In Awe of God

Impact Group

This summer has been one of the most challenging summers of my life, yet I am so thankful I listened to God's call for me that I had been putting off for a year. I never thought I'd be attending a two month journey that required faith, patience, and total dependance on God had you asked me less than a year ago.

Immediately, God showed me that I needed Him in every area of my life, regardless of how small as soon as I entered project. Of course, by my stubborn nature, I thought I could coast through this summer on my own strength and call upon God only when I really needed Him. I would go through my day faced with the challenge of meeting people, finding a job, being away from home, and many other little things that piled up and seemed as though they were bigger problems than they actually were because I wasn't allowing God to be a part of my life even through the small stuff. I refused to tell the students around me the stress I was feeling because I wanted them to think I had it all together.

Bible Study :)

God continued to allow me to reach points of desperation that directed me right back to Him in order that I may realize my complete need for Him. As I prayed for a changed heart throughout the summer, He answered my prayer through my daily quiet times in the book of Joshua, weekly meetings, new found friends in my Bible study, roommate, and other women around me to show me His awesome and wondrous character. Even through my job at a casual dining restaurant, Salsarita's, I learned new found patience, understanding, and compassion for those who didn't know Jesus, which led me back to Him all over again. Thankfully, I encountered many difficult customers everyday at Salsarita's that forced me to rely on the Holy Spirit that I may keep my cool and respond to their demands with a cheerful attitude and heart.

Easily the greatest thing I learned this summer involved the concept of brokenness. A complete surrender of self and acknowledgement of my need for God because I am a sinner and can do nothing without Him. As my faith began to stretch and grow, I felt the Holy Spirit move in my heart in order that my pride may be eliminated to make room for truth in God's Word and truths revealed to me in everyday situations. Countless times I faced disappointment in that I didn't feel substantial growth happening as I saw everyone around me full of Jesus' love and forgiveness, but God showed me that growth is not measured by outward appearance but by a change of heart.

Best friends!

I have never felt more in awe of God in my entire life thanks to Summer Project in North Myrtle Beach. Had I not gone on Summer Project, I would not have discovered my need for God and the importance of depending on Him because without Him, life is impossible. I have found a new sense of peace, forgiveness, importance of service, and desire to follow God's will because I trusted that God could use me this summer. Even though I may not have grown as much as others on project or in ways I expected, I am satisfied with my God and know that growing and learning takes a lifetime. As long I as am depending on Him and put aside my selfish ambitions, God's will will be revealed and He can still use a sinner like me for His great commission.

Thank you to all of those who prayed for and supported me this summer. It has been an amazing journey and if you want to ask anymore specific questions about my summer, feel free to contact me! My email is trish_2950@hotmail.com. If you'd like my cellphone number, email me :) Without your willingness to give, this would not have been possible! Thank you!



Trish

"When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, 'Who then can be saved?' Jesus looked at them and said, 'With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.'" Matthew 19:25-26

Renewed and Reminded

It has been nearly a month since my last post, and I apologize, but it is all for good because though I may not have noticed the changes God has been working into my heart, I am finally starting to see them reproduced in my mind and my attitudes.

Through Christ, I experience joy in His creation.

I started this summer with a mindset that was centered around selfish ambitions: how can I grow in MY faith rather than how can I grow FOR God's glory. I thought I was here for God, but in reality, I was here for myself because all I wanted was to grow as quickly and as much as possible in two months so that I could go back to my campus next fall full of wisdom, ready to show off to everybody.

With the selfish ambitions came the need to rely on my feelings and what I could get out of meetings and messages rather than focusing on my relationship with Jesus. I did exactly what the Bible and Cru teach against, "Not by works so that no one can boast" (Ephesians 2:9). My frustration began to escalate as I grew annoyed with God that I wasn't motivated to do anything for Him, especially quiet times, and I prayed continually that He bestow upon me the desire to have quiet times and pray and share and all of the things that a Christian is supposed to want to do in order that I may grow closer to my Creator.

As the month wore on, I felt my soul grow dryer each day and my satisfaction in the Lord dwindle to a dangerous rate. I was so embarrassed. My desire to meet with God had grown it's lowest it had since before the renewal of my faith a year ago. There was no way that I could still have favor in the eyes of Jesus. Everyone around me "seemed" to thirst for God and contain a satisfaction that I was jealous for. I put up a front to fellow students that I loved my Jesus with all my heart. The truth was, I just didn't. Jesus began to seem.....boring.

