Sunday, May 30, 2010

Faithful.


HEY!

Well over the past couple of days some neat things have happened where I can totally see the Lord and Him working through it all. So remember how I was not to thrilled to be going back to Mcdonalds....well I had an absolute BLAST at work on Friday. I walk in and everyone attacks me... Eggman Bob from last year is still convinced I am his girlfriend...I quickly told him that he was wrong on that one so I didnt get attack in the freezer again haha!! First day on the job, got promoted to back window order taker. And I dont
(My girls: sophie, me, allison & Pizzaro!)

know how but for some reason I can understand how to work the screen....cause last year I failed miserably. So that was real fun. But What I am most excited about working there is this: Last year my room was able to pour into a select few co workers who were really hungry. They came to Bible Study training sessions and meetings all summer because they just wanted a better understanding of the word. Well this year as you know I am back and just was complaining in my head about working there but in one conversation I got to see how purposeful and useful my room was in their lives last summer. They told me that they have started a bible study!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I told them to shut the front door because it blew my mind. I have the chance to see the fruit that was produced from my labor last summer. How when I thought making Mcgriddles and Big Macs was dumb and that I wasnt being used...those conversations about life, sharing my testimony, being bold with them about the gospel, inviting them too meetings...it really paid off. I think that I have a crazy cool opportunity to be a part of their lives this summer because not a lot of people get the chance to see how useful they were the past summer. Also, it just shows that it is not my human will or exertion as it says in Romans 9 that is going to make them know the lord or have that desire for Him...it solely is Him placing it in their hearts. That we planted seeds last summer and the Lord brought people/events into their lives to cultivate their faith in him. HE IS SO MUCH BIGGER THAN I GIVE HIM CREDIT FOR!!!!! Also, their bible study is on wednesdays, our free nights...so me and my girls are going to be able to be a part of that this summer and invest in that relationship again. My girls are pumped about working at Mcd's now. The cash register and the beautiful chaos was alot to handle the first day, but after having a record breaking sales day on Saturday they were broken in lol.

Today we went to church and I am back at Covenant PCA church. It was the one I went to last year. I am the only one out of the RL/TL that is back at the same church. It was really neat to get placed there just because of the relationships that have already been established there. It was cool to see Pastor Bob and my host family, and all the other families that we got to know over the summer!!

I feel like right now what the Lord is showing me is how he has me in the absolute perfect place for me to grow. And i've known that...but fully haven't understood it. He knows what is going to make me stretch and grow the most; for He knows every last intricate detail of my life. A verse that i love is Psalm 16:5-6 "The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot. The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed I have a beautiful inheritance." I also am just clinging to the lord by how he listens to me. He listens to me individually and specifically. He doesnt just listen to me when he has time or when he kinda feels like it...he genuinely, intimately, sweetly listens to me ALL the time. And taking on the role of a RL (roomleader) sometimes its really hard when you feel like no one is listening or you are midst the choas of 8 girls and running around thinking and being a mother hen its hard to feel like you are being listened too. And the lord listens to me 24/7!!!!

Pastor Bob said this this morning:
In Matt 25:21 it says "well done my good and faithful servant." The world tries to change it to "well done my good and successful servant" but that is NOT truth what so ever. So this summer I am not trying to be successful with my girls.... I am going to faithfully seek the lord, be faithfully prayerful, faithfully bold, faithfully intentional with them. Its better to be faithful than fruitful! The lord is going to do work :)


Thursday, May 27, 2010

Week 1

Hello from the Ambassador Hotel!

