This morning I will attempt to share with you what I meant to last week... (This is Lauren. Hi!)

God has used the past year to reshape me by teaching me in some pretty intense, challenging and transforming ways. Obviously. And I have learned some amazing things, about myself, my weaknesses, and my God...

The last few weeks of school were... Intense. That's the only way to describe them that kind of does justice. It wasn't so much with school work, though that in itself was a sprint in the last week of me being there. The battles that came my way during the last weeks of school were very much emotional and personal.

At the beginning of each week, it was like -BAM! Here's your lesson for the week!- Each started with some sort of failing on my part, and ended in God's grace and mercy covering me. His faithfulness filled in the gaps where I had screwed up.

The first week I learned so much about myself and relationships through a difficult time with a friend. Monday was so marked by confusion, hurt, and frustration on my part, but as the week progressed and I spent much of it praying for God's Truth, He began to strip away the confusion until I was left with exactly what I had asked Him for - Truth. It was incredible to see how God completely answered my prayers and worked in this friendship, helping us to sort things out and come to a better place than we had even started from. I was amazed at God's power to work. Amazed that all that had been done to restore this friendship was not my doing, but the doing of One much greater, Who gave me more than I deserved by doing so.

The next week had a lot to do with my Swaziland mission trip, the certain logistical responsibilities necessary to be allowed on such a trip, and my certain weakness in completing these logistical responsibilities in a timely fashion... It was not good. But once again, through my tears, I saw God work. Granted, I had to snap into gear and really get things done, but even while doing so, I wondered if this time God would teach me the hard way. For a period of about two days, (which felt like forever!) I felt deeply that my not going on this mission trip was a distinct possibility because of my irresponsibility. I knew I had let people down- people on my team, people in the office of the organization sending us... It was terrible! So I learned a lot about humbling myself and recognizing my weaknesses in front of others... letting go of pride.

There are so many more things that God is working on in my heart! But these two experiences are a piece of what He's been doing in my life. The over-arching lesson I have learned is that learning itself is a painful process, but God is faithful to the end. He is faithful to bring the salvation He has started in us to completion. Yes, it hurts. But as my last lesson of the school year taught me...

My last few days of school were FULL of finals and papers and work. My major end-of-the-semester-paper in Hebrews was an exegesis (an in-depth look at a certain passage of Scripture) on Hebrews 11:39-12:11. This passage is about...

Enduring Hardship as God's Fatherly Discipline

He put a neat little bow on what He was teaching me!

And so, I am so looking forward to this summer and all the stretching experiences God will use to teach me and my family. This summer will be huge in our life as a family, and in each of us individually. My prayer to see God's Truth in all situations continues, and I pray that we are equal to the discipline that this intense training will bring!

Lauren