soo it's been a while since i've written here: i've just been SO busy! i absolutely LOVE project to death but there literally is not much free time to just get on the computer and update facebook, blog, tweet, or *GASP* online shop/browse!
God is continuing to smack me in the face. its good though! He's sweetly breaking me so that I can wholly surrender to Him and his will for my life(my new favorite song is sweetly broken duhhhh!)
soo since early june ALOT has happened! i went back to my journal for the month of june to convey any big happenings/events!
i am finally comfortable working at mcdonalds. i know most of the regular's orders and specifications which they obviously all appreciate!
since early june our location has hired six new crew members(bottom of the totem pole = like me). but its been awesome because i've had the opportunity to train one of them and really get to know her and just love on her as we work the front register.
God has been and will continue to teach me while I work fast food. It's SUCH a humbling experience and really teaches me the meaning of serving. **but i do not like rude customers obviously, but as its been drilled into my head "the customer is always right". but one of my friends here did say something to the effect that we are literally serving the charleston area every day.. which is really cool to think about!
my project coworker(hunter) and i have also been able to serve some of our mcdonalds coworkers by giving them rides home or on errands. this time away from work really provides a good opportunity for us to just love on them and really get to know their backgrounds and how we can bring up the love of Christ and what he did for them!
we've also been poured into by amazing staff members and older students. God really provided an amazing group of older christians to really set an example and give Godly advice to!!
whats really really REALLY cool though, is that on a stateside project, the staff only stays for half of the summer. so this tuesday, all of staff is leaving. so all that will be left are the 45 students. the staff prayerfully chose leaders among us to lead us for the rest of the summer. it's just been so awesome this past week as we've seen everyone really step up and become true followers of Christ and respectful of peers who will lead us! **all of the head leaders just so happen to be some of my close friends here on project, so i just think God reallly worked in my heart to provide those friendships this summer!
we've also been reading the book of galations. oh my goodness.. such an amazing book of the Bible! go read it NOW!
what elseeeeeeeeeeeee?!
we've had several socials:
barn dance, woman's night(self explanatory), battery game(local soccer game), mid project banquet, and tomorrow we're just hanging out at the beach!!!
on saturday mornings we've done outreach which has included beach evangelism, without walls, and dreamcenter.
*beach evangelism=talking to beach goers through perspective cards and other tools in order to start spiritual conversations
*without walls is a really cool outreach.. its several churches that every first and third saturday of the month, they get groups to go to project areas/lower income communities to play with kids, give free groceries and lunch! its been awesome to build relationships with those in the community my small group was assigned!
*dreamcenter is a modern church that uses rap music and basketball camps to reach those in lower income areas, and we volunteer to talk to those and invite the kids!!!!!!
this summer was totally ordained by God. i'm so glad i listened to him!!! and to my amazing bible study leader lauren davenport(HEY GIRL) who really encouraged me to really pray and listen but proactively realize that project is amazing. i'm already praying that my friends and future bible study girls will apply and go on a project next summer!
**one of my good friends courtneigh and i have already been scheming and hoping and praying that some of our future bible study girls will attend the same project next summer and become friends like we have YAY for Godly connections around the world!! hehehe she likes penguins...! LOVE HER!
one of the other things God is trying to teach me is stewardship and financial responsibility. which honestly is hard in my little dallas shopping community. i get constant emails from anthropologie and nikon, along with feelings of constant wants. but God is really teaching me to only purchase what i need and to live on a budget. i'm definitely still not perfect in this area, but he is slowly teaching me! please be praying for that!!!!!! thanksss :)
PRAISE THE LORD:
my grandpa(Poppa from De Leon, Texas) was in the hospital last week but was released to go home and recently was well enough to mow the lawn! its been such an encouragement to receive letters from my texas grandparents while here on project. they really have been consistently praying for their descendents and their love for the Lord is definitely showing fruit through some of my family members.
One of those recent visible fruits is my cousin Will's acceptance of Jesus Christ. its been quite a journey from agnostic views to know worshiping the one true God. i've been praying for him for a while and i'm SOO SOO SOO HAPPY that he realized his need! please pray for his walk and for a christian community in austin, tx and where ever he attends college in the next two years! THANKS FRIENDS!
hmmmm what else should i mention??
on a sad note, my amazing roommate named Robin, had to leave project. her grandmother passed away earlier this summer, and she needed to grieve. and Robin is staffing part time for CRU at Kentucky this next year, therefore has to raise financial support and honestly its a stressful process. basically God called her home to rest, grieve, and prepare for this next year. i miss her terribly but i have to trust God and his perfect will.
I miss my family. my great parentals who really have poured into me and brought me up into the young woman i'm currently. i love getting texts throughout the week from my older brother preston and hearing about his internship in waco, tx and his amazing girlfriend heather(HI HEATHER!).
but honestly i've truly missed my little sister anna the most. im hoping she reads this but, if not thats okay too.. little things bring her to mind. i miss her finishing up my hair or fixing my makeup. or just chilling watching tv. or driving around going to braums and talking. just the little things.
i can't wait to go with my family to kauai the day after i get home though... it'll be great to just get away from home(hahah home = not home...) and just spend an entire week with my family on a beach!
BUT I also miss my dear friends. all my reid peeps, GO HOGS! seriously i miss our nightly hangouts and especially SMALLVILLE GANG OH MMMMM GEEEE! cannot wait for this next year!
and its been such a blessing to talk about my amazing bible study through cru this past year. our relationships seriously make me smile and i can't wait to all get together before school starts to talk about what God is doing... YAY!
i also miss my texas friends(HI GUYSSS); its been such an encouragement to get letters (cds from katie and amelia!) and just hear how yall are doing! sorry i haven;t been able to keep in contact, but know i love and pray for yall daily!
i miss working at fretz tennis center and seeing friends every night, but i know that this summer God wanted me here to serve and learn!!
okay i woke up at 5am this morning to leave for work at 5:30am, so im a little tired as i continue to type, but summary: God really is moving, providing opportunities to talk about a relationship with him, as well as continue to grow in relationships with my friends also on project, but i miss my family, friends, and cannot stop getting pumped about God's will and the future and his plan for everything.
but trusting him with so much this summer, i know he allows certain things to happen for certain reasons, and i've loved growing through the good and bad. thank you dear Lord for allowing me to come here to charleston!!
oh and i just ask for you to continue to pray for those in charleston, the united states, and the world as the Gospel of God is trying to be told EVERYWHERE, pray for followers of christ to step up and get out of their comfort zone in order to bring others to Christ!
OHHH i feel like i keep forgetting things but i started a journal/letters to my future husband(if God ordains it of course). basically another girl on project had the idea all in order to pray for that special someone and just write about how i can't wait to meet him espeically during whatever time i write him!! hahah it sounds silly but i think it will be a great present one day. im definitely not writing to one specific guy or anything but God will always satisfy my needs and even if he decides i will be single forever, this journal will be proof that i really did trust him
okay my eyes are about to close no joke. so tired. i LOVE project, the people, work, coworkers, outreach, socials, my growth in Christ, taking pictures of all the fun times, and just relying on his hope and will for my life. YAY okay please be praying for strength espeically as i work!!
thank you so much for sticking with me! sorry the topics jump around! okay its bedtime seriously! please look at pictures on facebook to get a visual!!!!!!!!!!!
LOVE YOU,
Katie Whitehurst
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