at a NewLife church event and spend the evening listening to a godly woman talk about her life and her struggles, and what God was doing in her life ... not to mention wear these AMAZING aprons!
Youth group this week was quite uneventful. We had a night in a local gym playing dodgeball and other games. There was no real message shared, but I led a connect group, and I am feeling like I am getting to know a lot if the kids in a more real way. It was fun to have a night and just have fun with them, and see them interact. I am enjoying getting to know a lot of the girls, and many of them are opening up to me. On Sunday, one of the girls who recently moved came to visit! She is someone I had been getting to know on a deep level, and I was very upset when I found out she was leaving, so it was great to have a chance to see her again!
We are in class once again this with Prof. David Lee. It is ‘Foundations of Church Ministry’. It is a very interesting course, and I am excited to learn about the church and God’s plan for it.
Thank you for your love and prayers!
Many blessings!
Love Erin
3 comments:
Dear Erin,
WOW! What an adventure - what a journey. It is so amazing to read about how God is becoming so real in your life. I will never forget the words of Henry Blackaby who said, "When you have Jesus Christ, you have everything there is". This is so true, but as you mentioned sometimes we need to avoid the distractions that get in the way.
I just read an old, but great quote by Jim Elliot who said, "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose". He was a missionary who lost his life (this life anyway) on the mission field......
Thanks for this lovely entry we continue to pray that God will reveal even more of Himself to you and your school mates.
Love Dad
Dec. 1, 2008 (11 days and counting)
Dear Poopsie - where is your new post? I have been waiting all week to read your update. We love and miss you and we can't wait 'til December 12, 2008 WHEN YOU GET HOME! HOOORRAAAYYYYY!
Did you get my "posting name changed?"
I will look again tomorrow night you are probably working on this post as I write.
Hey, by the way, I am the host of an 80 person MOODLE site at work. Are you technologically impressed?
We love and miss you!
Dad
Erin, I love my new posting name. Now I can write on some of your friends' blogs and Scott's without feeling as though I have to 'explain that I am not their dad'.....
Post a Comment