Thompson, MB

Wow, that was a crazy, fun, rewarding, and exhausting week. It went by so fast and I wish it wasn’t over but at the same time I’m glad it is because I really needed some rest and my body couldn’t take the fast pace for much longer. Some highlights of this week were meeting new people. Basically the people I really got to know were our billets, the Allens. They’re super nice people and I really liked Chris and Zach. They are awesome kids. The people on our team that I got to know better were Graham, Lavonne, Riley, Crystal, Tandi, and even Stacey. And then Travis Hobbs spent a lot of time with the team so I made another good friend which was wicked awesome. So yes that was a huge highlight in my week.

There’s so much to write about I don’t know where to start. Pastor Jason was in a snowmobile accident. He hit an ice ridge and hit his face on the handle bars and flew 60 ft. He had to go to the hospital. Lavonne got hypothermia and was almost unconscious. I was way more worried than when PJ had to go to the hospital because he could talk and move around. I was still worried about him though and concerned. He was in more pain but I could see that he was going to be okay and I seriously thought for a second that Lavonne was going to die. We called 911 and she had to go to the hospital. The bus clutch broke on the way back which means when we stopped we couldn’t start so we somehow got started in PA and then ran about three or four red lights on the way home. I was sort of nervous about that. I hope PJ’s infected lip is going to be okay.

I realized how much I love the people around me that I share good times and bad times with and who believe the same thing I do. I love my family dearly, even though it’s much harder to, but I don’t feel as close to them. I feel such a strong connection to these people, it’s like they’re my family away from home. I don’t know if that sounds weird or not but it’s true.

God taught me a lot this weekend. About myself, about life, and about leaning on Him more than ever. I needed to hear that all I need is Him. I needed to hear that again and again. I think I finally got it this weekend. I struggled with some stuff the first few days of the trip and I survived it by relying on God. I didn’t tell anyone, I didn’t blog about it, I just prayed and cried. I was so upset on Saturday night and my thoughts were all over the place that I just needed to talk to God. So when we got back to our billets house I took my bible and journal, I didn’t even end up reading my Bible, I just wrote. And then I prayed. Everyone was watching Westside story but I stayed in my room. I cried myself to sleep that night. But you know what?? The next night I went to the altar for prayer. I was upset, I was broken but I think God healed a piece of my heart that night. He did what I really needed him to do through prayer and I think because I humbled myself and went to the altar. Sometimes you feel too vulnerable to go up there, at least that’s how I feel. But I just trusted God. That night He also showed me something else. Pastor J quoted a Bible verse. Luke 14:26"If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple.

As he started to say the Bible verse, I had heard it before and I was like yeah, I’m doing good. I don’t hate my family or anyone else and then he said, Yes, even his own life, that hit me right between the eyes. I was like, woah. I have hated my life, I am guilty of that. And then God showed me something else. To hate my own life, is to hate something that God made, that God designed, that God wants to use for a special purpose. It’s like hating God and it’s like hating someone else. Right now I have a desire to go deeper with God, to seek Him. I always have but I want to start doing that more and more. Part of me is so confused about life and decisions. When I hear about our youth ministry that is taking off, part of me just wants to drop everything and throw all my energy in time into this ministry, to be part of it, to do something. I love it. I don’t know what to do with these thoughts because then there is the rational part of my being that says, “ be responsible, think about your future and how you’re going to survive, what kind of career you’re going to have.” And then I get anxious and I have to remember to take things one step at a time. God will show me where he wants me to go if I seek him. Jeremiah 29:11For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
I don’t know the plans but God knows. That verse as I just read it now, gives me joy. I feel like I just looked at it for the first time. The plans, my future, are plans to prosper and not to harm me, plans to give me hope and a future. That’s amazing. I am going to adjourn this blog because I am very tired and I’m coming down with something. My nose is running and my head hurts. Where my nose is running to I don’t know. Okay that was really corny. Hey I had to put in one stupid joke. Until next time…..