"it comes down to the moment when faith eclipses fear"

another day that i just need to write.

God is very good. really. i have been blessed with this amazing group of sixth grade girls to walk alongside for the past semester. frankly, i'm going to miss them a lot. as always, God has managed to use them to change me in radical ways...and i like it. i mean, the whole process of change is not exactly fun. but i like who i am on the other side of it.

i've noticed some particular things Christ is doing in me with these girls...i really like who i am with them. i think that the times i am with them are some of those rare occasions where i glimpse the woman God is moulding me into--while still, at the same time, being humbled by how much i have yet to learn.
i am pretty confident that teaching just isn't my gift. however, i also know that God can use people as teachers who aren't necessarily gifted at teaching. that's pretty humbling, too.
i never was much for praying aloud. it was always so awkward for me and i kind of hated it. i suppose i was worried about saying the right things since other people were listening. funny...cause i know that the opinion of the One i pray to matters a lot more than those of the people around me. i think that's one of those head-to-heart things i've been working on. now, it still makes me a little nervous to pray in front of people. but i find myself more and more open to it. and through the situations that i have prayed aloud with a group or just one other person, God has taught me how valuable a time that can be, and how many walls can be broken down between friends when they open their hearts to God in front of one another. i think those are some of my favorite "beautiful moments."

i caught a glimpse of more than one beautiful moment tonight. it was amazing...and reminded me again just how good God is. the first beautiful moment was when i got to spend a half hour or so talking to an old friend and hearing about the amazing works God is doing in her life. i have known her for a long time and it is amazing to see the radical changes God has made in her. she is so beautiful. next, i got to spend some precious time with my small group for our last night of bible study together. i think tonight was the first time they finally all opened up and just talked about their relationships with God. that was beautiful, too.

i think that i would like to sit down to coffee with each of those girls as often as i can in the coming months/years/whatever to reconnect. i expect great things from each of them, and i am thrilled to see how Christ will mould them.

change may be difficult...but the result is truly beautiful.