This month has absolutely flown by!! I can't believe that I just graduated last Saturday! It seems like everything just happened in a blink of an eye. Last week was full of cleaning the house and getting ready for graduation celebrations, grad party hoppin, hugging tons of people...even strangers i've never met, smiling for long periods of time, staying awake longer than usual, and crying many tears. The Sunday after graduation I left for the beach with one of my best friends, Kelsey, I had an absolute blast with her and her family. It was a time to sort of wind down a bit from all the graduation madness..ha it was good madness though.
I'm so ready to be home though for a bit as I prepare more for Africa. Did you know that I leave for training camp in less than 30 days?!?!?! 28 more days! This blows my mind! It seems so surreal!
Anyway, I will go ahead and warn you that this will probably be quite a long post. There are a few things that I want to point out as well as update you on my life and where I'm at in preparing for Swaziland.
Graduation was a blast!! I can't believe I am done with high school...but oh it's a great feeling! However, it means i'm that much closer to heading to africa which i can't describe how excited, nervous, anxious, and everything else i am about leaving for a month! Oh my!! Speaking of Swaziland...
While i was at the beach this past week I found out that one of my teammates was down there the same time as i was so we decided to meet up which was so so so awesome and exciting to finally meet someone in person that i will be spending a month with!! I've talked with several of them, but it's that much more exciting to see them in person!
At the beach i learned quite a bit whether it was in the hot tub with an old man who i found out is a pastor in mississippi, two old women in the pool who later hung in our hammocks with us..haha so fun! or even from my friends mom and family! I have learned even from the currents of the ocean and the book "The Alchemist". Each of these are vessels that God chose to speak to me through.
Each of these people, places, and things have taught me to live life now and not later or yesterday. All in all, God has been teaching me over this year to sieze each moment and live it to the fullest. I know i have said this countless times and God continues to bring me back to that truth to forget what lies behind and press forward to whats ahead...not to be in whats ahead but to press on in the present. does that make sence??
When i look back on this year i totally see how God's hand has absolutely been in it and how He has been teaching me through extremely difficult circumstances. 2011-2012 has been a very challenging year both in my life and in my faith...I feel like i have been stretched out so much. It's been good, but boy it has been harder than heck.
I was reading today in psalm 71:20 and it seemed fit for this year. It says: You who have made me see many troubles and calamities will revive me again; from the depths of the earth you will bring me up again.This year i have stared heartache and trouble in the face...in Haiti, with Noelle and Todd's death, the reality of Swaziland and more than half the world...
If i could give you a visual...it's as if i have been crawling up a mountain during a thunderstorm. On the way up the mountain i have began to get up, yet as soon as i get up i've been kicked back down. It's happened over and over again this year and I'm bruised up and hurt. I've missed out on this year because I have been stuck in the past of everything that has happened. I've been paralyzed by so much pain whether it's been death or the shocking reality of places like Haiti and Swaziland. This things affect me so much. I believe that they will work out for good.. I know because Jesus has promised that. I believe that he is reviving me again and is bringing me back up. I believe that he is washing my feet like in John 12 where jesus tells peter that he's already clean and all he needs to wash are his feet. To me, i get this picture of peter's feet...or my feet being dirty and bruised from walking into new places that my feet aren't used to. Jesus is beckoning me to sit down and let Him bandage my wounds and wash my feet. I'm already clean because of Him but He's continuing to teach me and grow me and ultimately take me deeper with Him...it's time to stop resisting and let Jesus wash my feet. He so loves me and desires for me to allow Him to bandage my wounds and use them for His good and His glory. I know He is using all of this for something great! I believe that He is so good and so loves me and I will continue to forget whats behind and press on in the present...I will seek His face.Remember not the former things,nor consider the things of old. Behold I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. Isaiah 43:18-19
He is doing a new thing at this very moment. His mercies are new every morning. I'm so so so thankful for the grace love and comfort that He has shown me throughout this year through all the difficulties and things that i have encountered and seen.
Thank you all to those who have sent me your love through prayers, support, love, hugs, etc. It is extremely appreciated!!!
Please, please continue to pray with me as time continues to tick away and Swaziland is just around the corner!!!!
Thanks for listening to me!
Laura Beth Harbin
P.S
I forgot to mention that all the money has been raised!! Praise God!!!! :)
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