half way there
Well folks, we are have way done with project. WHAT IN THE WORLD.... It's so unbelievably crazy to accept this is true. These weeks have gone by so fast yet so slow. But I'm excited to share with you what happened this week!
On Sunday, we came home and that evening the staff women came to our condo with yummy desserts and we got to have some girl time! We talked about what we've been learning and what God has been teaching us. It was so good and refreshing to open up and spend some time with the women who would soon be leaving us.
Upon the return of the women from the retreat, our DNA brothers delivered us a beautifully hand written poem that said,
"Dear women of beauty and delight, we seek your presence on this Monday night for a bonfire that will be more than just alright. It will be an opportunity to fulfill that which you expressed, the desire to get to know each other better than the rest. You are each unique in so many ways and our wish is that you would see that in our efforts today. Sitting around a fire, smores in hand, watching the coals burn band by band. We seek only to show you the picture of how to be pursued by a Godly man. All we require of you is to meet outside the condos at a quarter to nine. Wait, that only rhymed, it contained falsehood concerning the time. Be there at nine for it will be a night of the best kind."
So, like it stated, one of them met us at our condo and went with us to our destination which was located on the bay. As we walk up, there are torches lined up from the sidewalk all the way down to the bonfire with a carpet that also followed down. Each of us were individually escorted down the center of the lit torches where our picture was taken. We later found out that our pictures were taken so that we would feel secure and know how beautiful we are and we are worthy of having our picture taken. Then we all sat around the fire and had smores and enjoyed each others company. The whole experience was beautiful and we really felt like women worthy of being pursued by Godly men. Even though that's not exactly what they were doing, but they were painting us a picture of how we should be treated and teaching us to hold our standards high in the sense that we too deserve beautiful things. We all had a lovely time. The next day, they came over and delivered us flowers and each of us got a present filled with Dove chocolates and a personal letter that had a different verse for each of us inviting us to a very special dinner that they will be hosting on the 27th of June.
On Monday June 23, 2014 - I made an adventurous and renewing decision. I decided to get baptized. I got to share with the world that I got baptized in the Pacific Ocean today and celebrate that with you all! I got baptized as a child, but didn't really know the commitment I was making. I was raised in the church as a Christian but didn't always walk that life in obedience. In my past, there's a lot of brokenness, pain and heartache that I wouldn't let go and move on from for so long, and a lot of areas of my life I wanted to control. But in the last couple of years God has restored many of these areas, SO I publicly got baptized in the ocean to receive and proclaim that I fully and WHOLLY surrender my past, present and future to Christ - giving Him control in every area of my life. I'll remember this day forever and the people that got to be a part of it.
On Sunday, we came home and that evening the staff women came to our condo with yummy desserts and we got to have some girl time! We talked about what we've been learning and what God has been teaching us. It was so good and refreshing to open up and spend some time with the women who would soon be leaving us.
Upon the return of the women from the retreat, our DNA brothers delivered us a beautifully hand written poem that said,
"Dear women of beauty and delight, we seek your presence on this Monday night for a bonfire that will be more than just alright. It will be an opportunity to fulfill that which you expressed, the desire to get to know each other better than the rest. You are each unique in so many ways and our wish is that you would see that in our efforts today. Sitting around a fire, smores in hand, watching the coals burn band by band. We seek only to show you the picture of how to be pursued by a Godly man. All we require of you is to meet outside the condos at a quarter to nine. Wait, that only rhymed, it contained falsehood concerning the time. Be there at nine for it will be a night of the best kind."
So, like it stated, one of them met us at our condo and went with us to our destination which was located on the bay. As we walk up, there are torches lined up from the sidewalk all the way down to the bonfire with a carpet that also followed down. Each of us were individually escorted down the center of the lit torches where our picture was taken. We later found out that our pictures were taken so that we would feel secure and know how beautiful we are and we are worthy of having our picture taken. Then we all sat around the fire and had smores and enjoyed each others company. The whole experience was beautiful and we really felt like women worthy of being pursued by Godly men. Even though that's not exactly what they were doing, but they were painting us a picture of how we should be treated and teaching us to hold our standards high in the sense that we too deserve beautiful things. We all had a lovely time. The next day, they came over and delivered us flowers and each of us got a present filled with Dove chocolates and a personal letter that had a different verse for each of us inviting us to a very special dinner that they will be hosting on the 27th of June.
