my week off

i finished my quarter last week and this week i have enjoyed not having any school work to worry about. i have had time to watch movies, take the bus, and work out. i found a great park and went to the beach. its been nearly 100 degrees this week so i'm thankful for the luxury of AC. its been fun taking the bus/metro and discovering it can take me most places i want to go. i also led small group on wednesday. i forgot how fun it is to pray, prepare, study the word, share, listen to others. i have had some really great time with God this week. I'm glad that he is patient with me and doesn't mind repeating himself. there isn't an area in my life that he has left untouched. last sunday was 1 year since i returned home from India. As i looked back and looked at my life now, my heart was full of questions and disappointments. However, there in the midst of it all I found Him, or rather He found me. i might write more on this later, but a year of burden to "do something" was finally broken and replaced with the grace to receive. To top it all off I'm reading the Ragamuffin Gospel, hopefully the first of at least a couple "fun reads" this summer.

Monday i start again with classes. I'm taking intro to urban mission and i'm really excited about it because the first day is in the classroom and the next 4 days are in the city. It is a 1 week intensive so its Mon-Fri 8-5. I won't be working next week which will be a nice break, but school will keep me plenty busy. I'm afraid it will be so good and yet go by so fast cuz its over in 5 days. I'm really praying that God uses this class.

As I have begun to pray about this summer I feel like it will be full; full of lots of new things and lots of changes. I have already caught myself stressed out by the details, the planning and unknowns but i feel like the summer won't be an accident. God's sovereignty tells me this summer has a purpose. So far this year has been unlike any other and part of me doesn't want to pray for anything more and the other part is willing to submit. It has all been along the thought/word/theme "discover" that the Lord revealed to me in Jan. Most recently through the holy spirit he reminded me that indeed, "The old is going.." I feel like all i can do is hold on and lay still in His hands of mercy.