update on the life of Rebekah

So I haven't written a real blog in a while just on what I am up to and how this semester is going, so here it goes....

As far as classes, they are going well, though they have really picked up. It seems like I have just had several projects due at the same time. What is known as "the busiest week of the semester" is past and done, but since then I have wondered if that really was the busiest semester. I will admit, though it has gotten stressful and overwhelming at times, never I have felt like it was unachievable- Praise the Lord. Most of my classes (with the exception of Ecclesiology) have been a lot of fun, and I have been learning a lot (even in Ecclesiology).

I expected Sign Language to be my favorite class, but in a way, it has become the most burdensome. We learn 30-50 new vocab words most every class period, and after they are covered in class, we are expected to have them committed to memory. I have found that extremely difficult, and at times very discouraging. This past Tuesday though, my teacher brought in some of her signing friends, one of which was fully hearing, one who could hear out of one ear, and the other completely deaf. I was SO nervous, but after talking to them, I was still nervous, but was thoroughly enjoying the conversation. I think they had fun working with us. Let me tell you though, their 'slow' at finger spelling, is faster than I can even spell my name. It was insane. That experience was discouraging and encouraging though. I learned that there is still so much that I don't know and so much I need to work on, but I also learned that I know more then I think. I am ready for the class to be done, and hope that I will find the time to keep working with it, and that I gain enough courage to talk to David back at my home church.

The coal mine explosion took a toll on the school as we were greatly affected. The town in which the incident happened was where ABC started actually. Praise the Lord though for students being able to go. These students became a part of the families, and have actually been invited to one family's family reunion. Thank you for your prayers, but please them coming. These families still have so much healing to do.

Church down here has been going well, and I am REALLY going to miss the children and other people here at church. I have been teaching every Wednesday night for the 2s-5s and enjoying it. I have been going through a study on the fruit of the spirit. We have found the curriculum to be a bit above them, and so it has taken some extra work to improvise and change some things. One thing I love is that the children are really getting to know me and I love being able to get on the floor with them, and have them crawl on to my lap and ask me to read them a book. I just love children! I have also been teaching Children's Church one week a month, and enjoying that as I have been able to use some of my 'teacher' talents. The people at this church have been wonderful, and so accepting. Two women specifically stick out in my mind. One woman always says "Hi" to me when she sees me and genuinely asks how I am doing. Last semester, she cut an article out of Country that had pictures of VT- so sweet! Another woman started coming with her husband, three sons, and daughter after I had started going. I am not sure I have ever seen her without a smile. She has a motherly way about her that makes me want to give her a great big hug as she asks me how I am and what she can be praying for. Little does she know just how encouraging that is to me. What especially sticks out to me about her is that she checks back with me to see if my prayer was answered, which proves to me that she has been praying for me. I most definitely will be missing these dear people.

For Easter, I did not have to eat at the cafeteria. As many of you know, each Sunday night, I go over to our Sunday School teacher's home, where his wife gives us a light dinner. I especially enjoy going over there as it is a home, with children. They invited the college students over, and we happily accepted. Nancy cooked us up a storm. She also let me bring dessert, so that was fun getting to bake. I brought one of my family’s favorites- Hot Fudge Sundae Cake. We had a fantastic time of fellowship, closing up the afternoon with going through a Tour of The Truth Project.

Spiritually, God has been showing me some convicting, yet exciting things. One particular thing He has been teaching me is how I need to be a true disciple of Him. In Personal Evangelism and Discipleship, we have been looking at the relationship between the Rabbi and Talmid. Wow- I fall so short. I have been challenged with the thought that if I truly believed what I said I believed, wouldn’t I be automatically be living the life of a talmid, and not just talking about it. Prayers would be so appreciated as I work on acting out the things I believe. Through Sunday School, we have been going through the book Holding Hands, Holding Hearts, and this has been neat to go through and learn what the Bible has to say about dating (the answer is ‘Nothing. And everything.’). On Sunday evenings, we have been doing The Truth Project, and I have especially been marveling at the fact that we when I accepted Christ, I was not just saved from Hell, I entered an intimate relationship with the Creator. I encourage you to think about that for a little while and allow it to connect to the idea of being a true talmid.

This weekend is IMPACT, and though I am excited, I am a little nervous about not having that time to work on papers. Today, I worked hard and got my homework done up until Thursday, which is a huge praise. Hopefully I will be able to work on next week’s homework this week, so that I don’t have to cram it all in Saturday night and Sunday afternoon.

That is a not-so-abridged update on what is going on in the life of Rebekah. I am ready for summer, and excited to see my family in 18 days! Exams are May 3rd -5th and I will post a schedule when it gets a little closer. Thank you all for your continued prayers. If there is any way in which I can be praying for you, please shoot me an email, and I would be happy to pray for you. But for now, I am going to go get ready for bed, and then get some shut-eye before tomorrow.