This week like the last couple has been challenging in so many ways. We are learning on Grace and Holiness this week. It is an amazing topic that no matter how many times I hear: I AM LOVED for who I am, I just can't get it. God's grace is extremely hard to really actually grasp and understand. I mean really God loves us so much that he did EVERYTHING to make us see that. He sent his son to take our punishment. We are seen as righteous every time God looks at us because of what Jesus did for us. I seem to always think that in my life I have to perform for God to love me, that I just can't do enough to have him accept me. In all honesty, I AM TOTALLY WRONG, the more I think I can do it actually the more sinful I become. I fall into the sin of pride when I believe in myself, my actions, instead of just surrendering to God and accepting the infinite love he offers me. Even though I heard this same teaching 1 year ago, God is still able to speak into my life. I will never fully understand Gods grace and you know, I'm ok with that. It gives me something to continue to pursue in my walk with God. The more I strive to know him the more intimate I will be with Him and the more I will be able to hear him direct me as to where he wants me to go.
It has been a good week, nothing out of the normal has happened. I am still loving ALL the students, man I just can't get enough of them. I love being able to walk into the room and see 6 students here taking time to further their relationship with God. What an opportunity God has given me. I am starting to prepare my mind for our outreach to Haiti. I know that this is probably going to be the hardest period of my life. I can try to imagine what life in Haiti is like but in all reality I can't even come close to what it will be like. I know the poverty will shock me, the devastation that came from the hurricanes will be overwhelming, seeing the broken lives and the grip satan has on the people there... I know it will be hard but I also believe that God is taking us there for some reason and WE will prevail because God is with us and he's in control. I love the opportunity that lies ahead and I'm so excited to get our team out and experience God in new ways.
I have also been going to a mens bible study at our church here and that is so nice. It is great to be able to connect with other people out of the YWAM community that I live in. To have a time where I can just go and talk and take a short break from everything. The guys are really cool and although I'm the youngest one that goes it works. It's a group for 20-30 aged people so I'm kinda in the middle!! I started going to it last year while I was here and found it to be very refreshing to kinda slip away from the base and not constantly talk about YWAM. Missionaries need breaks from time to time also!!!
I have really been missing hunting this week, probably because I know everyone back home is hunting. It is now officially 4 years since I have hunted and GOSH DANG IT I MISS IT!!! One of these years I'll be back to go on a trek for a deer and possibly an elk. Speaking of deer, for those of you that don't know St. Croix does have a breed of deer!! I saw one a few weeks ago, not quite sure how to explain it, I think its kinda most like a mule deer. Very cool to see but unfortunately you cannot hunt them.... OH WELL, I must cut this off now because it's late and I have a 5:45 run in the morning that I must be rested up for. So until next week.