I got down here on the 24th and moved into our humble abode. Our hotel is the ritz carelton compared to last years hotel. I am sharing a room with a girl named Snickets in a condo style suit. There is 8 girls to one bathroom/kitchen which so far has worked out pretty well. The first couple of days was orientation and we just had meetings and such... worked on our roooms etc. but then YESTERDAY 70 people invaded the hotel. It was pretty crazy! Suitcases/trunks/hangers flying around...you name it people brought it. but I have three girls in my room... Sophie, Allison, and Pizzaro. Sophie and Allison are down here now... but Pizzaro is coming tomorrow so I am pretty pumped!!! They are absolutely beautiful girls and I am so blessed that the Lord chose them to be in my room!! In Snickets room is Mallory, Melanie, and Lauren and they are super cool too. Lets just say we have a pretty stacked condo! :) We all 8 along w/ a 100 other SLPers went to walmart last night..........INSANE! it was pretty overwhelming, especially to all of the newbies...but we made it back w/ lots of food and some pretty humorous memories. Then we awaited the job father to come around and tell us where we are working....the anticipation just about killed us because we were one of the last ones to find out where we are working. We kind of mentally prepared ourselves that we were working at mcdonalds...or atleast I did....but there was a little hope in my heart that we wouldn't.......... but when the job father came around.... he handed me a sheet.... that said..... Room 327 Front Beach Mcdonalds. Report for Orientation at 2:30 tomorrow! THE SAME ONE I WORKED AT LAST YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!! Thoughts of packing up my suitcases, loading my car, and heading back home were what flashed in my mind...but I couldn't share that with my girls. haha However, they were in shocked, reluctant, but really excited and it made me too. (Oh, PS they REQUESTED ME TO COME BACK...how do i feel about that????? Flattered, but not really haha just kidding.) I was able to share with them all my stories from last year and tell them all about eggman bob, maintance bob, Cynthia, etc. and what a work that the lord did last year in them. So it is going to be so cool to see how/if the lord has cultivated them since last year. Its also great that I already have relationships established so I am not starting from square one again. So today we went and met Bill and Linda for some orientation, got our super highwaisted shorts, and our visors. I think my girls were a little overwhelmed and still in shock that they are actually about to work at mcdonalds. I think it set it when they told us....new girls start at 6, Kait you start at 9. Round 2 at Mcdonalds starts tomorrow!!!!!!!! Get ready, fasten your seat belts for some crazy stories!

I haven't been too anxiety stricken yet... In 1 Cor. 3:10 it refers to us by the grace of God as a skilled master builder. Now a skilled master builder, loves blue prints, follows directions, organized etc...AND I am not the greatest planner/structure/time management person.... so I kinda feel adequately unprepared to lead these girls....but I am not afraid of failing, messing...because honestly no one has it all together...and thats even more so the gospel. Anxiety and fear is sin, plain and simple. Its my lack of trust in my father. But I am casting it all on Him because he cares for me and loves me passionately. God didn't give me a spirit of timidity but he gave me a spirit of love and self control. I know that it is Him that is working in me, not my own doing. No matter how hard I try, no matter anything, it is not me who is going to make Him be a desire in their hearts, it's going to be God. I am so excited to see how the lord grows me and my girls this summer. I haven't gotten to know them too well yet, but one thing I do know is all three of them are hungry and thirsty for Jesus. I know no matter what I can dream, hope for, expect out of this summer that the lord is going to do immeasurably more then my wildest thoughts. Ephesians 3:20 is my dreamer verse and it is straight truth:
"Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us!"

Prayers:
I pray that this summer Christ will be our *me and my girls* only desire. That nothing will hinder us from seeking his face. I am praying that with our job, living situations, confrontations to come, etc. that we will all have our hands open surrendering everything to him. I am praying that my girls will continue to hunger and thirst for his righteousness. I am praying that they will not just want Him to be a sweet aroma, but their oxygen that they breathe. I am praying that each morning we will imagine ourselves at the foot of the cross realizing that we are broken people but healed by His blood..for his mercies are new every morning!! Pray for our co-workers that we are able to establish lasting relationships and just be able to be bold with our faith. That my girls will be stretched...that they will get out of their comfortable zone and really be pulled in 3038957987829 directions so that they can just ooze sin, but learn truths to counteract it.

I know that Satan is doing everything in his power to battle and have a spiritual warfare in this place. He is a liar and a deceiver who likes to invade our hearts. Pray that above all else that we will decided to know nothing except Christ and Him crucified. That we will dwell on what is true...not the what ifs, not the question marks, not the shoulda/coulda/wouldas but truth. ANd that truth is that He loves us with a deep, passionate, jealous, unconditional love that will not fade or change!!!! Our god is so worthy to be praised!

We are about to head to our first meeting as a whole SLP. Keep ya'll updated as much as possible!!!!

Love you all :)