I apologize for how long it has been since I posted. So much happened in March, and I still have roughly a month left in my internship this year! It is going to be a difficult adjustment to move from working at Wesley and at my new job part-time, to transitioning exclusively to full-time work at my new job for the summer. I am very grateful that the Lord has provided me with such a great job outside of Wesley - my bosses/coworkers are great, my schedule is flexible, and I can work as often as I have time. Working there this summer will be great provision for me, and I hope to be able to continue working there after Wesley starts up again in August.
While we're on the subject of next August, it is pretty much official that I will be an ISM intern again next year. I am excited to be able to continue in the work that ISM has started, even though the ministry will look different next year. In many ways, our leadership is coming under attack as we plan for next semester, and my desire is that the Lord will provide enough students from Wesley to continue on with the ministry, despite the changes coming our way.
ISM only has a couple of events left before my internship ends on April 28th. This weekend we're traveling to Savannah, and I am pumped to see what the Lord has in store for the 27 international students coming on the trip. We will stay with a good friend (and former ISM intern) and her family, enjoy fellowship with her church, and visit Tybee beach and downtown Savannah. Many of the international students who are going on the trip are brand new to ISM events, so I look forward to getting to know them better!
We are also hosting one final Easter/Farewell-themed Snack n Chat. Though we are still deciding how that event will look, it is bittersweet to think that it will be the last Snack n Chat that I will plan with my fellow interns. Next year, one will be moving to Colorado, and the other will be exploring another ministry at Wesley. I am glad that they are pursuing new things, and I am excited to share leadership with new people. I know God will provide interns and leaders who will thrive in this ministry.
As I look back on this year so far, I am continually amazed with the ways in which the Lord has provided for ISM, as well as provided for me. It has been hard to relinquish my finances to God, and in some parts of the year I have been at the point where if He did not provide for me, I would fail. Yet not one bill has gone unpaid! God has redefined what should make me happy, and what purpose money really has in my life. He has shown me that having a roof over my head, food in my cabinets, and fuel in my car is enough, and that I do not need extra money to live joyfully. I know that the season that He has me in is a season of refining, and that my financial situation may not always be dependent on support. However, without this season of financial insecurity apart from the Lord, it would have been much harder to understand that God is my provider. If my earthly father cares for me and does not want me to go without the things I need, how much more does God understand my needs and understand my need to be provided for? It is amazing when I take the time to realize that the Lord is really for me, and I have absolutely no reason to be anxious. My Heavenly Father knows what I need before I encounter every situation and every season of life. He is my comfort and I hope that I will continue to rely on Him more and more!
Up next: Savannah post!
Excellent, Excellent. You doing such a great job! You are always in my prayers.
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