how i've witnessed god at work in my life

this is a list of the five big things/places/people/events/activities where i have seen god this year.  this is in addition to the many "small" ways that i see god every day.

1-south africa-my experience in south africa was just one stop, but one very big and very important stop of continually experiencing god's love.  one of the important things from that experience is the importance of learning to humbly accept generous hospitality.  the people we stayed with and the people we worked with while we were in cape town and in kwazulu natal were so generous with what they had and they welcomed us into their homes and lives as if we were family, though we were only there a short time.  so, since then, i've been working on learning to say thank you and accept gifts and hospitality rather than saying no thank you and refusing.

2-graduation-i made it to graduation.  i spent four years learning about things that interested me, expanding my world view, and being challenged in more ways than i can describe, and i came out of it feeling god calling me.  though my relationship with god is oftentimes to strange to explain, through my experiences and through the people in my life, luther college has helped to give me direction.  it has helped me to hear god's call in my life.  a call to love, ministry, ordination, and radical love and acceptance.

3-art-both in my photography class at luther and here in slovakia, i have been able to use art in many ways.  art, as understood for my photography class, was my me time.  my time to reflect and meditate on saturday mornings in the dark room.  it was time to just chill with god.  here in slovakia my art has been a release and a time to reflect and meditate here as well.

more than that, though, it has been a way to push myself and challenge myself to be bold (as i've begun coloring...as in, using colors, not just pencil, to draw) and to be public, so that i no longer hide my art.  i have also been able to use art in my work as i've been drawing our worksheets for the kids in our religion class.  i've been able to use art for myself and my own improvement, but also for talking about god.  this multifacetted usefulness of art has filled the niches that needed fililng, and it is clear to me that god is in the filling of cracks and niches.

4-churchwide assembly

5-yagm year-there is no way for me to fully express the many ways that i have seen god working in my life through the young adults in global mission program.  not only have i met many new people who have showed me the grace and love of god, but i have been pushed comfortably out of my comfort zone.  i am following where god is leading me and the adventure is amazing. 

the people, the places, the events, and in, through, and around all of that, of course the stories.  if nothing else, i am a story junky.  stories reveal so much more than simple facts, god's been giving me many stories and as i have learned new stories from others and found new stories for myself, i have found god in each of the stories in both little and big ways.

in addition to that, the support i have received for taking this step in my life has very clearly been god's presence for me.  each of the people that have been praying for me, than have supported me through emails, mail, financial contributions, and so many more ways are amazing and have been a very real presence of immanuel, god with us, for me.

 

so, thanks be to god for so much, but especially these five things this year.

and now, in the coming year:

may god bless you and keep you

may god's face shine upon you and be gracious to you

may god look upon you with favor

and grant you peace.  amen (num 6:24-26)

 

and in slovak (because, after all, that's where i am):

nech ťa boh požehná hospodin a nech ťa ochraňuje,

nech rozjasní hospodin svoju tvár nad tebou a nech ti je milostivý

nech obráti hospodin svoju tvár k tebe

a nech ti udelí pokoj.  amen (4 m 6,24-26)

 

and, as always, spanish:

el señor te bendiga y te guarde

el señor te mire con agrado y te extienda su amor

el señor te muestre su favor

y te conceda la paz. amén. (nm 6:24-26)