gilgal

Gilgal. Literally it's the place where the Israelites camped after they crossed the Jordan (Joshua 4). Right now it's a little wicker basket on our upstairs desk filled with memories of what God's done these past months that we'll read as a team tomorrow at our weekly Sunday afternoon meeting. It's an activity we decided to keep doing after our Midyear with Joe and Allison. (I've still got to write a few more...) So when I hear Gilgal, I think: place of rememberance. It signified us looking back on the first half of our STINT year, and now - the past months of ministry.

About a week ago I was reading in 2 Kings 4, and one of the verses (38) starts off, "Elisha came again to Gilgal when there was a famine in the land." That Elisha - he knew what was up. He knew the Lord's faithfulness. Where Israel had been and how God had worked. And he expected him to work; to give them food in the midst of famine.

And I was suddenly so aware that I need to return to Gilgal; to be in a place of recognizing the Lord. Who he is, what he's done; and have faith - trusting Him to continue to work. And to fill me. I've been feeling pretty empty lately. It's hard to walk through those kinds of valleys, but at the same time I'm thankful that I'm forced to be dependent on the Lord to fill me. For Him to be the only thing I have to offer. How many times God will have to bring this to light before I live it out, I have no clue. Probably a lifetime. But with about 2 monhts of ministry left - we're all fighting indifference and complacency in ministry.

And after just one week on campus - man, has the Lord been working! Through our first (quite successful!) weekly meeting on Tuesday, Family Life seminars on healthy relationships, English club, new students coming to bible study, and our first Student Leader meeting/dinner last night - we can truly see this movement taking shape. It's totally in the Lord's hands, and we're continually on our knees asking Him to work through us. And we definitely won't stop.

I'm excited for tomorrow - to remember together all that God's been doing. And to look ahead to the coming weeks, with renewed joy, energy, excitement, and faith for what He's got planned!