PBC Week 4 Prayer Letter
So far, it’s been a lot of fun being PBC's photographer and videographer! I love capturing memories and I love helping soothe the minds of moms through Facebook posts. Being a PBC staff member has a lot of perks too. Just this past weekend, we were able to go to a SLC Ogden Raptors baseball game—not that I'm super into sports—but the fellowship was so much fun!
One lesson I’m continually relearning at camp is that in every situation, God can be glorified because everything, even the unexpected, is according to His will.
One thing I did not expect as a camp photographer is for kids to actually hate me because I’m taking their photos. Just this past week, one girl threatened to flour bomb my camera and another girl threatened to put bugs in my bed. Coming into this position, I asked God for opportunities to minister to campers even through my job, and because He answers prayers, God actually allowed me to keep talking to the flour bomb girl until she opened up. On Thursday, I was able to eat with her cabin without realizing that she was in. That same night, after the campfire testimony time, when we were going uphill back to the cabins, she spoke up right beside me because we were both out of breath, haha! God really was the only one who could've placed me beside her during lunch and during our walk back. It was such an encouragement to be able to walk a girl, who initially didn't like me, back to her cabin and to be able to hear what she had learned this week and to be able to share some encouragement with her.
I have already told some of you about this in a previous prayer letter, but it's exciting to see a compilation of how God has shown that He is in control. Another time God showed His sovereignty was during week 2 when I was faced with an unexpected school bill for $1500 for a summer class I took abroad. I didn’t expect it at all and I was a little stressed because I needed to pay it off first before I could gain access to my transcript which I needed for a scholarship application that was due the next day.
On top of the stressful back and forth emails and calls with the school, that Friday afternoon, my computer started overheating and telling me to clear its storage space. Without reading anything, I accidentally deleted my iMovie projects, including that week’s video which was almost done! I tried retrieving it but there was no way for free.
That Friday was literally a trial after another trial. but somehow through it all, I had indescribable peace. Sure, I was stressed but somehow I just knew that God would work everything out. That Friday night, God simply gave me the calmness of mind to just restart the video. It was really weird how calm I was—God was really the only one who could’ve given me that peace. That next morning, I received an email with my transcript just in time for my scholarship application deadline and my bill was cleared once the school figured it was a miscommunication between departments, which was a huge blessing!
Although hard at the time, I’m grateful God allowed me to experience these things to remind me that I didn’t have to be anxious about anything because all things are according to His will, even the unexpected.
One thing that has been on my mind recently is a new policy change at school regarding finances, which greatly affects us students. I don't feel an overwhelming uneasiness about it, because I know God will provide for any school expenses or mission opportunities I face, but it does put a speed bump in my life plans. But again, I'm thankful that I can be reminded of God's plan through this.
Always Made with Joy,
Abby Joy
