Missions, Moving, MBI

Change

Something I've never been extremely fond, but it seems like things never stop changing. Two big things have changed and are changing for me right now

1) My family has moved from Pine Trail Camp to the Presbyterian camp for the summer.
2) I will be leaving mexico and starting formal education with Moody Bible Institute.

These are both good, but hard things for me to process. My family moving is really hard because I have been here in Mexico as they are doing the majority of the packing and settling into a new house. Pine Trail has been my home for the past 13 years, it's full of memories and holds a special place in my heart. It's hard to imagine not going back there and continuing in the camp ministry.

I will be doing my first year of studies with MBI online and then move to their Chicago campus to finish my degree. This is going to be a crazy change for me. I have been on the mission field for close to 3 years now, the lifestyle in mexico and missions is completely different compared to that back home. It will take a while for me to adjust and remember how life works back in "normal life".

When I was first confronted with all the changes I freaked out, but as I talked about it with some of my friends I realized they were echoing some of my same thoughts, fears, and frustrations. It's scary for out lives to change in such big ways.

But it's all part of growing up.

I recently did a lecture on the book of Colossians with the CSBS here in Mexico. One of my favorite things I got out of studying it this time was how important thankfulness is. There are 6 commands to be thankful. Each time in reference to who God is and what He is doing in your life.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

It seems like those without thankfulness are susceptible to falling into doubt, frustrations, and maybe even turning away from God.

I found this to be true about me. I was forgetting to thank God for what he has given me. I was forgetting to thank God for the amazing changes he was bringing about in my life. I just cried and kept asking Him why he was changing my life in such drastic ways.

So I started to do something simple, started walk in thankfulness. When I find myself getting overwhelmed (almost everyday lately), I stop, run to the prayer chapel on campus, and take some time to just sit in thankfulness. It's surprising how much of a difference it makes.

I still don't enjoy the change, but the more I get used to it, the more excited I get about it. I'm excited for the direction God is leading our family. He is giving my parents the chance to take their amazing skills and love for camp ministry to new places. MBI is going to be an incredible time of focusing on studies and where God is going to lead me with that.

And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.