This Just Became Another Study Abroad Blog
Oh hey bloggy blog. Haven't tickled the ol' keys around this part of the world wide web lately, but I can definitely say I'm glad to be back on these ol' typin' grounds.
Tomorrow at approximately 7 PM CST I will be leaving the U-S-of A for 74 days, seeking to satisfy my never ending thirst for adventure and education side by side. I'll taking 5 weeks of classes in Lima, Peru, and 5 more weeks in Cusco, Peru.
So I mean, there's that.
As far as hopes, dreams, ambitions, aspirations, expectations, and things of the sort go, I can say comfortably that I really have none. This is not a result of lack of anticipation, but rather an overwhelming product of just that, anticipating anything and everything so greatly that I haven't even the slightest idea where to begin.
I like change, but I also enjoy persistance. I think that's one of the things that romances me so much about the Lord. He never changes, but is constantly challenging me to do just that, to change as I grow more in love with His steadfastness and hold my own anticipations with an open hand.
I've been reading through Joshua as I prepare to enter this unknown land, feeling such a strage mix of intimidation and excitement. In the book of Joshua, the Lord opens the people and the rulers of Jericho and Ai up to Joshua and his "men of valor," but not without Joshua pulling some weight at the same time. This isn't to say that God needed Joshua to pull weight in order to accomplish His purposes, God could have taken those cities on His own just fine. Rather, God chose to challenge Joshua, and entrusted him with this challenge, knowing that Joshua's obedience would be tested, but also that Joshua would prove submissive to the Lord's will.
The story that really sticks out in my head is found in Joshua 10 when God made the sun stand still while Joshua and His mighty "men of valor" take on the Amorites. God tells Joshua before battling the Amorites that He has already delivered the people into Joshua's hands, Joshua just needs to fight.
I feel like when people hear this story they're always focusing on the fact that God made the sun stand still so that Joshua could win, which is absolutely true--but man! Poor Joshua! God made the sun stand still, making the fight wage on even longer. This gave the Israelites time to win. He made the war easier for Joshua and the Israelites in the long run, but in the moment, it sucked to be Joshua.
While we are here on Earth, sometimes it can seem like it really sucks to be us, but God uses these moments of suck in our own eyes to show us how glorious He really is. While I'm in Peru, there will be moments of suck and moments of awesome, and I write these things now before any of these moments approach me to prepare myself for both them.
So I look upon this journey seeing myself as a Joshua, not understanding even a little bit why the Lord has led me to Peru, but trusting in my God, my Strength, as I embark upon this journey.
"O my Strength, I will sing praises to you,
for you, O God, are my fortress,
the God who shows me steadfast love." (Psalm 59:17)
I've heard this verse read and read it myself countless times, in this Psalm, the psalmist calls God, "my strength." It is my prayer as I prepare to go and while I'm there that my strength will be so dependent on my God that they will be the same thing.
I ask you to pray this for me as well.
Tomorrow at approximately 7 PM CST I will be leaving the U-S-of A for 74 days, seeking to satisfy my never ending thirst for adventure and education side by side. I'll taking 5 weeks of classes in Lima, Peru, and 5 more weeks in Cusco, Peru.
So I mean, there's that.
As far as hopes, dreams, ambitions, aspirations, expectations, and things of the sort go, I can say comfortably that I really have none. This is not a result of lack of anticipation, but rather an overwhelming product of just that, anticipating anything and everything so greatly that I haven't even the slightest idea where to begin.
I like change, but I also enjoy persistance. I think that's one of the things that romances me so much about the Lord. He never changes, but is constantly challenging me to do just that, to change as I grow more in love with His steadfastness and hold my own anticipations with an open hand.
I've been reading through Joshua as I prepare to enter this unknown land, feeling such a strage mix of intimidation and excitement. In the book of Joshua, the Lord opens the people and the rulers of Jericho and Ai up to Joshua and his "men of valor," but not without Joshua pulling some weight at the same time. This isn't to say that God needed Joshua to pull weight in order to accomplish His purposes, God could have taken those cities on His own just fine. Rather, God chose to challenge Joshua, and entrusted him with this challenge, knowing that Joshua's obedience would be tested, but also that Joshua would prove submissive to the Lord's will.
The story that really sticks out in my head is found in Joshua 10 when God made the sun stand still while Joshua and His mighty "men of valor" take on the Amorites. God tells Joshua before battling the Amorites that He has already delivered the people into Joshua's hands, Joshua just needs to fight.
I feel like when people hear this story they're always focusing on the fact that God made the sun stand still so that Joshua could win, which is absolutely true--but man! Poor Joshua! God made the sun stand still, making the fight wage on even longer. This gave the Israelites time to win. He made the war easier for Joshua and the Israelites in the long run, but in the moment, it sucked to be Joshua.
While we are here on Earth, sometimes it can seem like it really sucks to be us, but God uses these moments of suck in our own eyes to show us how glorious He really is. While I'm in Peru, there will be moments of suck and moments of awesome, and I write these things now before any of these moments approach me to prepare myself for both them.
So I look upon this journey seeing myself as a Joshua, not understanding even a little bit why the Lord has led me to Peru, but trusting in my God, my Strength, as I embark upon this journey.
"O my Strength, I will sing praises to you,
for you, O God, are my fortress,
the God who shows me steadfast love." (Psalm 59:17)
I've heard this verse read and read it myself countless times, in this Psalm, the psalmist calls God, "my strength." It is my prayer as I prepare to go and while I'm there that my strength will be so dependent on my God that they will be the same thing.
I ask you to pray this for me as well.
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