Today marks 5 years since I set out on what I thought would be a three-month adventure. Well, that turned out to be the beginning of a lifestyle of discovering and sharing God through the arts. I wouldn't trade any of it, despite the troubles and hardships, because His faithfulness has and will always win out over trials. I have lived so many joys, breakthroughs, celebrations, and victories in the Lord these last years, and am very expectant of the next 5 years.
These last two months have definitely been a bit of a hurricane (not physically speaking, but life-wise). Some days there is so much rain you can't see a foot in front of you. Some days are full of wind that seems like it will take you right of your feet. And some days are, rarely, but actually peaceful. It feels like it is coming from all directions at the same time. As a team, we have been fighting some pretty big battles, and each person individually as well. I can say for myself, that God is for sure allowing me to see and struggle with some of my bigger enemies, if you will. I know this is a hard concept for many people, especially Christians, that God allows us to struggle. But you cannot have victory without fighting a battle. An arrow can't fly unless you pull back the string and create the force for it to release. God never leaves us in our struggles, and he never will take us to a place that we cannot overcome, but I know he brings me through these times to see once again just how much I need him, and how GOOD he is, all the time. He never said it would be easy, but he did say to take heart, because ultimately he has overcome.
This summer I believe is going to be one of our craziest yet. In June we will receive 6 interns, who will quickly go on outreach in July. We will then be welcoming over 25 students for our DTS, the largest school in the history of YWAM London. We are currently searching for a place large enough to hold our classes and tracks for these students, and we need a few miracles along the way. These two schools will meet up at the end of August for our yearly Bones Camp, an evangelistic and artistic camp preparing to reach the Notting Hill Carnival.
In October, I will be running a half marathon with a few other teammates. We are running under a charity called Shelter that works to alleviate homelessness in London. I do need to raise money for this charity, and will put the link at the bottom, if you would like to donate. I wanted to run it, but I also wanted to have a specific reason from God as well. I received a passage in the Bible, 1 Corinthians 15:13-49, but the part that sticks out to me the most is this:
42 So it is with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. 43 It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. 44 It is sown in a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there i also a spiritual body. 45 Thus it is written, "The first man Adam became a living being"; the last Adam [Christ] became a life-giving spirit. 46 But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the spiritual.
Basically what this means for me is that there is a process that God wants to do in my heart through this, and by conquering and training in the physical, the victories and strength will come in the spiritual. I am really looking forward to this, but it is a big challenge.
Some prayer points for now:
-the many students coming
-new space for classes and tracks
-my knee during race training
-focus on the Lord and not circumstances
As always, thank you for your continued love and support!
www.virginmoneygiving.com/PeriCarlson
