It is July and I feel like summer is already over! Where has the time gone? Well, I know my time has been well spent! Vintage has been an awesome experience for me this summer. I have been blessed to be surrounded with so many new, yet precious people who have encouraged me and have become dear brothers and sisters in Christ and cool friends. I was thinking I would share some of the things I have learned..but I might have to save all that for another post because it's getting late and I honestly would have a hard time gathering my thoughts. So, Vintage. It was just last weekend that we went on our retreats. The girls were able to stay in a cabin out in the middle of nowhere thanks to a good friend. It was so good to get away from the busyness of work and life and schedules and just enjoy God's creation around us. Little did we know that the weekend would bring some trials..HA! It was jam packed with reading and listening and learning! Anyone who has ever heard David Platt or read A. W. Tozer knows exactly what I mean. As time consuming as it was..it was very much needed and I can only speak for myself, but there was a lot of spiritual growth. Aside from our time spent reading and listening there were a few humorous events- starting out with me busting it trying to jump up in my hammock when it's hung close to the creek..I "almost" slid all the way into the water! Teaching people to flip over in the hammock was pretty entertaining as well. Saturday night was beautiful night spent worshipping under the stars together, singing our little hearts out to the One who is so much more than we can ever think or imagine! That night ended with good ole s'mores and STAR TRIPPING! ha ha now THAT was entertaining! oh and did i mention who woke us up at 5am both mornings?? a horrid bird. if you would like to hear what it sounds like..ask Emily Fretz..she does a PERFECT imitation! let's just say if we had a gun..that little bird would have been a goner! Saturday during the day we also had a blast walking up and down the creek cooling off from the HOT HOT HOT and HUMID weather and catching crawdads. Caroline and I worked together to catch what we named Big Birtha...which seemed appropriate because 5 minutes later she "birthed a" baby crawdad! Taking a shower/bath in the creek with Sara Freeman and Caitlin Dellar was quite the experience-Nothing like being desperate for cold water!
So now that we are back from the retreat we are all moved into the church. All 12 girls sleep in the same big room and we look like a girl's orphanage or something! it's pretty cute..I'm pretty sure we'll break out the Annie movie and start singing "It's a Hard-Knock Life" before the end of summer! I actually like livin life in the church much better because I get to see everyone and I just love spreading my love a little bit ha ha!
Currently, we are all on our 4th of July break and it has been so refreshing to spend some time with family and relax and not work for a few days. I have missed my family more than I ever thought I would this summer, but I am glad to have the time that I do with them.
So on Wednesday, we begin another Vintage journey when all 21 of us take off on a 24 hour drive to Toronto, Ontario in Canada! Toronto is the most diverse city in the entire world! We are divided into groups of 5 or 6 and have each been assigned a people group (Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, or Non-Religious). These Four people groups are the focus groups. We will be split up everyday trying to find the hot spots where the majority of these people will be and just immersing ourselves in the culture and learning as much as we can about their culture and religion while looking for opportunities to share the love of Jesus with them. It will be quite an exciting journey and I am so excited to see what God has in store for us!
Please pray for the LONG LONG LONG drive there and back. Also for Unity..on the bus ride among all of us and for each team that they would mesh well and work together. Pray for sensitivity to the Holy Spirit, that we would be obedient to His leading. Pray for boldness, pray that we are genuine, and ultimately that everything we do would glorify His Great Name! Pray for sensitive and hungry hearts. Pray for willingness on our part to share and be faithful to the Calling, but also for the people that they would be willing to get to know these Christ followers and be willing to enter into a relationship with Jesus. Pray that we would present ourselves as people who care about each individual and what they have to say and share with us! the list could go on and on..your prayers are felt and very much appreciated!
Thanks to everyone who has prayed and supported me this summer! Words cannot express how thankful I am for you in my life and how much I love each and everyone of you. Your precious hearts are beautiful.
