Greater things are still to be done in this city

Growing up in the church, I have heard countless times how as a Christian you are supposed to give everything over to God and let him take care of all your problems. Also countless times, people have told me to just give everything over to God, in a way that sounds like it is as easy to do as eating a Milka chocolate bar. Very rarely will someone be upright honest to a Christian in telling them how hard that actually is. In fact, I think it is probably the hardest thing in life a person could ever do. I personally have been a follower of Jesus Christ since I was very young. Numerous times in my life I am sure if you asked me if I had given everything over to God, I probably would have said “Well, of course I have.” I mean seriously, what kind of question is that? I just donated this item to this fund, or went on this mission trip to a certain location that who even wants to go to? I’m even on the leadership team of this campus ministry! So what left do I have to give to God? Well since last semester, as the time has passed by, especially since I left the States in January, I have realized I have definitely not given everything over to God. I even realized, that I’m not sure I can even do that, I’m not sure I really want to do that! Because giving everything to God means giving every single little and big thing over to him. Everything. Which most people would say, “Well duh Sarah…” But doing that means that you are ready for whatever God’s will is in your life. It means even handing over the huge hurt in your life to God, that whatever he has planned for that, that you are going to be ok with it, even if it is not what you would ever want. It means what you originally ever wanted in your life, you just want what God wants now. It is such a bigger picture than most people describe. However, that doesn’t mean it is going to be easy, God never said following him would be easy, so giving him everything isn’t going to be easy either. It is not a one time thing where one day you say, “Well God, I’m ready for you to take care of my life, not what I want, but let what you want happen,” and then you are done. It is continuous, every day having to remind yourself and let God take over the new things that happen in your life.

But it is really amazing once you let that happen. Because God’s picture is so much bigger, so much more incredible than what we as humans could ever have planned for our lives. So in finally giving every single thing over to God, there is a peace that comes with that. That, things in my life are going to be ok, because God has the bigger better picture in mind. I don’t have to worry about these certain things anymore, because it really doesn’t even matter. I no longer have to worry or think or be consumed by worldly things, because the things of God are so much more amazing, so much more exciting.

That’s just pretty much what I am learning currently. Life altering stuff… no big deal :] But I can say I definitely would not have gotten to this point if I had decided not to really get into the Word…. which is another thing that is way more amazing than people give it credit for. In the past month I have just read Matthew and I am nearing the end of John, and God is teaching me so much just through those two books. It is so encouraging how he can use the messed up 16 year old who I was 4 years ago to get to experience the things I get to experience here. It just makes me speechless that he all along knew the things he was letting me deal with, and knew that that confused, hurt teenager would get to help with his work someday. It is so hard to fathom how Great his love is for us.

My mom came to Dresden for about three days last week... It was really fun! So here's a couple of pictures