Thank you

Dear friends and family

   I want to once again thank you for praying for my mission’s trip to Australia.  God is working in Melbourne and I am so thankful to have been a little part of it.  God also taught me numerous lessons while overseas.

   Being back home these past few days have been interesting. I miss Melbourne tremendously. I miss the friends I've made there even more. However, it is nice to be back home and to have seen many of you. Since being home, I have pondered and thought about this trip a lot. What did God teach me? In what ways did He move there? 

   

   While we were there, I think we planted a lot of seeds and tilled the soil of people’s hearts. I also know that we encouraged the Aussie missionaries and students.  It was a blessing to them to know that there are other Christians out there that are their age and who care about Christ.  I was told by multiple students that they were so thankful for our team. And likewise, I was so thankful for them. I think this trip was a beautiful example of Proverbs 27:17.

    "Iron sharpens iron,

    and one man sharpens another"

  God taught me a lot this summer. One of the many things He convicted me about was local missions. The Aussies are so passionate and real about their faith and they want to see Melbourne transformed into a city that loves and knows Jesus.  It’s very hard to find anyone who is luke-warm about their faith. When it comes to Jesus, they are all in.  This made me think about whether I felt the same way about Mason or Springfield.  Do I feel the same passion when it comes to local missions? Do I pray regularly for transformation? 

  God has given me a renewed heart and spirit towards this. I am excited to get back to GMU and work and start being more intentional with my classmates and co-workers.  It would be my joy to see GMU become a place that loves and knows God.  Would you please pray with me that God would transform Mason? That God would transform Northern Virginia? We serve a powerful King who is capable of doing so. Thank you once again for helping me go on this mission’s trip. You have been such a blessing to me and those in Australia.

Stoneza (Hannah)