For now that's a short glimpse..and I'm excited to share more as the summer comes to an end!
i stand in awe of Jesus,
Tay
Monday, July 4, 2011
Monday, June 6, 2011
Vintage
Well, It's crazy that it has been over a month since I last posted. Hopefully one day I will become a regular blogger :o)
Anyways, I have officially moved back up to Russellville for the summer for a discipleship program called Vintage. I really had no idea what to expect. I have to be honest and say this was probably one of the most uncomfortable decisions I have made. I have found that I miss my family more than I ever thought possible, they are not just family they are dear friends so to be with them again and then leave again was not an easy thing. Also, I think this is one of the only programs/trips that I have been apart of where I have not had a close friend along for the ride as well. So although I am very excited about growing closer to my Vintage family, it has been a hard adjustment. The beginning of Vintage has been a bit of mixed emotions for me. I'm really not exactly sure why..but maybe it's because I went from relaxing and having zero responsibility to having a full blown schedule and on some days I feel like I never stop. But now that I've almost been here a full week, I am finding that bit of fresh air and have finally released this summer to Lord completely. I know God is already working in my heart and life and will continue to do so throughout this summer. I am ready to learn and grow and ultimately LOVE better than I ever have before. This is going to be a HUGE learning experience for me with everything that we will be doing this summer and the first big step for me will be tonight. Monday night meetings are concerts of prayer. Mark Palfreeman has passed the direction of those meetings to me. I know I need to work on my leadership skills and it is something that I have wanted to do for a long time now..but when someone looks at you and actually tells you what you are going to be leading..I think I kinda feel lost? But with the confidence that comes only from Jesus I have overcome that feeling of being "lost" and I am very excited to help walk my Vintage family through a night of confession and thanksgiving with the help of my two roommates. Prayer is one of the areas in my walk with Jesus that I wanted to grow most in this summer..so to be leading that is not just terrifying but also exciting because I know that God is going to teach me so much through this opportunity.
To those of you who supported me financially this summer or that have committed to pray for me and my Vintage family--thank you so much! Your prayers are felt and very much appreciated and they are already beginning to be answered. Pray for tonight that the presence of Jesus would be felt as we talk with Him. Pray that His voice would be heard and our hearts will be open and softened. Pray that our response would be exactly what it needs to be. Confession is a huge part of prayer and something that will be a wonderful beginning to our summer and times spent talking with Jesus.
Praying for you as well as you seek God's guidance in your own life this summer. Much love!
Sweetly broken and wholly surrendered,
Tay
Anyways, I have officially moved back up to Russellville for the summer for a discipleship program called Vintage. I really had no idea what to expect. I have to be honest and say this was probably one of the most uncomfortable decisions I have made. I have found that I miss my family more than I ever thought possible, they are not just family they are dear friends so to be with them again and then leave again was not an easy thing. Also, I think this is one of the only programs/trips that I have been apart of where I have not had a close friend along for the ride as well. So although I am very excited about growing closer to my Vintage family, it has been a hard adjustment. The beginning of Vintage has been a bit of mixed emotions for me. I'm really not exactly sure why..but maybe it's because I went from relaxing and having zero responsibility to having a full blown schedule and on some days I feel like I never stop. But now that I've almost been here a full week, I am finding that bit of fresh air and have finally released this summer to Lord completely. I know God is already working in my heart and life and will continue to do so throughout this summer. I am ready to learn and grow and ultimately LOVE better than I ever have before. This is going to be a HUGE learning experience for me with everything that we will be doing this summer and the first big step for me will be tonight. Monday night meetings are concerts of prayer. Mark Palfreeman has passed the direction of those meetings to me. I know I need to work on my leadership skills and it is something that I have wanted to do for a long time now..but when someone looks at you and actually tells you what you are going to be leading..I think I kinda feel lost? But with the confidence that comes only from Jesus I have overcome that feeling of being "lost" and I am very excited to help walk my Vintage family through a night of confession and thanksgiving with the help of my two roommates. Prayer is one of the areas in my walk with Jesus that I wanted to grow most in this summer..so to be leading that is not just terrifying but also exciting because I know that God is going to teach me so much through this opportunity.
To those of you who supported me financially this summer or that have committed to pray for me and my Vintage family--thank you so much! Your prayers are felt and very much appreciated and they are already beginning to be answered. Pray for tonight that the presence of Jesus would be felt as we talk with Him. Pray that His voice would be heard and our hearts will be open and softened. Pray that our response would be exactly what it needs to be. Confession is a huge part of prayer and something that will be a wonderful beginning to our summer and times spent talking with Jesus.
Praying for you as well as you seek God's guidance in your own life this summer. Much love!
Sweetly broken and wholly surrendered,
Tay
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