Hide & Seek

For starters, I'd just like to ask all of you to pause for a couple minutes and say a prayer for us out here with all the wildfires going on. We have been reassured that so far we at the institute housing are safe. We can see the smoke out to the north east of us and it's very hazy all around us. Every morning I wake up and walk out onto the balcony and it definitely smells like a barbecue. The mountains aren't as clear as they were the first week, so please please pray with us for rain! And control over these fires. Many Focus employees have been asked to evacuate, and we have gone over an evacuation plan as well just to be safe. Thanks for the texts and calls to make sure I'm ok, I appreciate it!

These past few days have brought on a mix of emotions. The subjects we have talked about have overwhelmed some, and brought us to exhaustion by the end of the day. Every night this week I have collapsed in my bed and slept all through the night because I'm so mentally drained. Today was one of the most overwhelming days for me so far. We talked about intimacy with God, and how we can come about that. I felt very challenged to hide IN God, and not FROM God. There are many reasons why we might hide from God, however Psalm 32 is a great place to look to find assistance with hiding in God. Verse eight says that "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you". This is what will happen when we surrender to hiding in God, he will begin to speak to us.

Dr. Slattery talked to us today as well about value, and where we find value from the Bible versus where the world tells us to find value.This is something I have struggled with particularly in the past few years. In the world, we are taught that how I am performing and how people perceive me answers the question of "who am I?" Which in turn gives us value. However the scriptural truth tells me that my value has already been determined and is unchanging. This truth helps us to realize our value and then we perform and create relationships based on the already established value.

I am so thankful, especially today, for the Institute family. They were there to help us process after today, and sit and listen to some of us cry because of the overwhelmed feelings. I was guided by Victoria to keep fighting through the unknowns of life, and to pray pray pray and be open to God's guidance for my life because he has a reason for everything.

God, teach me to love you, and teach me to hide in you.