Lately I have been
struggling with how to be closer with God. How to know him better. And of
course, God answered my prayer and question. The answer, one answer, is prayer.
I don't know how or why I did not feel so strongly about prayer before, like I
do now. But I know it's essential. I feel it's essential. And not only for me,
but prayers for and about other people.
I had a student a
few weeks ago. This was our second time meeting and it was one of the best,
encouraging and, I believe, Spirit moved conversations. We started the
conversation with the usual questions, how are you? What did you do this
weekend? etc. Then the conversation somehow moved into her involvement in the
Catholic church here. She talked about the different things they do and such
and how she is kind of embarrassed that she goes. She said her friends make fun
of her. But she still goes. For some reason she decided to tell me though that
she has doubts and that she is not sure if she believes there is a God. I
looked in her eyes and asked her if she wants to believe, and she almost looked
like she was going to cry and said yes. We talked a bit about how she has tried
to find God, such as, talking to her priest, who she said seemed to be prideful
and only answered with "you must believe God exists." She said she
wanted something tangible. Some sort of proof. I told her first of all, that
it's ok to doubt and to ask questions. God is big enough to handle that. But
also in the end, I think it comes down to faith. Everyone has faith. You have
faith there is a God or faith there isn't. But either way, it's faith. It was
so crazy because it was in this conversation that God answered my prayer about
how to know Him better. I had the opportunity to tell her how I have learned to
know Him better. One, by reading the Bible. REALLY reading it. Reading it and
realizing for yourself that it is a love story. I mean, good grief, I just
finished reading the Old Testament. How many times does God take people back? Because He wants them. Not because He needs
them. He chooses to. She asked if we could start reading, which we have
started. Then I told her about prayer, which she said she felt stupid praying.
I think sometimes we think there is a formula for it. But I don't believe that.
You don't have a formula for when you talk to your friends. Why would you with
God? I encouraged her to pray to God and ask questions. We prayed together
before she left and I prayed and I am still praying that God makes it clear to
her that He is real. That He show her something, that without a doubt she will
KNOW it is God. I think I have not been bold in my prayers and have been
hesitant in what I ask, which I think is ok sometimes. You should think about
what you are asking God to do because He has the power to do it. But that's the
exact reason to ask. He has the power. I believe God wants us. He wants me. He
wants you. He wants her. I told her that God loves HER and wants a personal
relationship with her, which I don't know if she has ever heard before. I take
for granted so many times that I have been told my entire life that God wants me.
Some people don't know that and that's tragic. So I am praying boldly for my
friend. Praying that God will show her. I know she is seeking and I know she
will find Him. Now I see that prayer may also be more than me seeking for
myself, but me seeking “for” or “on behalf of” my friend. Seeking that she will
know, believe and understand. When there are more people seeking, it's easier
to find. Maybe that's another reason I believe prayer is so important. So when
you read this, please say a prayer for my friend. I know she wants God. And I
believe prayer is powerful and it will help her.
Ok, just a bit more
about prayer....it really is a theme going on here right now. I think God is
trying to show us something. Just the other day I was riding in the car with
two kids from church. Their names are Marco and Loredonna. They are a family
from Naples, whose parents were recently baptized...so awesome! so, there are 7 kids in
this family. Marco is around 12 and Loredonna is around 7. So we are riding in
the car going to Bible study and Marco starts telling me a story about how he
was feeling very sick and had a fever and was nauseous and such. He said he
prayed to God that he would get better and it happened! Loredonna said the same
thing happened to her! I know these are simple things, but sometimes I'm so
quick to write off that sort of thing. But it hit me when I was sitting there
with them, of course it worked. They prayed to God and had faith like a child.
Coming from kids that age and hearing that kind of faith and seeing their
excitement was truly refreshing.
Now, back to my
student… I have met with her a few more times. This week we talked about prayer
again. She said that her, and another one of my students, who is her friend,
really love the way we prayer and the assurance we feel in our faith. That was
encouraging. Just to know they see something they want is such a huge step. We
also talked about how every year in this student’s church, there is some kind
of "theme" more or less....and the theme this year for them is faith.
I actually started laughing when she told me because it’s so perfect! The theme
this year is faith. The exact thing this student wants and is searching for.
She said it was coincidence. I said it was God. It's so cool how He works.
I have started
praying with these two students. I'm usually not one to pray out loud, not sure
why, but I have with them and I know God is there. Melissa, another Avanti
worker here was talking about praying with her students and how she can tell
after she prays with them there is something different in
them, something good. The more I thought about it the more I realized that
maybe some people have never had someone pray with them and FOR them. I take
for granted that my dad prayed with me every night before bed. Something so
normal to me, yet so foreign to them.
We had coffee one
day with a member of the church here. She is from Honduras and is one of the
most joyful people. She told us some of her story and about her faith and such.
She is one of 8 kids. She talked a lot about her dad and his strong faith. One
thing her dad always told her, especially in the period after her husband died,
he said, "if you have questions ask God, if you need to cry, cry out to
God, cry with God...." Basically anything you do, do it with God. Go to
God.
This semester is
flying by. It's been different and good in so many ways. God is constantly
working. I can see it in so many lives here. I have another student that she
has had a bad experience with Church and religion. She says that she just wants
to be happy. It's interesting though the changes I see in her every week.
Little things, like at the beginning, she said what would make her happy was
marriage, then it was a house, then the other day she talked about wanting to
volunteer. I know it's just little steps, but to see that maybe her perspective
is changing to more of an outward focus. It's encouraging. It is incredible how
God works in our conversations, despite the little English she knows and the
limited Italian I know. The Holy Spirit is above language and culture and all
these other things that sometimes seem to separate people.
Thank you for your
support and your prayers. Please continue to pray for the students here and the
Churches in Italy, and around the world.
Random pics....
Hanging out at the school
Scandicci Fair with Loredonna
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| Grape Harvest in Tuscany- Every year the Harding University students who are studying abroad here in Italy get the chance to help a friend here with his grape harvest. It is a great help to him and a lot of fun. |
