It finally feels like summer...

Two weeks ago I had the pleasure of packing all of my belongings up and moving them ten minutes away, back to my house. Without the help of my strapping boyfriend, this was an unpleasant task. To add to the fun, I had to say goodbye to my wonderful friends who I had grown accustom to seeing everyday:

After I had completed all of my end-of-the-semester-projects and 4 finals, I did not get the enjoyment of screaming "I'm done!" or "So glad it's summer!" Nope... I got one weekend to complete several pre-class assignments for what... A SUMMER COURSE! Blah... I had sworn that I would never do that to myself. And yet... there I was from 8:30-4 for a whole week learning how to counsel those who are addicted. (As much fun as I'm having complaining about my summer so far... it really was a good course! I learned a lot!) I now have a 10-15 page paper and a 5-6 page reading report due by July 15th.

After completing my class, I still did not feel freedom or joy because I had to say goodbye to three very special people for the whole summer! Drew (tan coat), Bethany (brown coat), and Nathan (bright purple jacket) are all spending the summer as interns in Gabon, Africa. I have a very tight-knit group who spends our summers together and this summer will just not be the same without them!! We're already bored! Needless to say... I am so very proud of them and extremely excited to see what God will do with their hearts and their lives as they serve Him.

I know, I know... that was a whole post of complaining! I say all of this to get it all out of my system so that I can finally get over it and have a good summer! Today is the first day in a very long time that I have off of work and I am in my swimsuit and ready to get in the pool!

So today I say: I'M FREE! IT'S SUMMER!

Although I will be working 3 jobs and finishing up papers... there are some things that I have to look forward to: vacation with the family in July, spending time with the really awesome friends that did NOT leave me for 3 months, and enjoying the company of someone I am a pretty big fan of:

Happy Summer Everyone!!

An Unlikely Experience

Last night I experienced something that I have never really had in my life: I had a full debate with a non-Christian. (dun dun dun!!)

I have practiced these debates and have been taught what to do and what to say in rebuttal to popular questions/arguments. I have also had miniature debates over specific things about my faith. However, nothing in my Christian up-bringing or training at Lancaster Bible College could ever prepare me for the actual experience. I actually can't believe that it has taken this long for me to get into a heated discussion with a non-Christan. I suppose God was holding that off until He thought I was ready.

Before last night, I dreaded the thought of having to defend my faith. That sounds horrible but it's true. It's not that I don't love God with all of my heart and know what I believe. It's not that I am ashamed of what I believe. It's not that I don't have all the right tools and enough training. It's simply because confrontation is not something that I look for. I don't like feeling like I don't know what I'm talking about or looking like a complete fool in front of others.

This morning when I woke up I realized how completely selfish that mindset is! It honestly isn't about how I feel in that moment when I decide to defend what I believe and the God that I love. It is about showing others that there is a God who can fill those voids and heal those wounds that they are hurting from.

It was so very sad to hear this individual talk about how they are "a really good person" and that they "go to church a lot." They really believed that God was basing how He loved them love by how much they did for Him. My heart just feels so heavy for them! If only they knew that God loves them despite their sin and that there is absolutely nothing they can do to gain God's love... He has already given it to us through Jesus... and there is so much benefit waiting for them.

After this individual was done speaking my heart was pounding... I knew I had to say something!!! At first I was feeling a lot like this guy: tongue tied!!!
But after a few moments of catching my breath, I gained the courage to open my mouth and speak what I knew to be true. Thankfully, there were others in the room and I had plenty of help finding the right words to say. We spent the next half an hour listening to their heart and handing our hearts right back to this individual. And you know what? We left the night not angry at each other (which was my fear) but with a respect for each other.

Thank you God for this experience and for your love that I know so well. Please bring more of these opportunities my way...

Inspiration

I have been wanting to create a blog for a very long time. This week I watched 3 of my very good friends hop on a plane and fly to Gabon, Africa for a 3 month internship. They have all created blogs so we could keep track of them and to hear about what God is doing. So... I decided it was finally time for me to create my own blog so that others can read what God is doing in my life as well. Although I am not going to be oversees this summer, God is still working in my life and I want other people to know. God calls us to public recognition of what He is doing in our lives and that is exactly what I want to do.

It's pretty simple: I am a 20-year-old college student and I love Jesus with all of my heart. I go to Lancaster Bible College where I am studying to be a professional mental health counselor. I absolutely love being able to go to class everyday and learning more about the God who has created the human mind; a God who can redeem even the most hurting and dysfunctional person. I am using my education and my heart for the hurting this summer by working at a summer camp run by Philhaven (a mental health hospital). I am so very excited but so very nervous... I do not have very much experience!

Before ending this post... I thought I should explain my blog title: Lilies and Sparrows. It comes from one of my favorite passages from the Bible:

Matthew 6:25-34

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your Heavenly Father feeds them. Are not you much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour of his life?

And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your Heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

I have an amazing God and I want to share Him with others. So enjoy my blog!! Thanks for reading!!

Kelly