A great birthday!

I am officially 20 years old today! I'm trying it on and it feels good! 20. tehwentie. twenty. twunny (as said down here). I figured nothing spectacular was going to happen today but sure enough, the Mescher's and others made this day very memorable. Today was also the very first day being in the church office. To inaugurate my staff membership, Gaylia brought the Salado-famous Johhny's breakfast burritos. It was so great to finally meet all the staff and be a part of the planning process. After the staff meeting a ran through the summer with Tim, the youth minister, and helped him with a few projects. I bounced back and forth between Tim, Kevin, and Scott all day helping them prepare events and brainstorm ideas. Although every day this summer may not as easy as today, as far as the work load, it was certainly a great day! The staff has totally welcomed me with open arms and I am very excited to head back in tomorrow...

When Scott and I pulled in to the house after work, I was greeted by birthday balloons and a cake siting on the table. The Mescher's were able to pull off a surprise party right underneath my nose! They then treated me to dinner in Temple and then to cake and a song when we got home. It was way beyond anything I would have expected from this family! I am so blessed to be staying with Scott and Corey, they are such wonderful people who show so much kindness, love, and hospitality to me and others in this community. 

I took a few pictures from today's surprise!

Memorial Day

           It has been an exciting couple of days in Texas so far! Yesterday was my first exposure to First Baptist--I shook a lot of hands and forgot a lot of names--and I am very excited to see where I will be in the following months. I met most of the staff at FBCS and I really felt a warmness and welcoming spirit by all. I chatted with the lead pastor ,Travis, before the second service and his initial journey into ministry much like my current situation and I felt very encouraged afterwards. Travis shared with me how he too left his home town after his sophomore year of college and worked at a church he has never attended. He told me that summer was extremely influential in his decision on which area of ministry to pursue. His testimony brings so much encouragement to me, but it also gives me a sense of anxiousness. I desire so deeply to fulfill my ministry and follow the path that the Lord desires for me and I want to walk away from this summer having a better direction in ministry. I guess when it all boils down I want to be teaching the message of the Bible, loving others, and making/encouraging disciples. I need to trust God with this summer and trust that He is absolutely and totally worth my entire life which includes my career path....

Some other things that have happened in the past few days:

-We played basketball at a students graduation party yesterday, and I finally did that one crossover between the defenders legs and took it in for the finish. I have never played a game of bball that well in 99 degree weather.

-Scott and I (mostly Scott) cut down a tree today on Papa Bob's prairie. Shout out to Big John for making me the worker that I am today. 

- Had a great late night theology talk with Scott last night. I am looking forward to many more over the course of this summer. 

           Tomorrow is the first "real" day of the internship and I cannot wait to become closer friends with this team of leadership and see what I can do to serve. Begin to pray for Super Summer which is coming up next week. Pray that the gospel will be preached and hearts will be softened to receive and adjust. 

This hymn was sung yesterday and I just was moved by the lyrics. Christ is all we need and the only "need" in our lives...

1. 
   
2. I need Thee every hour, most gracious Lord;
   No tender voice like Thine can peace afford.
   • Refrain:
     I need Thee, oh, I need Thee;
     Every hour I need Thee;
     Oh, bless me now, my Savior,
     I come to Thee.
3. I need Thee every hour, stay Thou nearby;
   Temptations lose their pow’r when Thou art nigh.
4. I need Thee every hour, in joy or pain;
   Come quickly and abide, or life is vain.
5. I need Thee every hour; teach me Thy will;
   And Thy rich promises in me fulfill.
6. I need Thee every hour, most Holy One;
   Oh, make me Thine indeed, Thou blessed Son.

First day!

The first day is complete! Scott and I got in about 10:30 last night after almost 18 hours worth of driving. The trip seemed to fly by since the majority of the car ride was spent discussing life, theology, and this summer. After a good night's sleep I woke up to the wonderful Mescher family that includes Corey and the three kids Corban, Noah, and Ellie. Scott and Corey have shown so much kindness towards me by allowing me to stay in their house for the upcoming week...

Today was very relaxed and consisted of a very thorough tour of the majestic town of Salado. (It was about a 30 minute tour). This town is definitely different then the "town" of Fishers that consists of 80,000 people back at home. Although it may not be the most prominent landmark on the map of Texas, I am excited to see where God is working and how I can join Him this summer. After touring the church facility of First Baptist I am getting anxious to meet all the people that make up this particular part of the Body. I look forward to the relationships that will spring up tomorrow and I hope I can awaken affections for God in the people I walk alongside. Pray that I will be intentional this summer and that God will open the hearts of those in Salado...

Also...Scott told me today that Salado means "salty" in Spanish. That made me think of this verse "You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good fr anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet" Matthew 5:13

May we remain salty!

Packing up...

Well, it's crunch time...there is only about half a day between me and the open road to Salado, Texas. I have been packing everything into my car very slowly today as I have been thinking about what this summer ahead of me is going to be like. A feeling of unpreparedness continues to linger in my thoughts, but I know it is just my nerves of living in a new place getting the best of me. I have confidence that God has provided this internship for me and I know it will be a wonderful opportunity for spiritual growth and dependence upon God. Before I go on, I will catch you up on what exactly I will be doing this summer...

I will be the summer intern at First Baptist Church in Salado, Texas working with mainly youth and children's ministries. Much like previous internship, I am sure my job description can be summed up as... "all duties as assigned" .... so anything this staff and body need me to do. I will be attending retreats, camps, mission trips, and Bible studies throughout the summer with a purpose of sharing the message of Christ and creating and developing His disciples. 

So I ask those of you reading this to pray. First of all, please pray for things outside of me. Pray for the people I will encounter in Texas, that their hearts will be softened like rich soil ready to receive the seed of the Gospel. Pray for this body of Christ (staff and congregation), that we will continue to grow in becoming more like Jesus and we will deepen our trust in God. Pray against the evil one, that his lies about God's saints being incompetent, failures, and weak would be defeated by reflecting upon the cross of Christ. Also, pray that Scott and I would have safe travel down to Texas tomorrow morning. I want to thank you all so much for your support and I will try my best to update this blog everyday or every other day.  

1 Peter 4:10-11

"As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies--in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen."