Whoops, it's been a while since I've been able to update! Clearly, I've been very busy indeed, and the internet at the Hot Pig (which is what we call Hotel Pigeon Forge) is not necessarily up to par. I've a rough past couple days, so I thought I would list some things that have been encouraging or funny lately.
1. An old man called me "Granny" yesterday as I was leaving Dollywood in an attempt to cheer me up.
2. In my endeavors babysitting for the Hamiltons (some folks on staff with the Navs) I discovered the hard way that changing a baby boy's diaper is a skill and a warzone, and you have to be ready for anything that comes your way. Literally.
3. We had a square dance in a hot gym with little AC, and I was wearing way too many clothes, but I found that if I am sweating in any situation, the boys around me are sweating exponentially more.
4. I have learned that the treasure I have laid up for me with Christ is always going to be more encouraging than however discouraging a mean woman who may or may not work with me at Dollywood can be.
5. My team is so cool. We are women who are learning to love one another and care for and pray for one another. I have found that I can tell them when I am sad or discouraged and I don't have to have it all together because I am their leader. I had a rough day yesterday and I told them about it and they pointed me towards the Scripture. We have had hard conversations and good conversations and we have laughed so very much, and the Lord is just so at work on our relationships. He is answering prayers on top of prayers that I have for these women and our team, and it is sweet to experience.
6. Another old man at Dollywood told me that I have "beautiful eyes" and that I should always wear my blue dress to match them. Unfortunately, it is the 21st century, and I will not be wearing my blue dress outside of Dollywood often.
7. My parents are great and have sent me two cards with dogs on them, and various other things. People at the program probably think that I am unstable because I always cry when I receive these in the mail.
8. God has answered some prayers for me, like, INSTANTANEOUSLY. Seriously.
9. The people that I worked with last year really miss me this summer, and have told me multiple times how much they wish I was still working with them at Miss Lillian's (I am at another restaurant in Dollywood this year). It makes me really sad when they tell me this, and of course I usually cry, but it is really encouraging to know that I was able to impact them and I know it was Christ in me, and not anything that I did, necessarily. That gives me hope for my work situation this year.
10. I have discovered a new game, Banana Grams, and I am good at it. And that makes me happy. I love words.
And that is the end!
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Friday, June 10, 2011
You hold my lot.
I've been here for ten days. Tomorrow is one week for our team members. It has been a VERY full week, full of unexpected circumstances, confusion, struggle, laughter, new friendships, tears, and joy. God has thrown some things my way that I never would have expected I would have to deal with, and He has provided a way of escape, as well. One thing I have really taken to heart this week is that even though I am faithless, He remains faithful. He has designated every drop that goes into my cup, whether I think it belongs there or not, and it overflows. I don't always understand why I have to make certain decisions or get put in hard situations, but I know that trusting in Him to deliver me is the only way I can grow and be full. I have seen God answer prayers in ridiculous ways this week, and it makes me excited to see what the summer is going to look like. I love it.
My team is AWESOME. Jazz, Allie, Debbie and I get along really well, and even though we're all pretty different, we have Christ in common and that is something wonderful. We decided that for our team name, we are Anchored. We were making button rings out of some buttons I brought from my mom's accumulation over the years, and somebody noticed that several of the buttons had anchors on them. We all made a ring with an anchor button and remembered the verses in Hebrews 6 that talk about the hope of Christ being a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf. We have had some really valuable time together and it is so encouraging to see us growing closer, more vulnerable, and more comfortable with each other as we have fun, pray, study the Bible, and just live life together.
I am so thankful for the blessings that God has placed before me, and I am in awe of the enormity of His love for all of His children. One thing that I have been praying about lately is just that, Lord, I am so overwhelmed with things to do and people to see and work and all of this stuff, but mostly I am overwhelmed at Your abundant love for me.
The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup;
you hold my lot.
The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance...
You make known to me the path of life;
in your presence there is fullness of joy;
at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
Psalm 16:5-6, 11
My team is AWESOME. Jazz, Allie, Debbie and I get along really well, and even though we're all pretty different, we have Christ in common and that is something wonderful. We decided that for our team name, we are Anchored. We were making button rings out of some buttons I brought from my mom's accumulation over the years, and somebody noticed that several of the buttons had anchors on them. We all made a ring with an anchor button and remembered the verses in Hebrews 6 that talk about the hope of Christ being a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf. We have had some really valuable time together and it is so encouraging to see us growing closer, more vulnerable, and more comfortable with each other as we have fun, pray, study the Bible, and just live life together.
I am so thankful for the blessings that God has placed before me, and I am in awe of the enormity of His love for all of His children. One thing that I have been praying about lately is just that, Lord, I am so overwhelmed with things to do and people to see and work and all of this stuff, but mostly I am overwhelmed at Your abundant love for me.
The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup;
you hold my lot.
The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance...
