Here we go:
Wow, to think we have been here at Roxbury for five weeks is crazy! God is doing so much in each one of our hearts. A particularly moving part of this week was when Traci Rodgers came for a visit. She instructed us to make two masks. One symbolizing how we revealed ourselves to others and the second how we personally saw ourselves. I covered my "others" mask in tin foil and drew a huge, fake smile on it. This represented the people-pleaser I am. I reflect what others want to see in me and I hide my emotions just trying to be polite and fit in. I fear rejection and this mask is fool proof. But, my "real me" mask revealed the fun-loving, creative, goofy person I really am with colorful spirals of paint and glitter. God is breaking away the hard, insecure parts of my heart. I can only imagine the ways he will continue to change me, and I can't wait to press through with him by my side.
Kate
Now that we're in our final week at training, I'm SO READY TO GO! The past 5 weeks have been a blast and super beneficial, but I'm borderline ecstatic to get back in the real world and be around people again. The most exciting part is that for the next 6 months, our "real world" will be 3,392 miles away from what I've called home the past 18 years of my life. Having grown up in the church, there are many things that I've known about God for a long time; God always forgives. He can't love me any more, he can't love me any less. God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. See? They sound cliché, don't they? Well, in the past five weeks, those statements (and so many more) have started to actually make sense to me. While they're still things I know, they are now also things I believe. When Christianity shifts from knowing about God to knowing God, it makes such a difference that I can't even begin to describe in one blog post. I love that God has been teaching, stretching, and transforming me and I'm so excited to continue this process...3,392 miles away from home!
Brynne
They call me Mama Kris. I wasn't sure how I felt about that at first. I'm always the mother, always the leader, always the strong one; I was hoping to escape that. It seems you can't run from who you are. The funny thing is, God keeps answering the "who am I?" question with new things! He is constantly revealing his truth to me. I am his precious child whom he loves beyond measure and, therefore, I can pour his love out on others. I am beautiful and made in his image. I am strong, but I'm not THAT strong. He carries my worries and cares; He makes my burden light. I love these girls. I'm allowed to love these girls. God has given me a heart for people and I'm allowed to use it. The only stipulation is that I have to be willing to accept love in return. That, my friends, is the hard part, but I'm getting better at it. ;)
Kristen
Our 36th day as a team! Where has the time gone?!? I've really enjoyed my time at the camp getting to know my 3 new sisters as well as learning more about myself. I've learned that I take a long time to process things, which makes me frustrated sometimes when I'm expected to give an answer right away after receiving so much information. I've really enjoyed seeing how God is working in our lives and thanking Him for all He has done. It's nice to be staying in a forest, so I can get out for a walk and talk to God as well as take pictures. I'm in the process of learning that it's okay to trust people and be open to learning from those around me. I'm thankful that we all have a testimony to who God is, what He is doing in our lives, and that we are loved and not forgotten. One of my personal highlights so far has been our Sunday morning experience at Harrisburg Brethren In Christ, I enjoyed the cultural diversity of the church, it was just a whole new experience for me!
This morning at the service at The Spring they sang this song, Set A Fire by Jesus Culture:
There's no place I'd rather be
There's no place I'd rather be
There's no place I'd rather be
Than here in your love, here in your love
Set a fire down in my soul
That I can't contain and I can't control
I want more of You God, I want more of You God.
Love of God overflow
Permeate all my soul
This is my prayer for my team, that as we are ending our training and getting ready to be on the missions field, that we dive into the love of our Lord.
Nikki
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