Wait, isn't Tacoma in Washington state?

June 24, 2013

Dear Family,

            This week has been just as intense as the last. In our class time we have been working through some simple truths of the Gospel. They are compiled into what we call the 4 G’s. God is Great, Glorious, Good, and Gracious. We have been processing these by asking and working through four simple questions: Who is God, What has He done in Jesus, Who am I, and What do I do/How do I live? Going through these questions really reveal the truth of the Gospel. The Spirit has really been speaking these truths to my heart through this process. Also, it leads to a life of living for the LORD that is out of the desire to glorify God, because of knowing who He is and what He has done, rather than out of guilt or out of the need to live a certain way because “that is how Christians live”. There is much more I could say here but am unable to write it all.

            We have also starting helping out with the local Boys and Girls club Monday and Friday afternoons. We are honestly not doing anything super specific, mostly just being with kids and playing with them. I have heard some of the staff say that that alone is a huge help for them and that the kids absolutely love having us there!

            This week was our first week that is scheduled and not as sporadic as the first couple. This has been nice, it is really good to get into a groove of things rather than just flying by our pants! Also, this week we have been getting to know the city more, and people we have been meeting, simply through just being there.

If you are praying for me I ask that you would pray this: Simply that the Father would continue to reveal the truth of the Gospel to my heart, and that I would being to find my identity in who I am because of the Gospel!

There is power in the truth of the Gospel!

Much love,
Shannon

Wait, you're in Tacoma?

Dear Family,

I call you family because both you and I know that is what we are!

This week I begin my third week of Immerse in Tacoma. And in all honesty, I was not planning on writing updates, or rather mostly forgot about such things, but our director encouraged it, and so here we are.  Much has happened since my parting from you. The first week here we read through The Story-Formed Way, which is a tool that overviews the Biblical Narrative. In doing this you learn much about what God is like and what He does. Also, you learn a lot about us, as humanity, and who we are, but more importantly, who/what we were originally meant to be. Much of the first week was also spent getting to know the other residents of Immerse and their stories! Three residents are from Australia, one is from Latvia, and one from Denmark, the rest of us are from the States, there are thirteen of us total.

Week two consisted of learning about the Power and Purpose of the Gospel. How the Gospel has saved us from the penalty of sin, saves us form the power of sin, and will save us from the presence of sin! Also that the purpose of the Gospel is ultimately to redeem a broken creation and bring it back to the original way God created it to be. We also discussed Gospel Identities, which is about understanding who we are because of the Gospel.  This week we also got very familiar with the city (which, by the way, is flipping amazing!) and the downtown region where we will be spending most of our time while here.  

Oh boy, there is SO much more we are doing it is hard for me to capture it all here. This week we will begin to serve at a Boys and Girls Club in Tacoma two days a week. Along with this we have become a big part in serving the kids at the Sunday church Gatherings. 

Lastly thinking of prayer. Pray the LORD would continue to speak the truth to me about my Identity in Him. This is something I have really been trying to grasp this week, that my Identity is set and secure because of what Jesus has done, and that is Good News!

My love to you,

Shannon