Gods reminder

Well if there is anything I am sure of its that God is good! More than good! It is just so good to be here with no agenda but to grow and learn. What a blessing my Father brought me too :) 

Well I am aware that last time I blogged I didnt give much information as to what my schedule and life so far in Trek has actually looked like, so I'll give ya a snap shot now! A typical day is breakfast at 730 and then life journaling at 8. For life journaling we were put into groups and directed to pick some scripture and work through it. This has been such a rich time for me every morning to meet with my two lovely group girls and sit by the fire and discuss how Gods word is speaking to us and how we can apply it to our lives. We are working through the book of Galatians. We spend 15 min reading and picking a verse from our section that really stood out to us, then we compare it with different translations. We then spend 15 min journaling and looking first at factual observations then life applications. After that we spend 30 min discussing and praying over the scriptures and the rest of our day. We then usually have 2 more sessions before lunch. This week is all about "hearing Gods voice" and about the different ways and places that God communicates to us. Its been such a new and beautiful topic for me. I am astounded at how much God speaks and how often before I have missed it. Through the help of the Spirit I am learning to hear and obey what God tells me. Then we have lunch, for an hour after lunch every day we have a scripture memorization time. I am trying to memorize the whole book of Ephesians by the end of Trek. So far its been so good! The idea of writing Gods precious words to us on my heart is so appealing to me and I get so excited about it, that we even have the freedom to do this! Its so good! The rest of the afternoon we usually have another session then some free time. After dinner we will sometimes have group time, sometimes free time, sometimes reading time, and sometimes a planned activity. Each week we each have a different chore as well so chores are thrown in there sometime too :) By the end of it all we are kept pretty busy with just the right balance between it all and sufficient free time. 

Today was a little difficult for me, I felt like I was wrestling with God today about some things and it was kind of exhausting to be honest ha. I woke up refreshed for the first time since coming to the Mark Centre (I have had some trouble sleeping) but from there I just felt unrest all through my devotions, right through till the about 2 when we had a lovely and incredibly wise woman named Sandy came speak to us. Now being me (who wears my emotions on my sleeve) All day I had been a bit teary eyed and maybe a little withdrawn. I was in this attitude , of grumpy/upset unrest-fulness sitting on my phone in the common room. I heard someone come in but I didnt bother to look up or introduce myself as I normally would have with new speakers/session leaders. I just kept scrolling through my facebook news feed on my phone. I looked up for a sec and noticed this lady (Sandy) was trying to post a paper up on the paper board, she couldnt get it posted so I stood up to help. As I did so she looked at me, and you have to know, I'd never spoken to or met this woman before, she said "you're Becca right?"  and I said "yes? have we met?" and she simply said "no, but this morning God gave me a word for you so I wrote it out on this paper, you can read it and tell me if it fits. If it doesnt then leave it, if it fits then God wants you to hear it" and handed me a letter with my name on top. I was dumbfounded. I had just come in from a walk and was asking God while I was walking to help me sort through my frustrations. I was bringing my struggles to him and I felt like we were almost wrestling in our interaction. I wasnt submitting to his will. Anyways I took the letter and read it and I was hit with both a deep conviction and freedom. Part of the letter spoke to something I have struggled with a whole lot lately, my pride. Gods reminder to me was that everything should be done out of who he is, and not out of my needs. It was such a powerful and real moment for me. That God spoke directly to me on something that I was struggling with so much, through this woman who I had never seen or met before in my life. 

Our God cares so much and is so active and real. The Holy Spirit is waiting with such anticipation for us to let him reign in our lives, and when we do, he delights in astounding us with his presence and with his tangibility. I hope and encourage every one of you, whoever that might be, to give reign to the Holy Spirit in your life today. You will not regret it. There is something incredibly powerful in letting God run your life completely. 

Blessings! 
~ Me (Becca!)

PS: If you are praying for me here are some specifics that I would be delighted to have prayer for

- I am memorizing scripture right now, just that I would have the mind to retain and really grasp what I am memorizing. 
- I still have a significant amount of support financially to raise in a fairly small time frame. Just that I would continue to trust in Gods provision and guidance in that. 
-I am entering into 48 hours of silence on the 17th (tomorrow). Just that I would be really attentive to understand what God is communicating to me. 
- and lastly that I wouldnt be to homesick. You all know I love my family and being away from them is at times extremely difficult. Just that I would allow God to fill that space in my heart and that I would have the capacity to love from a distance. 

Thank you!!!!