Alarmed at this realization, desperation hit me, and I cried my soul out to God for answers until my body couldn't cry anymore. God chose to keep silent because He knew that through my desperation I would learn to rely on Him rather than my own independence. I knew this in the back of my mind, too, but I needed more than head knowledge. My heart needed to be changed and broken to experience the joy only found in Christ. But how?

God began convicting me of my refusal to let Him in to fix my problems so that I could heal them on my own, and He delivered a convicting message He knew I'd hear.

June 24 was the day I was to attend a partnering church called Barefoot Church that I had heard didn't preach from the Bible and taught the opposite of what Jesus preached. I admit, I dreaded going, but I felt a nudge from God that morning to keep an open mind and an open heart. As I sat through the concert-like worship, strobe lights, and interpretive dancing I kept wondering, "What in the world can I possibly learn from these people?". God answered my question quickly when I heard the phrase, "Powerless situations are a setup for God's revelations" spoken by the pastor.

Ok, God...I'm listening.

The amazing women God has placed in my life!

The pastor began to teach that in order to live a full life we need to admit to God where we are, "Where man ends, God meets". I sat in my chair quickly taking as many notes as I could, hearing points like, "God will step in when we are honest with Him", "Have hope in the only thing that is not hopeless...Jesus", "A small amount of hope in the right thing will carry us further than hope in the wrong thing", and I felt an overwhelming calm as God reassured me of His great love for me.

The week went on, and I began to feel God working in my heart as He convicted me of being honest of where I was. I confided in my discipler that I had been having a horrible time on project because I felt extremely homesick, but after reflecting back on my answer and having her help me process through my emotions, I realized I had forgotten to include Jesus in the relationship I was trying to have with Him. God didn't stop there.

That next Sunday, a student gave her testimony during the Sunday night meeting and mentioned her remarkable witness of God's awesome power through the use of an "Impossible List", which is to write down all the things in your life you believe God is incapable of doing and pray for those things for six months. A perfect opportunity that God presented to me that I might place my faith in Him for bigger things than I usually pray for. Shortly after, a student director gave a list of verses displaying who God is, "I alone am God, the First and the Last. It was my hand that laid the foundations of the earth, my right hand that spread out the heavens above. When I call out the stars, they all appear in order, ” (Isaiah 48:12-13). I was amazed that God is so full of love for a broken and lost sinner like me that He would meet me in my brokeness in order that I might once again fall into His arms and give my life to Him once again.

The pin God brought to my attention :)

I am humbled that God allowed me to experience pain and desperation to show me He is the source of all I need, "God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort" (2 Corinthians 1:3). Powerless situations truly bring God's revelations as long as we are able to admit to God where we are at. Even through my ridiculous addiction of pinterest, God presented to me in a new light the verse Isaiah 66:9, "I will not cause pain without allowing something new to be born". I cannot express to you all how overwhelmed I am to know Christ as my Savior, possess the Holy Spirit of God, and call upon my Father when I am in need of His power. The character of God has captured my heart and renewed desire for Him through which I may not have experienced without the pain that consumed me this past month. Even as I write this my heart is filled with joy in who God is. His Spirit has filled me with the gentle reminder that He is what I need which has convicted me of my selfish habits and has cause me to rely on Him to keep me humble and think of others before myself so that I may be a light for my Lord.


Of course, I cannot rely on simple feelings to know my God is at work in my life which means I will need an abundance of prayer, that I might continue to rely on God to fill me with His spirit and go to Him first for all things. I hope that you never forget God's love for you. Depend on Him to heal your hurts, fix your brokeness, and be the source of all you need. You cannot fix that which you do not admit and give to God.


Thank you for all your love and support and may you have a Christ-centered week :)


Trish

“The Lord is my strength and my defense; He has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise Him and I will exalt Him." -Exodus 15:2

Learning To Rely On Jesus

Another week has gone by in NMB, and I feel God hard at work in my life. I feel His love and mercy flowing through me as I am doing my best to serve Him. Not only do I feel my God at work in my life, but I have been feeling the enemy as well.

It's completely appropriate that this weeks theme on project has been about "Killing the Giants", or in other words, conquering our fears that are keeping us from serving God to the best of our ability. I have been feeling the battle rage within my heart and mind as the enemy's lies attack and try to tear me down as I go out and share my faith. I have never felt the enemy as strongly as I do here, surrounded by believers, truth, and opportunity to reveal God's love to the people of North Myrtle.

