"Come as you are."

It's hard to be real online, I'm kind of anxious about what people will think of me and how they will judge me. I do not know who is going to be reading this but I pray that they may see humanity, humility and God in what I write.

Here it goes...

My soul is worn out, I have been playing tug-o-war with my soul, my faith, my God and it has left me weary and down-trodden. This week I have found that my lack to trust and have faith in God is one of the most crippling defects I have in my faith. What frustrates me the most is that I know that daily prayer and reading the Bible will increase my faith, hope and joy in the Lord. This I know, but I allow my sin to take over. I am blessed to be in this internship and yet humiliated by my lack of faith. Brother Russ talked about creating "SMART goals" ones you can actually attain within a short amount of time and I realize I need to step up to the challenge, step up to my sinful, unholy and unrighteous self and believe that God's grace, mercy and love can bring me out of this "muddy pit, and put a new song on my lips, a hymn of praise to my God" (Psalm 40).

I have to give thanks for the amazing people I work with at New Community. I am so excited to see where our different ministries take us. I am starting up an outdoor ministry that will hopefully take off more fully in the spring and working with Brother Caleb and Brother Karl in prison ministry and with Sister Heather in the teen pregnancy ministry. I am very excited and cannot wait to get those off the ground.

I am reminded of James 1:2-4 (ironically the verses we need memorized) and I know with the slightest amount of joy that God is making me and those around me who are running the Race stronger than ever.

Amen.

Peace and Love from Sister Leslie.