Refresh

It's almost been a month since I came out to San Diego, and how the time has flown by! Once the students arrive it has been go, go, go, but such a great time of building relationships, growth and fun. I am blessed to have three wonderful girls to pour into while I am here. It's amazing the feeling you get when you've been praying for people you don't know and then you finally get to meet and get to know them. I have loved seeing how different they are, how much wisdom and insight they have in their thoughts and getting to have fun and hang out with them as well. Even though it has been a wonderful past few weeks I am seeing the importance of taking time to refresh. It's hard to pull away from things you love, but I have found that by not giving yourself a break those things you love can turn into things less enjoyable. I have realized that there are two areas I need to pay attention to when I am doing ministry related things. One is to see if what I am doing are areas that I am gifted in. When we put all our efforts into things that we are not gifted in it can be very draining and does not allow us to fulfill our purpose in the best way possible.Is what you're investing your time in giving you energy? or taking it away. Do you look forward to how you spend your time? or is it a chore that you go through day after day.  The second is that when you are in a place where you are using your gifts to not drain yourself physically, emotionally and spiritually investing in that. Sometimes it will take longer to recharge then we would like, but doing so will allow us to have a much more effective ministry. I enjoy having one on one time with people, hearing there stories and being a person that they can trust to come to with anything. Having people to pour into energizes me and makes me excited, but I can also get very drained from it if I'm not careful. I think I'm still trying to figure out how I best need to be recharged. I do know that I need to make sure I have people in my life that are there to invest in me. I am not the kind of person that needs to process my thoughts and emotions with multiple people, but I do need to have people I can go to in my life. I have been very blessed with friends that have been that for me over the years, some that have been around since middle school and some that are only in my life for a season.
Being on summer project is a unique situation in every aspect. Someone described it to me as a relational sprint. We have such a short amount of time to build such deep relationships that it can be challenging to balance. I love being here and the opportunities I have gotten being here. I hope that as time goes on I become more and more aware of what this means to refresh in my life to give glory to God in all that I do.

Overflow

I can't believe it has already been a year since I spent the summer in San Deigo on CRU summer project. As some of you know I decided to return to San Diego as staff this summer, and this past week has shown me that I wouldn't pick any other way way to spend six weeks of my summer. The staff get the opportunity to be  in San Diego about ten days before the students arrive. We have gotten the chance to spend time with each other and growing close in our community before the project begins. We have been having time together to dive into God's word, share our testimonies with each other and do all of the practical tasks that need to get done to set things up. After spending over ten hours today moving in  all of the items into the students living, I'm getting more and more excited for everyone to arrive.
It feels a little weird being on the other side of the project this summer. I learned and grew so much last summer and the leaders in my life last summer had a huge impact on that. When I look back at how the staff interacted and led us last summer it makes me feel inadequate and wonder how I can lead the way that they did. I am realizing more and more that I should not be focusing on what I am doing to be a better leader, but how I can grow in my own relationship with God.
It can be easy to focus on all the tasks of leadership without paying attention to your heart. We were not meant to continually pour out into other people without getting poured into. I can always tell when I rely more on myself than God when I'm leading. I feel drained and lose hope in doing a good job because I do not take time to get refreshed. This can look differently at different times, but it all comes down to making sure I take time to spend time with the God I am leading for. I want my leadership, advice and attitude to come from an overflow of my relationship with God. I want my heart to be so filled and aligned with Christ that I do not have to rely on  my efforts, but rather it coming naturally from my own relationship with God. I know this is not always natural and it is easier said than done. I hope that I will continue to learn this throughout the summer and that the students will as well, because they are all leaders, and will be bringing the skills they learn back to their own campuses.
I am excited to see all the God does this summer. Thank you to all that have been praying for this project. I think one of the most exciting things is to see all of the ways and people that are affected by prayer. I have been praying for the students and staff for a while and it is so great to see how God has provided and is working already. I can't wait to share more, but for now it's time to rest after a long day. :)
~Rachel

"If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever". I Peter 4:11