“But from that Garden beginning, God has had a different purpose for us. His intent, since He bent low and breathed His life into the dust of our lungs, since He kissed us into being, has never been to slyly orchestrate our ruin. And yet, I have found it: He does have surprising, secret purposes. I open a Bible, and His plans, startling, lie there barefaced. It’s hard to believe it, when I read it, and I have to come back to it many times, feel long across those words, make sure they are real. His love letter forever silences any doubts: ‘His secret purpose framed from the very beginning [is] to bring us to our full glory’ (1 Corinthians 2:7 NEB). He means to rename us –to return us to our true names, our truest selves. He means to heal our sole holes. From the very beginning, that Eden beginning, that has always been and always is, to this day, His secret purpose –our return to our full glory. Appalling –that He would! Us, unworthy. And yet since we took a bite out of the fruit and tore into our own souls, that drain hole where joy seeps away, God’s has this wild secretive plan. He means to fill us with glory again. With glory and grace.” - One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp
I read this today unexpectantly at the Young’s house. Natalie (one of my precious roommates this summer) and I weren’t able to spend the day with our host family, so Chad and Elizabeth Young welcomed us to their house so we could do laundry and chill. When I was checking out their movies I saw the book One Thousand Gifts on the shelf and read the first chapter. What truth marks these pages!
The Lord has been teaching me much of Himself this past week, giving me glimpses of what He loves, what He hates, what is true of me, and what is true of Him. And I have come to this conclusion: Jesus is the only One who gives me true joy, satisfies my soul, and will never leave me.
Since my last post, we have done much in Charleston. We went out on Folly beach and gave out free popsicles, talking with others about God. We shared with them about CRU and what the Lord has done in our lives. As a group we have also worked with Without Walls. This ministry builds relationships in the community by giving out groceries and food. My group went out to a part of downtown and played with some precious kids –they were so much fun!
On Sunday’s I go to a church called the “Dream Center.” I am helping out with the kindergarteners. They are so precious!!! This church is awesome and helps the community out in BIG ways!
Work for me started this past Tuesday. It has been hard, exciting, fun, tiring, but most of all it has been such a great learning experience already. The Lord has granted me opportunities for talking to my coworkers and I have started making friends! Please pray healthy relationships form at work so that others will come to know the Lord!!!
Another thing we do at Project is Discipleship. Through group time and one on one time the Lord has shown me what it looks like to walk in the light, be held accountable, and what community looks like.
Praise be to the Lord who has brought me here. Please continue to pray and I work at McDonald’s and share the love of Jesus.
No comments:
Post a Comment