My summer was a good one. For me, it was a time of learning to rely on God, learning to adjust to new things, and learning how to become more of the woman that God has called me to be.
Much has gone on to begin this process of transformation in my life, and God is so good to have begun these changes using both situations in my life, and blessings and situations in other's lives to teach me many wonderful nuggets of wisdom and his love.
In June my close friend and sister, Bethany, returned home from her semester in Spain teaching wonderful little children. Bethany has spent much of the past year away from home, spending the fall semester at the Focus on the Family Institute, and the spring semester abroad teaching for the Lord. It was not easy having her so far away when we are so close, but God is good and has grown our friendship despite the distance...it just goes to show that God is not limited by our circumstances. Her homecoming was a wonderful time of reunion.
Not long after her return, we (her family and myself) threw her a welcome home party at my house. It was a wonderful day and many of Bethany's family and friends were there to bless her and celebrate her return from serving God over seas.
God used the process of preparing for her party to teach me about caring for my home. The Bible describes one of the woman's roles in Proverbs 31 as taking care of her household through maintaining it and being busy within the home. In my devotion time with God as the summer was starting I asked the Lord to teach me how to be busy in the home since I have never really felt a calling towards being internally motivated to do anything overly domestic on a day to day basis. God answered that prayer for me in spades! Normally in the summer I would be content to just sit and read a book and worry about cooking, dishes, dusting, and domestic organization at a later date...I could easily finish 15 books or so by the end of the summer. Not this summer, I think I read only 5 books total this summer and spent the rest of the time being busy in the home and in other areas of life.
A wonderful blessing from God this summer has been the privilege to be able to witness the love story blossom and grow between Bethany and her beloved, James Hanson. God has blessed them and they are now planning a life together as husband and wife very soon. I know that is is really a blessing in their lives, but God has used it to show me through the lives of those I care about just how much He longs to bless me. The older I get, the harder it is for me as I remain single year after year. This past year has been one of the hardest in that regard. God has brought me through much, and wrought victory in my life through many areas regarding this issue...but, despite it all I still have much growing to do and was losing hope.
I don't know if you know anything about losing hope, but it is not a good place to be in. When hope is gone, or fading, you lose faith. When you lose faith it affects all areas of your life and things look bleak. But, as I watched the love between Bethany and James grow (and am continuing to be blessed to see it keep on growing), as well as through continued study in devotion to God, he is showing me that there is hope and that he has created me to love and be married. I am choosing to place my hope in this and look for God's leading in this area of my life, as well as all other areas.
I do not always get it right, and there are times of extreme struggle as I continue to do my best to wait patiently on God's will for my love life, but I know that I can trust God and place my hope in him because he is sovereign and wise.
In July, I was able to go up north to Cottonwood for several days on two seperate occasions to spend some time with my parents. The first time, I went up on my own and spent several days hanging out with my parents. My mom and I went to a local orchard in the Oak Creek area and picked over 6lbs. of blackberries, which we used to make jam and other homemade treats.
Again, it was an answer to my earlier prayer about learning how to be busy in the home in that I learned a LOT this summer about cooking, and I have found that I really enjoy it if I have the opportunity to cook for others and not just myself (cooking for yourself has no real satisfaction since there is no one else there to enjoy it with you, if you ever would like a homecooked meal and time of fellowship just let me know and I would be happy to cook for you).
Picking blackberries was a wonderful time together, full of laughs when my mom slipped and fell in the muddy creek, as well as refreshing when we stopped to take pictures of the creek and dipped our tired feet in the cool creek. God's creation is truly wonderful and beautiful, the short time we spent sitting at the creek was relaxing and breathtakingly beautiful as we looked at the creek flow underneath the bridge we sat on. God's creation truly does declare his glory and beauty! To see this lush and green area tucked away in the middle of the Arizona desert was beautiful.
I then later went up with Bethany and her parents for a weekend of relaxation. While there, my mother taught us both how to make pie from scratch. Bethany made Apple pie, while I made Blueberry. It was delicious! We had a wonderful time just relaxing around the house, star gazing at night on my mom's hammock, and playing card games with our families...Hand and Foot is the BEST card game in existence. If you haven't ever played you are missing out.
My fourth of July was also spent with my parents up in Cottonwood. The church that my father pastors sits atop a small hill that has the PERFECT vantage point to watch the fireworks in Cottonwood. Up there they have no street lights other than those on the main drag through the town since the light pollution would interfere with the telescope in Flagstaff, so it gets really dark at night as well as a LOT cooler than in Phoenix. I think it was about 85 degress or so while we sat in the church parking lot after a Church cook-out. Both my brothers and Nana were up there with my parents and me. We had a nice night fellowshiping with the church members of where my father pastors and then sat out in the church parking lot to watch the fireworks show. My dad even dressed up in his Uncle Sam costume for the occasion. :)
I also had the opportunity this summer to spend a week in beautiful San Diego, CA. I always enjoy going there since I get to be by the ocean and spend time with my family that lives there. While there I was able to meet my cousin Emily for the first time since she was born last July, I spent time with my extended family as we had a mini family reunion, took the "Seal Tour" with my Nana, and got some really great photographs of the ocean.
My time there was beautiful, as it always is when I get to be by the Pacific Ocean. I know that there will be no Ocean in Heaven since it represents seperation and death since we, as humans, can't live in the water, but I am truly greatful that we have it here on Earth. For me, it is almost a physical representation of God with how beautiful, constant, powerful, bountiful in how it provides for us, and relaxing it can be. I just love sitting on a cliff or the beach looking out at the waves as they crash against the shore...it soothes me and reminds me of my creator.
This summer was a wonderful one. God taught me so many wonderful lessons about life in general, about his provision and blessings, about faith, about relationships, about his sovereignty and wisdom, and in general what it means to follow after and rely on him. I know that I have a long way to go as I continue to grow in the Lord, but are we ever really finished growing in our faith and devotion to God? With such and infinite and wonderful God, how can we ever learn all there is to know about him? I have a feeling we will even learn about him as we praise him for eternity in Heaven.
I hope and pray that you have had a wonderful summer; and if you have recently gone back to work for the school year, like I have, that you are blessed and looking for the opportunities presented to you every day to do the Lord's work.
To God be the glory, amen!
Proverbs 3:5-6 "Tust in the Lord, and lean not on your own understanding. But in all your ways, acknowledge him and he will keep your paths straight."
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