So I don't have one 'big' thing to write about. Instead I'll write about little things the Lord encouraged me this week. Some aren't that little actually...
1) Got to serve at the Fall Festival at my church. I worked with my 1st and 2nd graders. It was such a joy to play a bunch of crazy games with them and have them cheer me on during the leader competitions (I won the whipped cream eating contest...)! It was a bit of a shock helping out with the 1st and 2nd graders in August... now those kids have become so dear to me. One drew a picture of me today and gave it me... the picture is complete with thick rimmed glasses! haha.
2) A dear friend of mine had a friend of his saved! Praise the Lord! I got teary hearing him tell of God's amazing grace. My friend not even a year ago was not walking with the Lord. In the Spring he came to me and confessed much sin, and I realized that God had worked mightly in his life that day. I knew that the change that was taking place in his life was only by God's good grace. Now, my friend was telling me about his friend getting saved and how excited he was to see God work in someone who he never expected God to work in! What an amazing thing it is to see the cycle of grace. My friend who normally has little emotion over anything was borderline giddy when he told me about his friend's salvation. A year ago today my friend would have never been excited about the Lord or His work... now thanks to God's work in his life he is rejoicing over our Lord's work! Amen!
3) An older gentleman delievered some paint from another store to my job on Saturday. He was a very joyful fellow. When I signed my name on the delivery ticket he mentioned that my name was a biblical name. I smiled and said 'yes, Matthew was a tax collector but was saved.' He smiled wide and said to have a blessed day. I thought how cool it was to be encouraged by a brother in Christ. He was old, African American, and I had never met him before... but my brother encouraged me that hour. We didn't need anything in common, we have Christ already.
4) I've gotten to enjoy much good fellowship with my roommates, a dear friend, and my brothers and sisters in Christ. My time spent with some of them is short, but what a joy my time is with them!
5) Sunday night dinners continue to be an encouragement to me! Tonight was no exception. It's such an amazing blessing to have fellowship with my dear brothers and sisters.
6) I got to have lunch with a very godly couple, Micah and Molly. What amazing examples of Christ's love, service, and encouragement.