On Monday June 23, 2014 - I made an adventurous and renewing decision. I decided to get baptized. I got to share with the world that I got baptized in the Pacific Ocean today and celebrate that with you all! I got baptized as a child, but didn't really know the commitment I was making. I was raised in the church as a Christian but didn't always walk that life in obedience. In my past, there's a lot of brokenness, pain and heartache that I wouldn't let go and move on from for so long, and a lot of areas of my life I wanted to control. But in the last couple of years God has restored many of these areas, SO I publicly got baptized in the ocean to receive and proclaim that I fully and WHOLLY surrender my past, present and future to Christ - giving Him control in every area of my life. I'll remember this day forever and the people that got to be a part of it.
On Wednesday, we had Life Options Day. Which was a day filled with different seminars and teachings on ministry and where God wants us in our future and how we will further His kingdom by going and sending and sharing with us the different ways we can do that.
Then on Thursday was the Staff Farewell Banquet!! This is a night where we are able to do something special for the staff and talk about how much we appreciate our disciplers. And some of the students got really creative!!! From making up raps to buying t-shirts with their faces on it and sharing stories on how they have impacted each others lives. Then of course we had to end the evening with a dance party! It was such a blast... :)
Then on Thursday was the Staff Farewell Banquet!! This is a night where we are able to do something special for the staff and talk about how much we appreciate our disciplers. And some of the students got really creative!!! From making up raps to buying t-shirts with their faces on it and sharing stories on how they have impacted each others lives. Then of course we had to end the evening with a dance party! It was such a blast... :)
Friday the 27th a group of us girls got together with some of the staff girls and went to Sunset Cliffs where you go to cliff dive. It was quite an experience! I'll say that I'm kind of a chicken when it comes to that stuff but so worth it in the end! We all ended up doing it, it was such a rush and so crazy but we're so glad we did because it was the staff's last day and it definitely made it a memorable one. We did have our very first FNL (Friday Night Live) without the staff that day and it was an interesting transition... It felt different and empty without them. BUT it was the first event ever that the students ran without the staff so I think we all did a great job and The Lord moved through each of us and our visitors. It was super exciting to see how many people showed up that we had invited!!! Probably the most so far! :D
That next day, the staff left. We all woke up early to say our goodbyes. I think San Diego knew it was a sad day for us because although we were at the end of "June Gloom" it was a very gloomy and blue day for all of us. It's so hard to say goodbye to people who made such an impact on our lives. Although we have a hope that we will all see each other again, knowing that we might not is still a hard thing to grasp. But God can do amazing things and we all pray that we will!! The project came together and hung out with the staff as they loaded up and did their last minute duties and they loaded in their cars, waved us goodbye and drove down Santa Clara. A memory I'll never forget. So many thoughts go through one's mind at this time... How blessed we are to have met such amazing people that came just to help us grow and lead us towards Jesus everyday, who encouraged and challenged us to be better than we were yesterday. That project is half over. One month has already come and gone! It just makes me appreciate each and every day, cherishing it more than the last because I know how sweet and precious these times are, and I don't want to take a single day for granted. How much I have grown to love these people in such amount of time amazes me more than anything. Only through Jesus is this kind of love possible and I'm so blessed to have experienced it here with these people. They're my brothers and sisters and life-long friends. God has blessed me this summer so much more than I could've imagined. There have been some extremely hard and challenging days but He has sent me here for a reason and I know I am where I'm meant to be.
I pray that The Lord blesses your week and you find joy in the simplest of days :)
In Christ,
Priscilla
That next day, the staff left. We all woke up early to say our goodbyes. I think San Diego knew it was a sad day for us because although we were at the end of "June Gloom" it was a very gloomy and blue day for all of us. It's so hard to say goodbye to people who made such an impact on our lives. Although we have a hope that we will all see each other again, knowing that we might not is still a hard thing to grasp. But God can do amazing things and we all pray that we will!! The project came together and hung out with the staff as they loaded up and did their last minute duties and they loaded in their cars, waved us goodbye and drove down Santa Clara. A memory I'll never forget. So many thoughts go through one's mind at this time... How blessed we are to have met such amazing people that came just to help us grow and lead us towards Jesus everyday, who encouraged and challenged us to be better than we were yesterday. That project is half over. One month has already come and gone! It just makes me appreciate each and every day, cherishing it more than the last because I know how sweet and precious these times are, and I don't want to take a single day for granted. How much I have grown to love these people in such amount of time amazes me more than anything. Only through Jesus is this kind of love possible and I'm so blessed to have experienced it here with these people. They're my brothers and sisters and life-long friends. God has blessed me this summer so much more than I could've imagined. There have been some extremely hard and challenging days but He has sent me here for a reason and I know I am where I'm meant to be.
I pray that The Lord blesses your week and you find joy in the simplest of days :)
In Christ,
Priscilla