still changing...

It's so weird. in my last blog, I mentioned how I was starting to feel more different now that I've finished King's... and it's still happening! Sooo many people who knew me either before or during (including those unfortunate to have known me for both) are starting to point out how much I seem to have changed. the most popular comment seems to be that I'm more 'chilled out'... mainly from those who got to know me throughout my time at King's... which doesn't really surprise me (as so much was constantly going on there, with God challenging me, my attitudes, my obedience and my faith through every single thing, I never could really just relax)... but even my mum has noticed a change. And she's been with me my whole life!

Honestly, I don't think it was just bible college that has brought it on; my trip to Uganda really did change me in many ways. For some reason, going there - the culture, the people, their joy and their thankfulness, changed me so much. Right at my core. They just take each day as they come. Praising God for every little thing. We stress about so much, so unnecessarily, and it just wears us down. I have so much to be grateful for, and how often do I remember that? Not that often really. It seems that, during my visit over there, God just completely opened my eyes to the small things. And how He blesses us again and again through them, but we hardly ever notice because it's things we take so much for granted. The people I met over there, both African and Western, are so aware of everything that God is doing for them, that they have faith for even bigger things! Because they see Him taking care of them in every other way! They trust in Him so intently because they see Him provide again and again. In food, in water, in friends, in joy, in hope, in love.

Emily (one of the girls on the team from Northampton with whom I went) and I took one of the evening devotions at New Hope with one of the family groups, and as we hadn't been given ANY prior notice about this, we were really just praying that God would speak to us about what He wanted us to do that evening. It turned out that we felt He wanted us to talk to them and talk them through God speaking to people (prophetically), and how He wants to talk to everyone, we just need to learn to listen. Then we spent a few minutes praying and waiting on God (baring in mind this was only a half an hour slot, with children as young as 4/5 years old), and then asked them if any of them had anything to share...

We waited.

And waited.

Until one of the older boys spoke up.

This is what he said:

"I feel that God wants us to remember to take up every opportunity. Never to be satisfied with simply living our lives. He has BLESSED every one of us by rescuing us and bringing us here [to New Hope] and this is not where He wants us to stop. He wants us to keep moving. To keep trusting. And to have faith that He will make our lives better. He has so much in store for us. To stop and feel sorry for ourselves because of what happened in our past is NOT an option. We need to look forwards and rejoice, for our futures are certain. Life with Him is our future. Praise God!"

Most of us haven't been through even half of what these children have.

We can learn so much from those who seem to have nothing.