You make known to me the path of life;
in your presence there is fullness of joy;
at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
Psalm 16:5-6, 11
Friday, June 3, 2011
I'm here!
WOW. I mean, WOW. I have been in Pigeon Forge for 4 1/2 days now and it has been going non-stop nearly the WHOLE time. It's been amazing to meet the other team leaders and form a tight community with them these days before the team members get here. I have only spent the last 4 days with these people, but I feel like I have known them for weeks already. It is amazing how tightly bonds can form when your relationships are founded on the Word and a relationship and love for Jesus. I already know that the women who I have been living with for mere days are going to be serious supports and rocks for me this summer, and hopefully I will be the same for them, as we all strive to be honorable vessels, encouragers, and challengers of our teams. We are all absolutely dying for the team members to get here, but I am also really cherishing this time to spend with them and get to know them. It is so encouraging for me to know that, whenever I get overwhelmed, there is a girl on my right and on my left that knows and is experiencing all of the same fears and anxieties that I am. The time spent here has been so amazing, so overwhelming, so stretching, and so exciting, and the summer has hardly even started!
Tonight we spent time doing evangelism in Gatlinburg, and it was amazing to see how God answers prayers. Any time that I have shared "the bridge" (an illustration involving Romans 6:23 that helps explain our faith pretty entirely) I have always shared with someone who is already a believer. That has been encouraging, because I usually get really good feedback and I have seen the folks receive inspiration and encouragement from me, but it hasn't been challenging. Every time I go out, I pray beforehand that I would approach someone who doesn't know Jesus, so that I might be able to share the most amazing news with them that they may not already know. Tonight, that prayer was answered. I spoke with a woman named Vicki who had a lot of spunk and not a lot of Jesus in her life. We had a good, firey conversation in which we got a long pretty well but she definitely gave me a hard time. Ater I convinced her that I wasn't taking her anywhere or charging her money, and that I would only take ten minutes of her time, I began to explain Christ's sacrifice for us. She hated answering my questions and was clearly uncomfortable, but I tried to act casual and easy going and I think she started to feel a little more at ease. When I finished, I asked her if she was on the side with God, or if she was walking by herself. She definitely knew that the side she wanted to be on was with God, but she wouldn't say that was where she was. She was not a believer in Christ, but she "believed." I explained to her about my relationship with God and how I knew that He loved me enough to give me free will, but also to give me a way out of the hole I've dug with my sin. It was a SWEET conversation and I was so encouraged to know that I could feel the peace of God, the confidence I have in Him, while being challenged in a very real way. God is good!
Our team members get here tomorrow, and I feel very overwhelmed but incredibly excited, as well. I am so not ready, but I guess I will have to be!! Please pray for Jasmine, Deborah, and Allie (the girls on my team!). It's about to go down!
Also pray for me. That would be great.
If you want my address here, it is:
Hotel Pigeon Forge
c/o Navigator STP
Kathryn Chandler
2179 Parkway
Pigeon Forge, TN 37863
Tonight we spent time doing evangelism in Gatlinburg, and it was amazing to see how God answers prayers. Any time that I have shared "the bridge" (an illustration involving Romans 6:23 that helps explain our faith pretty entirely) I have always shared with someone who is already a believer. That has been encouraging, because I usually get really good feedback and I have seen the folks receive inspiration and encouragement from me, but it hasn't been challenging. Every time I go out, I pray beforehand that I would approach someone who doesn't know Jesus, so that I might be able to share the most amazing news with them that they may not already know. Tonight, that prayer was answered. I spoke with a woman named Vicki who had a lot of spunk and not a lot of Jesus in her life. We had a good, firey conversation in which we got a long pretty well but she definitely gave me a hard time. Ater I convinced her that I wasn't taking her anywhere or charging her money, and that I would only take ten minutes of her time, I began to explain Christ's sacrifice for us. She hated answering my questions and was clearly uncomfortable, but I tried to act casual and easy going and I think she started to feel a little more at ease. When I finished, I asked her if she was on the side with God, or if she was walking by herself. She definitely knew that the side she wanted to be on was with God, but she wouldn't say that was where she was. She was not a believer in Christ, but she "believed." I explained to her about my relationship with God and how I knew that He loved me enough to give me free will, but also to give me a way out of the hole I've dug with my sin. It was a SWEET conversation and I was so encouraged to know that I could feel the peace of God, the confidence I have in Him, while being challenged in a very real way. God is good!
Our team members get here tomorrow, and I feel very overwhelmed but incredibly excited, as well. I am so not ready, but I guess I will have to be!! Please pray for Jasmine, Deborah, and Allie (the girls on my team!). It's about to go down!
Also pray for me. That would be great.
If you want my address here, it is:
Hotel Pigeon Forge
c/o Navigator STP
Kathryn Chandler
2179 Parkway
Pigeon Forge, TN 37863
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