This week has been particularly difficult to gain the confidence to go out and share while relying solely on God for the results. I admit, every time I go out and share I get this feeling of dread that roots itself deep in my heart. A million questions buzz through my head as I approach an individual. The lies surface, and I begin to doubt whether the conversations I have are beneficial. But the funny thing about God is that He gives you reasons why it is important to be spreading His Word.

Tuesday afternoon was rainy in North Myrtle, and it was the day my mentor and I were going to share on the beach. Instead, I got a text explaining that we were going to be sharing at the mall instead. Rather than going to the beach where everyone is spread out, giving me the time to think about how I'm going to approach someone, the mall was cramped and packed to the brim with people. Somehow I got the courage to point my head towards two younger girls sitting at a table filled with shopping bags and asked my mentor, "What about them?" Of course, even after I gained the guts to start walking over, I felt myself begin to doubt. I expected to be shut down immediately after I asked them if they would like to take a spiritual survey, but they agreed without hesitation. The conversation went well as we talked to them about the Holy Spirit and we were even encouraged to hear how knowledgeable and excited they were about Jesus even though they were sophomores in high school. Encouraged and thanking God for being present during the conversation, we saw two more young women sitting by themselves. My mentor suggested we talk to them but one look at their salon-styled hair, thick makeup, and tight clothes gave me an overwhelming fear that we'd be rejected. With persistence, my mentor walked up to them and asked if they'd like to take our survey. I was shocked to hear them respond, "Sure!" Again, God showed up amidst our conversation as we heard one of the women explain that her faith had been growing during the past year because her mother had kept a strong faith even though her father had died. As we left the girls with some Knowing God Personally booklets I couldn't help but feel ashamed that I doubted God for a second.

Putting the enemy's lies under my feet!

I admit, it's easy to let the enemy take over my thoughts and believe the lies he feeds me. He knows what I struggle with and what causes fear within me, and you could blame my inability to hear God through the storm because I had overlooked one area of my relationship with Him. Throughout all the activities, weekly meetings, training, sharing, and bible study I had forgotten something that is the most important aspect of my relationship with God: my alone time with Him.

I like to think that putting off my quiet times with God is comparable to catching the flu. Once I overwhelm my system with laziness/busyness/or whatever else that has distracted me from God, the enemy infects me with a virus that only God can destroy.The longer I go without God, the sicker I become. I hadn't realized how sick I had become until I sat down for a three hour quiet time Wednesday night to reflect on the week. I am currently going through the book of Joshua and am gaining insight on the commandment God has given His people, "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go,”(Joshua 1:9). What an awesome truth! Just when I think I have let God down, He stomps out the lies and boldly displays His truth.

This week has been a journey that has stretched my faith and pushed me emotionally. I had let Cru eat my lunch, but with the consistent prodding of God and His omnipresence I realized His everlasting faithfulness though I may lack faithfulness in Him. I had turned from my Lord and doubted Him countless times during the week, but He continued to reveal Himself to me until I noticed He was there. Most importantly, He reminded me that He is bigger than anything the enemy could ever throw at me, and my Lord is truth.

Future employment? Let's pray so!

With God's truths in mind, I set out on a job hunt for, it seems like, the one millionth time today. My friend and I were both discouraged as we first ate lunch at a nearby Wendy's. A few of our Cru friends employed there heard of our search and gave us the tip that KFC was hiring. My friend and I looked at each other with excitement and were on our way. We prayed before we began filling out our applications hoping that it was where God was calling us to work, and so we would greatly appreciate that you be praying for us as we anticipate God's answer to our prayers!

I apologize for not staying as up-to-date with my blog as I was hoping, but I appreciate the prayers you have been sending my way. Though it was a tough week to get through, you played a part as God stomped out the enemy's lies and filled my heart with truth. It won't get any easier the more I grow, but as you continue to pray for me God will provide me with the strength I need to keep my heart and mind focused on Him and His plans for the people of North Myrtle.

"For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." 2 Timothy 1:7. 

Love,
Trish

P.S. I was informed this morning by my roommate that I rolled over at three different times during the night and plain as day proclaimed, "Yay, Jesus!" Thank God for community :)

Me, Amanda, and Sam (my roomie) with our custom-made apparel!

