so on monday i still needed to raise $1415 for support. today i met with the one director to discuss my support and my options and he informed me that i owed $540.51. i just about fell out of my chair. other students had raised extra and one student decided to personally support me. i'm still amazed by the generosity of that student, to the point where i don't know how to express my gratitude. i am truly in awe of God's grace. i don't deserve the support money that he has provided for me. i don't deserve it at all, yet he is gracious, and continues to provide for my needs.
part of me feels so guilty about accepting the support because i've had such a difficult time trusting God with it. i can honestly say that i didn't fully give my support raising over to God. the idea of trusting him to help me raise such a large amount of money baffled me. i'm so used to having to support myself and provide for myself that i couldn't grasp the concept that God would provide for me.
leaning to be humble and to trust God is my theme of lessons this summer. he's constantly showing me how he can provide for me, if i just trust him. i get so frustrated with myself that i'm unable to do that. it's only when i reach desperation and a breaking point that i'm able to turn to God. like with finding a job, i was so frustrated and tired, but God provided me with a job at shoreline. support, i felt like i had hit a brick wall. i didn't know who else to contact, i didn't know what else to do to raise the money, and God provided. in such a huge way.
in other news, project is moving along quite swiftly. the staff leave this week! it's bitter sweet for me. i feel like i'm finally starting to break the ice fully with katie and really get to know her, and she's leaving. but the other part of me is excited to see all of the students step up and live up to their potential in leadership roles.
maybe i should back up a bit. staff leaves half way through project. shocked? so was i when i found out. when they leave they leave the students in charge in various leadership positions, which the staff as a whole decides upon. my leadership role is one of the campus leaders. i'm with another person (quinn) and we're in charge of the campus ministry on our three campuses. i'm honestly really excited about my job. quinn is an awesome guy and i think we're going to work really well together. i'm also just excited about spreading the gospel on these campuses. it's an excitement that i never in my life thought i'd feel. it's so awesome!
i love my job. the people and managers at shoreline are so nice and so understanding. one of my managers saw me one night when we went out sharing and he told me that he thought that what we were doing was really admirable and that "it takes some balls to be able to do what we do." it made me smile. he jokes around about us being "the God squad," but it's cool to know that he really does respect what we're doing. i also get some pretty sweet benefits with my job. 10% off of everything at navy pier, free boat rides and water taxis for me & friends & family, and free admission to the field museum, shedd aquarium, and adler planetarium. plus my job's just fun. i get the occasional annoying customer and stupid question, but hey, if that's the worst part, then who am i to complain?
i've done other cool things that are post worthy, but i'm getting kind of tired. plus this post is getting kind of long.
OH! i AM excited about eliza coming to visit me!!! July 22-25!!! yayyyy!!!!!! =)
me & my discipler (sp?) katie on a boat tour!
fireworks on the lake shore for the 4th of july! there were SO many people! it was CRAZY!!!!
