As the week progressed, this undertone of friendships independent of language or abilities seemed to seep into each and every heart.
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As summer comes to an end, so does our time with our four summer interns. It has been a pleasure to have each of them around and we are so thankful for their time and hard work these past few months. But before we say goodbye, we wanted to take some time to check in and see what they did during and what they thought of their internship.
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As the cast and crew broke down the set, put away props, and hung up costumes for the last time, my head swirled with thoughts. Gratitude for the experience. Love for everyone involved. Amazement at the support the show received... and wonderment at where the time went. The final performance of Jonah & The Wave Breakers marked the end of an almost four-month journey for most of the cast and crew. But for me, it began over two years ago.
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So why in the world are we spending an entire summer studying prophets from thousands of years ago? Hopefully, now that we are halfway through the summer, you aren’t asking that question anymore. If you are, this blog post won’t answer that question. But at this point in our series on the minor prophets, you might have some questions about the historical context for these prophets. So this blog post is my attempt to answer those questions better than Wikipedia would.
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Ethan realized he couldn’t be perfect on his own. He needed Jesus. While he was still in middle school, he started talking about the duality in his life with his Surge leaders, which alleviated much of the stress and shame. His Connect group embraced his vulnerability, which fostered an environment of trust and openness. Being able to confess and discuss his thoughts and feelings lifted a burden off of Ethan, and it freed him up to start praying and really listening to God.
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But there is no double meaning to Jesus’ words. He tells Judas that Mary did exactly what she was equipped for—what he equipped her for. She did exactly enough. Jesus fills in the gaps between Mary’s small action and Judas’ harsh words. And because she didn’t let the standards set by Judas hold her back, Mary’s story speaks to me all these years later.
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Yes, life might be easier if we could simply void out our emotions. But that kind of life wouldn’t be true life, would it? It wouldn’t be the kind of kingdom living that God invites us into. If God created emotions, then we can trust that they are good and serve a purpose. So what are we to do with them? It has been my experience that when we fully acknowledge our emotions, and entrust them with another person, we are on our way to holy feeling.
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When I close the Bible and live my life according to my own will, when things start crumbling and the walls of my life cave in, my first reaction is always to blame God, and it’s never God’s fault.
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A sabbatical is not a break; it is a season of a different kind to work, the internal kind of work that we often avoid by doubling down on external work.
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…he began searching for answers. He started praying again. He prayed asking God if he’s really there and if he’s really listening. “It developed into, like, I’m talking to someone that I know,” Austin explains. God used Austin’s prayers to pick him up piece by piece.
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Spending quality time together is very important to the VonRabenaus. They’ve enjoyed many a family vacation—sometimes up north to see snow, sometimes across town to visit Disney, but usually to the beach. And they’re excited to add Family Camp to their wide repertoire of traditions.
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In our study of Galatians, we have been looking at Paul’s defense of the gospel and his call to the believers in Galatia to not add anything—no rules, no laws, no additional steps—to their simple and profound faith in Jesus and in his death and resurrection. … I was reminded of the false gods that I and many believers that I know are tempted to serve again out of laziness, frustration, or just our plain self-centeredness.
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Tecla refuses to be merely a product of her circumstances but has taken ownership of her life and lives from her identity as a child of Christ. She expresses this contrast of circumstance and true identity in her art.
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It’s still scary to trust God sometimes. Committing to be a partner at Summit doesn’t mean my relationship with God is perfect and life is super easy now. There’s no switch on the control panel that makes everything great; there’s no autopilot. But I can sit knowing that he is for me and never against me.
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Alongside seven bright girls and two incredibly wise leaders, I learned (or at least took a stab at) what it takes to thrive in a family, and how to follow God’s commandments regarding honoring mine.
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The Edge Retreat was all about identity and why it’s important to tell your story truthfully. So after the retreat, we asked the students how they would introduce themselves to the author of their biography and what it means to them to know that God is the author of their story.
And this is who they are.
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She realized that her debt was trapping her in the day to day struggles. She wasn’t able to look ahead to the future because she was placing so much effort on managing her finances today. This was just not the life she wanted—not for herself and certainly not for her daughter.
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We had no idea what to expect, but we knew we weren’t committing to this alone. As our friends and family found out about the opportunity, they rallied around us and offered to help welcome Martin in any way they could. A member of our Connect group put it this way: “Your ‘yes’ is not just a ‘yes’ for you—it’s a ‘yes’ for our community.”
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2018 focused on the life of Jesus—who he is, his actions, and his teachings. During this year in the life of Jesus, we were challenged to follow the Gospel Reading Plan, a tool to use to learn more about his life.
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This year, the entirety of the offering collected at Candlelight Services will be given to One Lamb in Nairobi, Kenya. One Lamb began in 2011 when Ciru Mutura was called to meet the needs of vulnerable children. The organization works toward ending the exploitation of children due to poverty in their communities. One Lamb’s programs give these young girls resources and skills to benefit their lives while also sharing the truth of God’s grace and love.
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