Whilst writing a letter to my friend Lauren (it's her birthday today, just sayin'), I mentioned my excitement in her becoming the intern for our home church this summer. And then a flood of memories came back to me from last summer when I was an intern. God so beautifully placed that in my life; I can't even describe how perfect it just all was. Let me retell it just for fun...
I had planned (even expected, silly me) to be an RA my upcoming sophomore, and so I applied the beginning of my second semester freshman year. It was a long process and I grew a bunch out of it (Thanks Jo). But it was ultimately God's will for me to not receive the RA job, and three days later I saw an opportunity in my church bulletin to be a youth group leader. I jumped at that opportunity, knowing it was what God wanted me to do instead of being an RA for the next year. I also decided that it would be good for me to get to know the students by going on a mission trip with them (to a city near where I live) over the summer. I also wanted to volunteer at a hospital over the summer. Those were my summer plans. They were not God's summer plans for me.
I took my finals (rough times, as always) and I went home for the summer. My sister, Bekah, had the plans of being the intern for our church over the summer, and I was so excited for her. The internship seemed like a great opportunity, but I personally had plans on applying the following summer so that I could be a bit older and I could go on the international mission trip. But God knew me so much better than I knew myself. One day I got a call from my youth group leader Tim asking if I would be interested in applying for the internship. In most cases, this would be too late for applying, but there was an opening. I asked my sister and my family, not quite sure if I would be impeding on Bekah's special summer. This was her thing, and I didn't want to ruin it by having her sister work with her. She gave me the okay, I applied, prayed about it, and everything set in place for me to become the intern for the summer. It was something I never would have expected for my summer, but I could not have planned it any better. The summer went by so fast and with so many fun memories. Bekah and I worked well together and it gave a great setting for our bible studies since we hosted them at our house together (pool party included). I can't speak for her, but I think we grew closer and I miss her more this year at college than I did last year. I respect her advice and her relationship with the Lord and I admire her a lot. If I hadn't gone through the internship much of that would not have happened.
I made so many relationships with the students; I learned how to give of myself when I felt as if I couldn't. I stepped into occasionally awkward and uncomfortable situations to reach out to the girls, and I learned to live without expectations (at least I tried to). All of these things helped me in preparation to be a youth group leader this year while at school, in which I'm still growing and learning. And then these things have prepared me (and still are prepping me) for my position as an RA next year. Ugh, isn't God so cool?!
Looking at my summer this year, I would not have been able to do the internship because of the need to study every day for my MCAT exam (google that if you need to). It's cool to know that God knows my future and plans everything accordingly so that only the best happens for me. And He does that for everyone, in the coolest ways imaginable. I hope this encourages all you who read it, because I know it encourages me, knowing that when my plans fall through God's plans will succeed and be worth the fall of my desires. Thanks for reading, Happy Friday.
John 16:33 "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
Romans 8:18 "I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us"
and just because this is a great verse
Philippians 3:10-11 "I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead."
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