I haven’t blogged in a while! Life has been all over the place.
I’ll give you a quick update on my life. This summer I:
– Spent two weeks in the Dominican Republic in June. One week on a mission trip with Valley Youth Network, and another week visiting the family I lived with after high school.
– Worked at Ligonier Camp for two weeks as a counselor, and also got to help out by driving jet skis. 😉 Always a blast!
– Just finished moving out of my apartment in Ligonier, and now have a closet FULL of my stuff at my parent’s house (I never realized how much stuff I had until we were trying to CRAM it all in my dad’s truck).
– Am preparing for World Race training camp, coming up August 8-18!!!
This past week I was very overwhelmed. I was exhausted from working at camp (that camp life will get ya!), trying to move all of my stuff the three hours back to my parents house, ordering all of my gear for Training Camp while trying to maintain some semblance of a budget, and saying goodbye to Ligonier friends. My stuff was all over the place, and I needed to get organized for some smaller trips I have coming up. I couldn’t find anything when I needed it, and I was just like, “BLAH I HATE MOVING.” (Does anyone like moving?! If so…nope, you’re weird).
For those of you who don’t know – I lived in Ligonier, PA for the past 2 years post college. I interned at Valley Youth Network, a high school youth ministry. My internship ended this summer, and I am in the process of moving out of Ligonier and back home to Frederick, MD where my parents live.
It has also been so hard saying goodbye to my Ligonier fam. I know 11 months isn’t very long, but I have no idea where life will take me after the World Race. I have no idea if I will ever live in Ligonier again. My community in Ligonier has been incredibly supportive and encouraging throughout the whole process of preparing for the World Race, and basically what I’m trying to say is goodbyes are beautiful and terrible all at once.
Last week, a graduate of Ligonier High School passed away and it has been absolutely heartbreaking seeing people that I have come to love so much lose a best friend. It’s so hard leaving a community that has loved me so well while they are grieving the loss of a loved one.
Needless to say, one night I was feeling especially overwhelmed and sad and I felt prompted to read Psalms 23.
Psalm 23
1 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, 3 he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. 4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
I remember memorizing this verse as a little kid, and it has come to mind every now and then throughout my life. It had been a while since I had gone back and read this verse. I love the picture that it paints of the Lord walking right beside us throughout our lives. No matter what we face, He already knows exactly how we feel.
Verse 6 especially caught my eye.
Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
We can live with confidence that He is a Lord that leads, guides, protects, and loves. We can also know that someday He will bring us home, a home that He is preparing for us, where we can live with Him forever. That is such a comfort to me in the midst of all these changes and uncertainty.
I may not understand why God would take a loved one away, I may have no idea what I’m going to do after the World Race, but I can rest in the knowledge that God is right beside us through it all. He is preparing a place for us to live with Him forever. He loves us.
Thank you, Lord for that reminder. And boy oh BOY I can’t wait to share it with people all over the world.
