summer so far

So far this summer I have managed to live in someone elses home, land a job, withdraw from a summer course, help with a church, meet more people, all while looking forward to the school year ahead. I am truly keeping my focus on being a missionary, this summer is a stepping stone on the way there. I keep my mind on what I'm doing so that I can say to myself "how is this benefitting my life or anyone elses?" If I have no idea then I feel I am doing something wrong.

I long for the missionary life, not just to experience cool stuff or go different places but to experience the work that God is doing. I want to feel the purity and know the joy everyday in my life. I'm starting to feel it here, in the small town of New Bern. Everytime I earn a smile out of someone or am embraced by true friendship or gratefulness, I feel the joy. It makes me happy, almost to tears when I feel that joy because I know God is in it.

So far has been a bit of an emotional rollercoaster, to live away from home, to be around different people, trying to find my way around. Everything has hit me in a very big way and I start to think "this isn't anything compared to what I'll deal with overseas." Then I think about that joy I talked about earlier, I picture the times that I will feel the purest joy ever in new brothers and sisters in Christ.

Summer so far has taught me many things. 1) Don't be scared of new people, 2) Embrace every chance to love deeply, and 3) find the joy and cling to it. Although that was just some..you get the gist of it.

Joy in Christ