MY storyline

Wow. Isn't God good? This summer has just begun and He has already blessed me with so much! I had the privledge of leading a Disciple Now at the beginning of May with Rae. I went into the weekend thinking of how much WE were going to bless these seven girls and how much WE were going to help them in their walk with Christ. While we may have done that, I came out of the weekend as a new person. These seven girls I think touched my life more than I touched theirs. The title of the weekend was "Storyline" and the message that we were supposed to get across to these girls was that WE ALL are part of God's story. So many of the girls were so open to how God was working in their lives and how much their lives had changed since they welcomed Him into their hearts. This was so moving to me, that girls who are 12, 13 or 14 are experiencing Christ for who he is like I am in MY life today. After this weekend, I left a changed person. I had a glimpse of what I honestly felt God was calling me to do. I started out this past school year as an education major because of the impact my English teacher made on me my senior year in high school. As the year went on, I started to pray and ask God if this was something that he REALLY wanted me to do. I have always loved kids and love being around them... BUT I just didn't know if I REALLY wanted to be around them 7 hours a day, 5 days a week. I kept praying and praying asking God to help me and became very frustrated that HE wasn't answering my prayer. I eventually learned that He was going to answer my prayer in HIS time, NOT MINE. In order for my "storyline" to be perfect, I had to hand over the pen and book to him so HE could be the author. Once I did that, God answered my prayer. That weekend, he told me that teaching is what his plan was for me. It felt so amazing that I knew exactly what HE had in store for me. I am just so grateful for His amazing love and the fact that He knows EXACTLY what HE wants for each one of us. One of my dearest friends and I read the ever so famous verse in Jeremiah 29: "For I know the plans I have for you", declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you a hope and a future." I have read this verse soooooooo many times that I tend to just roll it off my tongue. When I read it about a month ago with my friend, she talked about the context behind it and it gave me a totally new perspective on the verse. She talked about how the exiles were in well, exile and how they had to put their complete trust in God in order for their "storyline" to be complete. It is sooooooo amazing to me how God just puts everything together at the perfect time. I feel so blessed to be called one of His children. I hope you have felt His blessing this summer as much as I have. I am praying for all of you! love you all!

Rebecca