A Lightbulb in Galway

     Early yesterday morning Gretta & Larry, the older couple from church I met last Sunday, gave me a lift to church. We arrived around 10:15, so Joanie (another student) and I helped prepare the food table for after the service while Gretta and Larry attended the prayer meeting upstairs. Earlier in the week I was questioning if I wanted to attend such a tiny church and if it was a good fit, but it's absolutely perfect because I'm not just a number lost in the crowd. In fact yesterday I helped set up and take down and it was only my 2nd time attending. It's nice to feel valued and of use.  I was able to meet another student Sinead who is also a director for CU-Christian Union on campus. She asked if I had ever done street evangelism and if I would like to here. Whoa! I did not expect to be challenged like this. It's really neat though and I am excited for the opportunity. I am not upset here, but I had wanted to live with a host family and I really desired to be in the countryside. Instead God put me in an apartment in a business park....couldn't be more opposite than my original desire. So I was trying to figure out why he did this?


    Jason a missionary from Texas spoke from Genesis 18. His sermon was based upon the fact that There Are No Coincidences With God. It was exactly what I needed to hear. God strategically places us exactly where He wants us. Even in the darkest of places. He preached out of Genesis 18 using the story of God moving Abraham to put him right next door to Sodom a place of darkness, perversion, cruelty and incredible sin. He did this so Abraham would raise his family to be different than those of his neighbors living in Sodom. In this way people would see the contrast in lifestyles and Abraham and his family would be reflections of Jesus and lights to the people of Sodom. I loved how Jason said reflection of Jesus. This makes me think of a big Antique mirror with a wooden frame that swivels (hope I described that well enough so you understand what I mean) and that mirror represents us. When we are living OUR lives on OUR time people see us, fully in human form. When we choose to surrender each day and give it over to God and allow Him to work in and THROUGH us then we turn into that mirror and when people see us it's not us in our human form they look into the mirror and see Christ in us. We are a reflection of God.
     I like thinking of it as a big mirror because it is not simply our face or our heart that is to be a reflection of Christ rather it is all of our being, our bodies are a temple of God.  This reminds me of Acts 17:28 "For in him we live and move and have our being.."  So with that said, God knowing that I desire a host family, the countryside, that I love sunshine and lights and that I hate to be wet and cold and that I don't like staying up late and going to clubs despite all of this He has placed me in the rainiest city in Europe. It is often dark and cold and I am to live in an apatrtment in a business park. Why? To be a light for Him. I will be His reflection. I will express how much I hate the rain and cold to the other girls and then I will cease to complain about it so they know I find my joy and contentment in the Lord not tangible and worldly circumstances. I will seek out ways to be a source of light to Abby C. and Aurelie. I will ask the Lord for strength and energy to go out to the pubs and enjoy a good time with friends to show them what a good night without the abuse of alcohol can look like, rather than staying in all of the time and having the stereo type of the Christian who doesn't drink and never goes out for craic.  God doesn't owe me a detailed explanation of why He has placed me here, He already gave me the reason in Genesis 18, so that I may live differently and people would notice and come to Him so that He may bless all of the nations.

My apartment complex

      With the icky weather on Saturday I decided that it would be a good time to clean. You didn't actually think I was gong to leave behind my love for cleaning! I was delighted when Abby C. came home from Dunnes with cleaning supplies.

Cleaning supplies!

    I must finish this post quickly so I can get all of my documents in order to register with the Garda (police). As students we are required to register with them within the first 30 days of our stay. Unfortunately, my registration time happens to overlap with my only class today.  Bummer, I really enjoy my castles course. Oh well, I found a small road leading back towards the countryside, I shall go explore today and see where it takes me. This fence runs along the road I am going to explore, maybe more pictures like this will result from todays  adventure 

With Love from Galway