Our 2009 Summer interns are only 2 weeks into their stay and already God is doing some amazing things with each of them. Here are some snippets from their reports.
From Jeff -
"This is an amazing place for the view and for the people, but when it comes to everything that I hold dear in my life...it needs to go. I can't worry about anything out here. I can't have my mind focusing on relationships, my family, school, or my friends back home out here. 100% of my mind and concentration needs to be on Christ out here. No more can I focus on things that won't last in this life. God has my heart and my mind right now, and I'm ready for the brokenness this summer will continue to bring."
From Greg -
"I’m overwhelmed even as I type this right now. Not with fatigue or exhaustion from work, but my spirit is absolutely in pain. I think I shared with you in my last letter that I asked very simply that our God would show me His heart. I don’t know why that particular prayer was so burdensome, as if I just had to ask Him that (I couldn't not, you know what I mean?), but I did, and I think He is beginning to do just that and I’m not allowed to close my eyes. It's broken. His heart is broken and I don’t know if I’ve ever really felt it like this before. I’ve met four different people in the last nine days that I have literally had to fight back tears because of the nature of the Spirit's openness in that moment. I’m not used to that and it’s really overwhelming. I know that God is showing me this pain in my generation for a reason, without doubt it is beneficial, but certainly I did not expect it."
From Zach -
"I never realized how many of the values God has put into the core of my being that i had taken for granted. Even at home, in St. Charles with its predominantly catholic influence, there was at least an illusion of morality. Like "i know I'm not supposed to act this way, but i do and i have some cockamamie excuse for why its OK." But here, people don't even care. The things i find crude, rude or socially unacceptable or even vile are just normal. run of the mill. alright. normal. it's like Romans 1 where Paul says that not only are the people immoral, but they approve of and reward their immorality. I am really out of my element."
The internship is intended to get the intern out of their comfort zones. It is meant to get them into a culture they have not experienced and to put their focus on their relationship with God and what that means in this world. I think we are off to a good start. If you have any interest in 2010 contact me soon.
Terry