My Sustainer

Every once in a while I find myself in a state of complete emptiness and a loss of zest for life, and yet every single time I find God meeting me where I am and filling me with peace and comfort only found in Him.

This morning I was bombarded with an overwhelming feeling of brokeness, and I felt like I would never be happy again. I didn't understand what had come over me. It was sudden and unexplainable, so I began to pray.

My prayer life has been lacking for weeks now because I always seem to be interrupted, forgetful, or think that I don't need to pray for anything. It's when I reach a point of total discouragement that I realize how much I need my God and all that He is to keep my life on track. Which is why I reach rock bottom in the first place: God desperately wants me to talk to Him!

After some much needed heart to heart with God, I decided to get out of my tiny apartment and dip my toes in the ocean with a friend to try and pull myself out of the rut I was in. As soon as I felt the water hit my feet and saw the waves crash against the shore I began to feel a calm rush over me.

My intentions were to collect shells for a while as I walked the shore, but my short walk turned into a 2.5 mile trek to the pier. Along the way, I was amazed by my surroundings: the clear blue of the ocean, soft texture of the sand, unique shapes and colors of the shells, the sounds of seagulls calling out to passersby, crashing waves, and the cool breeze flowing from the ocean. I felt the Spirit capturing my attention within me being that the two most extreme ways I experience God are through worship and nature. I prayed a prayer of amazement, thanks, and had a conversation with God about how cool I thought He was for thinking of all these little details that make the beach environment unique. This led to my prayer, or rather hope, that I would find one good unique shell that wasn't chipped or in fragments because in North Myrtle Beach finding a good shell is nearly impossible.

I continued walking to the pier when I noticed a pale gray swirl in the sand. I picked it up and smiled to myself because God had given me my shell. I was overjoyed that God would do something so simple yet so special for me because He loves me more than I can fathom and loves to show me that He cares. It reminds me of  Zephaniah 3:17, "The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.”


The rest of the trip, I continued to talk with God, and He never failed to show me He was there. I found another perfect shell as well as a sand dollar, the pier was beautiful, and the sun setting behind the numerous resorts changed the color of the ocean.

The Spirit continued to fill me as I ended the night by serving food to the homeless at Ocean Drive Presbyterian Church. I couldn't help but feel love for the people that passed through the line because the joy that was present on their faces as the volunteers and I handed them their food was incredible. They have so little, but though they may not have it as well as you and I, they carry on. As it says in 1 Peter 4:10 "As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace." We were made to serve and it is when we serve others before ourselves we find the most happiness.

I am so thankful for God's gentle reminder today that I need Him regardless of how strong I think I am. When I submit to His power and let Him control my life and acknowledge my weakness, He has room to show how much He loves me. As children of God, we are called to remain in constant communication with God. It is then we are able to receive His grace and mercy.

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." - Philippians 4:6

With love,

Trish

P.S. Continue to be praying about my job search. I've still had no luck, but God's got a plan for me still. :)

A Different Culture

(I apologize ahead of time for the long post! I have been without internet, and it has been a very busy week! Thanks for reading :) )

Today is day six of a 10 week journey God has placed before me this summer in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and I have to say...I am definitely not in Iowa anymore!

I expected the 1400 mile drive to be long and cause me and my carmates to become crabby individuals, but by the grace of God He filled us with joy and enthusiasm to last us the trip.

The trip began with three of us as we drove through the plains of Minnesota into the slightly rolling hills of Wisconsin to pick up our final passenger. We then continued on into Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, and finally South Carolina, our destination. It was amazing to see the changing landscapes: plains to hills to the Great Smoky Mountains. I wish I had proof of how beautiful it was, (the Smoky mountains really are smoky!) but I was unfortunately was the one driving as we passed through the mountains.

God began showing Himself as soon as I left Worthington, Minnesota for South Carolina. I was blessed to have perky and unique people accompany me on the long drive to ensure that no one went insane. Jam sessions in the car, finding out that Burger King serves disgusting coffee, Indianapolis Arby's employees do not know how to spell "Karissa" but spell it, "Charissa", and 24 hours in the car made us more insane than we thought; as soon as we reached North Myrtle, the four of us realized how loud we could actually scream (men included). 

Roomies!

