TWO WEEKS!

There are two weeks left for me in Australia! I am so ready to be home! I've enjoyed my time here, but there is just a since of closure and it is time to move on to what's ahead in my life (a.k.a. figuring out what God wants me to do for the next step in my life - I can't believe I'm a senior in college!).

Well, I'll get my mind off of home and fill you in on what's been happening here. I have taught about five different religion classes over the last week, with two more to teach later this afternoon. While the kids don't always pay attention, I've really enjoyed interacting with them and hearing their answers to my questions. One of the religion teachers told me that I should be a teacher because I have a gift for it. It was nice to hear the compliment, but I told him that I didn't think I could handle a classroom full of kids five days a week!

I taught at the youth group meeting this week, and it went way better than my lock-in lesson! First, the video I had planned on showing didn't work and then hardly any of the small group leaders had looked over the guides that I had prepared for them. However, God is Sovereign and His plan prevailed. Oddly, the video not working didn't even stress me out. I just prayed and told God this was His lesson now so He'd have to give me the words and have His Spirit move in the small groups. I gave a little lesson on prayer...no idea what I said...but the youth were riveted, and then after the small group sessions, every single leader said that it was one of the best sessions they've ever had.

It was so encouraging to see God move. I've been asking Him to show me a little glimpse of the fruit from this summer, and He has been giving me so much more than I could have ever imagined. With the boys in my Go West group, the youth group, some of the conversations I've had with the adults in the church and then the young adults camp. This summer has been a struggle, but God is greater than all my struggles and I'm so glad that He has brought me through them.

This past weekend was Young Adults Camp with the church. It was fun to meet some people that I haven't really interacted with yet and just see what their take on life is. The speaker did an awesome job even with the three sessions not being joined together under the same topic. He spoke about not wasting your life, homosexual marriage and God's love. All of them were great sessions. During the weekend I also had a chance to be there for a friend through a very difficult time. She has a long road ahead of her, so I just want to ask if you could send a little prayer up for her right now. Just ask that God will remind her of his love and bring healing into her life.

This last week and a half in Cleveland is going to be fairly busy. I'm going to help in a soup kitchen tonight, doing street evangelism tomorrow afternoon, teaching another lesson to the youth, doing a couple more RE classes and Supa clubs at the school. Plus, I need to buy some souveneirs, spend sometime with the friends I've made, and do a little more sight-seeing! Pray that God gives me the time to do all that I need to do.