Wrapping Up

Hey Everyone!! So sorry this took so long!! The last couple weeks of SummerLINK were pretty packed with fellowship and generally wrapping up the summer. The last couple weeks of project were definitely busy but well worth it as Gods hand is so clearly seen in everything. The last group the Bluffton interns hosted was from home!! The Crosspoint youthgroup was with us for the week of July 13-19 and we thoroughly enjoyed the time we had with them! They arrived on Saturday to attend the preview service orientation that evening and help us with the service on Sunday. That evening at Prayer and Praise, our youth pastor, Matt, brought messages from home for the group. He told us that we are prayed for and thought of often with joy. Despite thoroughly enjoying being here and considering this to be an experience I would not trade, that encouragement came at a time when it was truly needed for us to maintain the pace and finish strong. God has provided consistently provided the encouragement I’ve needed all summer through the amazing group I have the blessing of being here with, the service groups I have gotten to work alongside and the passionate service of the Bluffton Team. The spoken encouragement that evening was just the beginning of how the Crosspoint Team would uplift us. The Bluffton interns had the blessing of spending the week with the team doing service projects in Bluffton. We did some painting at an elementary school, picked up trash on the road, cleaned some debris from around a playground (Matt described this experience in a blog entry: ), and did spiritual surveys in a neighborhood. They also joined us for Celebration (where Matt gave a great message on the stewardship of time His notes are on his blog (July 30th entry), Bible Study, and Men’s and Women’s nights where Matt and his wife Sara challenged us with great messages(the girls talked about intentionally living life with other believers in fellowship and accountability). Friday was a great time of fellowship on the beach with the group. I had an opportunity to hang out with the girls for awhile and truly enjoyed getting to know them more. The Crosspoint Team consisted of six high schoolers whom Matt has chosen to work with him to completely redesign the highschool and middleschool ministries at Crosspoint. Throughout the week, we had opportunities to talk with them and hear their hearts on these ministries. This group is going to be such an asset to the church family! They have such a sweet desire to see their highschool ministry be used of God to set this group on fire for Him. They also spoke of mentoring the middle school to see them grow in Christ as well. I am so excited to see how they’ve grown and what great things come from this ministry when I return to Clemson.

The Crosspoint Team suited up for picking up trash
They really served well all week

The team on the beach for some fellowship time
Crosspoint Church was written in the sand :)

Heath and I with the team on their last night in HH

The last group scheduled to come while the interns were in HH ended up cancelling. As we didn’t have service groups, the days for the Bluffton interns were a little less structured but still fairly busy. We went into Bluffton on a couple of days to help Gray with some final details like research on the USCB campus. We took a tour of the campus to gather some information on campus life and ask some questions about getting involved with the students. Although I'll never admit to taking any enjoyment from being on enemy territory, I will say that the campus is very nice.
Gray and Brandy were so kind in inviting the interns for lunch on one of our last days of work. It was such a blessing getting to know them this summer. Hearing their hearts for the nations and observing their obedience to God has been a great encouragement to seek God and live to bring Him glory.

The interns, Heath, Tracey and Meredith with Gray and Brandy

Meredith and I discovered we were matching when we met in the parking lot to leave for lunch
I suppose after spending the summer together we've started thinking alike....

As the interns wrapped up our summer, SummerLINK also headed into our final week. The last few speakers were really helpful in reviewing the summer and giving practical advice on how to apply what we've learned. Celebration, Women's night and church services covered missional living, sharing the gospel, gender roles in ministry and living "glocally" (part of Crosspoint Bluffton's mission: global and local missional living) Women's night also had a panel of the pastors wives which was so uplifting and edifying! It was so encouraging to hear from the wives of the men who have surrendered their lives to build this young church and to lead their families as examples for a growing congregation. The women serving alongside their husbands at Crosspoint Bluffton are such examples of Biblical womanhood! They are practically living out what it means to come alongside as a suitable helper. I've learned so much over the summer especially from Brandy as I've had the blessings of opportunities to observe her and ask her questions. Titus 2 has truly come alive to me in the last few months as I've been surrounded by women I can look to and turn to as I learn how God will use me in my role as His daughter.
Overall, I’d count project among the most positively life changing experiences and blessings of my life. I spent the summer with an amazing group of brothers and sisters who consistently seek to glorify God with their whole lives. I’ve learned so much from interactions or just watching them exude their love for Christ with their attitudes and actions. I’m truly looking forward to being back in Clemson and serving alongside this group again.