Day One: Though I was excited to reach North Myrtle, it finally sunk in: this summer is different than any other, it's completely dedicated to my Savior. I felt fear and apprehensiveness as I registered with the 100 people I'd be spending my whole summer with. Fortunately, I had raised above and beyond what I needed for support (thank you!), but I felt the overwhelming pressure of making the most of this summer because a sense of urgency had engulfed me that thousands of people vacationing here still have not experienced a relationship with Jesus. The fear began to melt away as I stepped out onto the soft, sandy beach and into the crystal blue water of the ocean. Being the first time I had ever seen the ocean, I was amazed at the beauty in front of me.

I was still processing the beauty I had experienced while exploring the beach as the entire project had the opportunity to introduce themselves the first night we arrived. We shared a picnic together, played a few games, and worshiped on the beach to a guitar with full stomachs and Jesus in our hearts.  

North Myrtle Beach at sunset

Day Two: The next morning, project met for our first meeting and learned that we will be studying the book of Mark in depth this summer in our Bible studies. We were given the schedule for the summer, material we would be training from, and were taught how to share our faith with vacationers on the beach.

We began sharing right away in groups of two, a terrifying reality for those of us that were not mentally prepared! Thankfully, God filled us with His Spirit after time in prayer,and we got a taste of what was to come this summer. I was joined with another girl from project as we gave spiritual surveys to tourists sunning themselves on the beach. One conversation we had in particular was with two recently graduated high school senior girls who thought that as long as you believe in a higher power, you'll go to a place much better than here. I was sadly not surprised to hear this response because I knew from my experiences of sharing on campus that young adults are being exposed less and less to Jesus.

Sharing was followed by a women's night of confession where the women of project shared our struggles, fears, and secrets so that we may become closer and comfort each other in the name of Jesus.

Day Three: Friday morning, project was educated in "How to be filled and walk with the Spirit", a subject that many Christians have not had a chance to learn in depth and grasp how important it is to know what it means (Ephesians 5:18). Though all Christians are indwelled with the Spirit all of our lives, not all of us are filled with the Spirit because it occurs when we yield to Christ rather than simply believe. We must continually drink from the Spirit in order to be filled and ensure we are being controlled by Him. We can do this by faith though prayer that God will fill us with His Spirit: a dependent person is a praying person.

After an uplifting message on the Spirit, staff sent us on our way to hunt for a job that we would be dedicating five days a week. Many students were employed immediately by McDonald's and Chick-fil-A, but I was not as lucky. I began to feel the pressure after an afternoon of searching and learning that many employers were not hiring or that they had received numerous applications. Feeling disheartened, I decided to start fresh on Monday and pray that God might fill me with understanding and patience.

That night, the women were given the chance to share their testimonies with each other in our small group Bible studies. Three other girls, my Bible study leader, and myself spent the night sharing our past hurts, struggles, and unique situations more in depth than we had during women's time the night before. You could feel God working through our stories in order that we may bond together as women in His name to uplift one another.

Day Four: Another morning of meetings, and Saturday we were enlightened on how we can find our value in Christ alone. A truth I found most uplifting is found in Ephesians 1:3-8. God has personally adopted as His children and predestined us to be a part of His family. When you think about it in earthly terms, adoption is an amazing gift because in order to be adopted, you must be chosen, and you then become legally a part of the family. God has chosen each one of us to be a part of His heavenly family. Praise the Lord!

With this in mind, I began another afternoon of job hunting and filling our application after application. Though I am currently without a job, I know God has a plan in this and that He will provide. An abundance of prayer in this area would be greatly appreciated!

The night wrapped up the exhausting day and consisted of an abundance of food, fun, and fellowship in a nearby park.

Day Five: Sunday morning started early at 8 AM with a Sunday school message about evangelism. Following Sunday school, project attended Ocean Drive Presbyterian Church that was only a few blocks from our apartments. I was ecstatic to be greeted with excited smiles of the congregation and their enthusiasm during worship and the message. A particular elderly woman was never shy to give a loud, "Amen!" when she agreed with the pastor's words about how we are to react during times of injustice. We were also privileged to witness a baptism of twin babies that were dressed up in their white baptismal gowns and remained cheerful as the pastor drew water crosses upon their foreheads. I am definitely excited for next Sunday!

My discipler (mentor) and I attempted to share on the beach in the afternoon, but being as it was Memorial Day weekend we came up short and found ourselves surrounded by families and did not see college age students. Taking in the opportunity, my discipler used the time to better understand who I was and what I am struggling with so that she could better help me grow during the summer.

