Anna's FirstServe Prayer Letter - June 20th-July 2nd

For the final time, welcome back!

What a year it has been, full of so many blessings, challenges, lessons and everything in between. It has been incredible to see the wonderous ways God has worked and I am so thankful for all of your loving support.

Devotion

It’s strange to think that at the start of last year I had no intention of taking a gap year. I was happy with the university choices I had made and was looking forward to beginning my studies in September. I had heard about FirstServe the previous year at a conference but hadn’t thought much about it until last February, and I couldn’t get it out of my head. I went through the application process even though I still wasn’t sure if this was what I was meant to do. I remember praying one day asking God to clearly show me if I was meant to do FirstServe. The next day, I got an email from the university I wanted to go to saying that they could not accept me that year for various reasons, and I instantly knew that this was the next step in God’s plan for my life.

God does not work by accident. He is intricately intentional with how He guides our lives, sometimes in ways that we don’t necessarily like or expect. He may call us to serve Him on the other side of the world, and He may call us to witness to our next-door neighbour. Either way, all of us who are Christians are called to be missionaries right where we are, and God promises that He is with us wherever we serve Him (Matthew 28 v 20). God’s truth will inspire us to answer His call, rely on His power, use our gifts, overcome challenges, preach the gospel, and glorify Him wherever He leads us to go, if we allow it to.

We are appointed for an important purpose – to reach the world for Christ!

Camp Sport - Part 2!

The rest of the sports camp that Rachel and I were involved in went really well, and we loved the chance to try various activities and get to know the other campers. We had a bonfire one evening where we spent some time in worship, prayer and sharing testimonies which was a really encouraging time.

Another activity of the week was a canoe trip down the river, with a short break to play water polo in our canoes. Rachel and I won the prestigious title of canoe of the tournament, before getting so enthusiastic that we overturned our canoe and ended up in the water, along with all of our stuff… I guess pride does come before a fall! We also went tree climbing and mini golfing which were great fun.

Paris trip

We had the opportunity to take a few days off last week and go to Paris to visit our friend Sophie from Tilsley College. Sophie was the most amazing tour guide, covering all the major tourist sites in just two days and helping us to navigate the Paris metro - which was an experience in itself! We were able to go to Sophie’s church with her on Sunday which was lovely and managed to bump into someone that had just been to the sports camp the previous week!

On Sunday evening we went to an English/French language meet up with Sophie which was very interesting. We were each sent to different tables and joined by five other people that we had never met before to speak a mix of French and English for three hours. This ended up leading to some very interesting conversations. The topic came up about why I was in France and presented various opportunities throughout the evening to share about my faith.

Work

After the most amazing time in Paris, we came back to the centre and reality hit quickly that we still had three working days left! Apart from the usual cleaning and serving, we were also on breakfast duty for a church camp that was at the centre and were helping David to organise materials for building the tents used for the summer camps which began on Saturday.

Tents ready for summer camps

Coming Home

After spending a night in Nantes with Gerry and Dorothy Seed, Rachel and I said our goodbyes and flew home separately on Tuesday morning.

While it has been great to be home and spend time with friends and family, it’s a very strange feeling not having to think about the next placement and accepting that I now have time to rest after all that has happened this year. I am now at the stage of beginning to process everything that has happened, and to be honest, I have found it overwhelming trying to grasp it all and to try and find where I fit in at home again as I adjust. Over the last few days, I have had a lot of the same conversation with people asking how my year was… and my answer is always that it was an amazing, life changing experience…which is true. However, this year has been both the best and the most challenging of my life. Nothing could have prepared me for what I would experience this year; it really has shown me that with God, all things are possible. Through the joy, the friends, the encouragement, the fellowship and the tears, the frustrations, the loneliness and the homesickness, God was so evidently present every step of the way.

My biggest desire now is that I would not just come home saying that this year was life changing, but rather I am praying that God would continue to make these experiences life changing every day, that He would not let these merely be amazing memories or stories to tell, but that it would have a lifelong impact on my relationship with Him, that I would truly take His hand and walk through life with Him through the calm waters and the storms and have a desire to serve Him wherever He calls me next.

Future plans

In September, I am hoping to study French and Spanish at university. I will get the results of the exams I came home to sit a couple of months ago in August which will determine where I will go for university, so I would appreciate your prayers for wisdom to know where to go when the time comes to decide.

The rest of the summer is a bit more relaxed and I look forward to spending time catching up with friends and family, going on holiday to Belgium and just enjoy being at home. I would appreciate prayer as I help at various kids clubs, organise another praise night and prepare to take part in the Echoes Women Working for God conference in October.

So This Is It

Here we are, the last prayer letter complete. 

I cannot thank you enough for the love and support you have shown me. You have genuinely carried me this whole year in your prayers. I'm so glad that you have been with me in every step of this adventure. You have taught me so much about living a prayerful life and how to uphold each other in Christ! Some of you I have known my whole life, some I have met throughout this year and some I have never met, but your kind messages, financial support and most importantly your prayerful support have been such an encouragement and a vital part of this year.

Please do keep in touch and I look forward to catching up with many of you soon!

With all my love and thanks,

Anna xx

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'“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28 v 19-20