Challenges that We Get to Face

If you have ever heard someone talk about a summer project, sometimes all you hear is the fairy tale version.

I was often skeptical of summer projects during the course of the last two years because of the lack of negative things I heard about them. Every person who ever spoke to me about their experience said: "it was the best summer of my life" "I made my best friends on project" "the Lord blessed me a ton." Honestly, it seemed that nothing bad could ever happen. I don't really remember hearing much in the way of conflict, challenges, trials, or failures.

Now, I'm not dogging on anyone who has ever told me about project. I get it. They wanted to encourage people to come, so naturally, they through out all the Pros. Nevertheless, in my mind, I had decided I wanted  to come back and be open and honest about all the hard things about project. I didn't want to experience a fake paradise, but instead a real-life situation.

I am blogging now to let you know that I am living that conflict, challenge, trial, and failure-filled part of project.

These past couple of weeks have really been hard to put into words, so I'll try my best. To put it bluntly, I haven't really had any of those "rosey, confirming, heart-melting, euphoric" experiences we so often strive for in our walks in faith. Instead, I have been witness again and again to my own brokeness getting in the way of the Lord's Will and Plan. I have had to deal with conflict, which no matter how you handle, is almost always messy. I am currently battling a cold that is taking my ability to concentrate, breathe, talk, and have humor. Lastly, I have been frustrated with my inability to figure myself out psychologically (something I'm usually fairly good at).

So yeah. It definitely been a hard few weeks. BUT! I have been fairly content through it all. Why? Honestly, because I know that despite my brokeness, sickness, and ignorance, the Lord's perfection, healing, and wisdom does not change! He has been teaching me throughout, as my heart draws to Him.

Now don't get me wrong, things haven't been THAT bad. I've still got all 10 fingers, both my eyes, and what's left of my ACLs.

Actually, there have been some pretty cool stuff going on down here!

In the past week, I have building some pretty sweet relationships with the guys I work with. There are a ton of cool guys there. I'm hoping to be able to hang with them after work. Also, yesterday we all went and helped serve in a homeless community in the area. We served dinner and ate with some of the people currently in the community. I got to meet this guy name Shad, a former wrestler who had recently come to begin a relationship with the Lord. He was a tight guy with a cool story of redemption and hope.

I'm going to update some prayers and praises on the other page. Check that out and go to the thrown for me. The prayers of a righteous man or woman are powerful and effective!