Relationships and more

Relationships and more

Last week one of the base leaders spoke on Relaionships.

I am a very relational person and really love human interaction so it was definetly one of my favorite weeks. It was one of those weeks that was just so practical and aplicable then and there.

We spoke a lot about the reasons we enter relationships. How we subconsiously hope for the other person to fulfill a need or want that we have. Putting these unrealistic expectations on other people is extremly detrimental for both of you.

I read the book "The Five Love Languages" a few weeks ago it really opened up my eyes to love and how to express it. The book speaks about how the high, "in love" experience lasts about 2 years generally. After that point you hear many people say that they just don't feel that they love eachother anymore or that the butterflies are gone. From that point love is a choice. Love isn't just a feeling. Love is a choice to surrender everything for someone else because you choose to put them in front of you. If we are in a relationship expecting the other person to fulfill us then we will always be dissappointed. Another problem is we build people up especially during that in love feeling and overlook all the little annoyances but as soon as the butterflies go away the only thing you can focus on are those things that annoy you so much. But relationships, of course, aren't all bad. We just need to make sure we are not going into them broken with those unrealistic expectations. I love people we are made to have interaction with other people in a healthy setting so lets do it!

I also got confronted with another reality. Dating. Why do we date? So we can claim that person for ourselves and not allow them to be with another person? So that it is socially acceptable to do more things with them? hmmm... I don't think it's fair to date someone when you know it will only last a short while. Sure it would be a learning experience but I don't want to open up doors to emotions and thoughts that will only bring me down especially when it comes to an end. I'm waiting. I'm waiting and I don't care how long it takes until I am 100% sure that the next person I date is going to be my husband. The funny thing is I didn't even want to get married a few months ago and now I'm talking about praying and waiting for my husband. I've given it up to God. If it is in His will for me to be single the rest of my life and continue ministry without a partner I am okay with that. I don't need someone to make me fulfilled I have Him and thats all I truely need to be fulfilled. Remember when I talked about the hole we feel inside that we try to cover with things like money, work, realationships, or mind altering substances well He is the only one that can fill that because He created us to be in comunion with Him and in order for that to happen His Spirit needs to live within us.

This is the last week we have here and it is so sad! The new DTS and secondary Foundations and Community Development school started this week as well so there are about 40 new people on the base and I am a tad bit upset that we are leaving now. I love people and I love meeting NEW people. It is really awesome hearing how everyone got here. One of the girls didn't have any money for the school or flight until 2 days before she was supposed to be in Costa Rica. But her parents knew that God would provide if it was His will, they did YWAM when they were younger, and sure enough the exact amount that she needed to the dollar was given to her!!! That DTS is going to Europe for their outreach. That would have been cool to go there but all of us planned on going to Central/South America so we brought warm clothes and having to get all our warm clothes down here or buying them would have been a fortune! well not really but pretty expensive.

Just got word that my computer will be ready to be picked up this friday! The day before we leave for outreach. How funny.

Well we're just getting everything all packed up and praying for our outreach to come. Other than that everything is pretty calm and nothing too crazy is happening. Today has been very uneventful besides the coffee being SO strong i couldn't even drink it:) I will update you and let you know more of what is going on as this week progresses!

I am really excited to go on outreach now!

Saturday: travel day to talamanca, Costa Rica

Sunday: church service with a youth group there

Monday: begin NIKO

Tuesday-Thursday: NIKO

Friday: end NIKO

Saturday: go to Puerto Viejo. rest day

Sunday: rest day

Monday- Sunday: Panama!

LOVE YOU ALL

nina