After a heart-to-heart on the beach, project met in our impact groups (co-ed Bible study) and bonded over Papa John's pizza while placing ourselves on different teams we would be a part of this summer after staff leaves at the end of June. That's right! We as students become the leaders of project beginning in July after the staff leave permanently for their homes in the Midwest. We will be calling the shots and organizing outreaches, fellowship nights, and messages at weekly meetings.

Excited to begin training in our new roles, project gathered together for another meeting that consisted of the theme "Thirsting to know Him". We were initially given five saltine crackers and were asked to leave all liquids at the back of the room with staff. We were told to eat the crackers immediately as fast as we could, and sat through a message about being thirsty for Jesus. Rather than quenching our thirst with earthly desires that can be compared to salt water (looks like water but doesn't satisfy), we are to acknowledge that only Jesus can satisfy with fresh, living water, John 4:14.Thankfully, staff was kind enough to provide us all with bottled water and help us better understand what it means to thirst after our Savior alone.

The Spirit was alive in us as we ended an exciting week by worshiping on the beach and singing praises to our Lord and Savior who fills us, gives us value, and quenches our thirst.


Thank you all for your continuing prayers and support as I kick off my summer in North Myrtle, and thanks for reading until the end! I will try to keep posts shorter and update more often as my days will consist of work rather than meetings. Please be praying for me (you can look at my prayer requests page!) and keep looking for blog updates! I am still unsure of when is the best day to do so so I will let you know. :)

God bless your summers and may you be filled with the Spirit.

With love in Christ,

Trish

"Whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” 

John 4:14

A Little Background

In a few short days I will be cramped in a car with three other people who love Jesus headed to North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina to spread the Good News and grow in my faith. Sand, surf, and sun all summer long surrounded by people whose eyes are set on Christ and want nothing more than to follow His will.

I am nothing short of excited, but a farm girl from Iowa can't help but be nervous for the adventures that lie ahead with God and His glorious plan.

I never thought I would ever do something as crazy as traveling 1,453 miles from a quiet Midwest town of about 3,000 to one of the largest tourist destinations in the United States to share Jesus with people whose purpose in life is to get tan and have fun all summer long. It's amazing how God doesn't care about your life plans no matter how awesome they may sound to you.

My journey toward North Myrtle started last year when I got plugged into Cru at South Dakota State University my freshman year. I met a lovely woman who was my Bible study leader and asked to be my discipler (mentor). Towards the end of the year she kept insisting that I go on a Summer Project that was promoted like crazy at weekly Cru meetings.

It wasn't until this past school year that God started pulling at my heart and was pushing me to go to North Myrtle on a Summer Project. I finally agreed to His call and began to gather names and send out letters to raise support. I couldn't believe that I raised all of my support in one month; over $3,000!

So here I am, waiting patiently to follow God's call and evangelize to people who need Jesus desperately in their lives.

But what is Summer Project? What will I be doing? A few questions I have been asked over the spring semester as I was sending out letters and raising support.

What is Summer Project?
The Summer Project website (gosummerproject.com) defines a Summer Project as: "Over the course of the summer, you’ll be trained in communicating your faith with non-believers and believers alike. Along the way you’ll gain practical skills to help you apply Jesus’ teachings to your own life and pass them on to others. The hope is that you will become an effective Christ-centered leader both on your campus and in whatever field God calls you to after college." Specifically, I am attending a 10 week stateside project where my job is my ministry focus. Through having a job, I will be serving my co-workers and the community as well. A great way to show the community what being a Christ follower is about: service! As well as serving the community, I will be exploring Scripture through weekly project gatherings and small group Bible Studies and have a discipler just like I did at State who will help lead me through my personal relationship with Jesus.

I can't possibly define everything about Summer Project , so for the next 10 weeks I hope you will be following me on this blog to gain a better sense of what this amazing opportunity entails!

For those who have supported me in any way during these past few months, thank you! Your support is appreciated so much, and I am so thankful God has put you in my life as I dive head first into this adventure. I ask that you continue to pray for me, and you can see what specific things I will need prayers for on my "Prayer Requests" page.

Thank you all for supporting me, and may Christ bless your summers!

Love,
Trish

 P.S. The Summer Project website at gosummerproject.com is a great resource for anymore questions you may have!

 “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.” –Proverbs 16:3