Our first week of class is over, and we are on to our second. This past week has really been a test to how far I will allow God to push me, and I can’t help but love every adventure that has followed.

Our schedule is very busy. Every day we are busy from 6am-8pm. The bible classes here are amazing. Every single thing this past week that the teacher said, there was a (if not more) scriptures to back it up. Not only learning principles but also the word. When rooming with 6 girls, you get to know every one pretty closely. I love the different cultures. One girl told me "Ashley you look very smart" to them smart means well dressed. I was so confused then laughed when she tried to explain. I expected to try and learn there language. What I wasn't expecting was her saying "Will you teach me English". Then last night one of the girls were sick. After spending some time with her, she asked me to help her make a facebook and an email.. Her laugh made it all worth it. Also, through out the day we have Intercession, where we all get together and pray. This to me is amazing, to wait for God to speak to you, and then speak through you. I have never been someone conferrable with praying out loud in a large group, but after putting my own thoughts down and just focusing on The Lord and what he is saying, there is no hesitation about anything. Faith is a big thing I also learned this week. To not have any amount of unbelief in my heart. To fully trust god with all of my life. Even if it means I don’t know what I am doing after this DTS, I know that I serve an amazing God that will never leave me stranded. That will guide my every step, and will fill me and use me.

This past week was about the Nature and Character of God. Who is this God? How can we know God? Why would God want us to know him? Easy questions right? While in class, when the teacher asked us these questions, the whole class was silent. After talking about it, we came to the conclusion that God is the Supreme Being (beyond our thinking), the creator, the alpha and omega, the one beyond human understanding. God wants us to know him to fear him for our own good. He is a jealous God (Deut 5:9) He is asking us to fear and serve him (Deut 10:12). Gods servants are selected from those who fear him (Exodus 18:21). We then began talking, what even is the fear of God? It can be referred to Holy fear. God-given enabling men to reverence Gods authority, obey his commandments, hate and shun all evil. (Jeremiah 32:40, Gen 22:12, Heb 5:7).

When it comes to studying or learning about nature and character of God, it should come to no surprise that it is very hard to describe what God is like. We are created beings attempting to talk about the one who made us. Since he gave us our existence he is in every way greater than we are. The Nature of God, what we can never be while Character of God is what he is that we can also be although not at his level.

This week we had also learned different names of God. Abraham named him Jehovah-Jireh= Lord/Provider (Genesis 22:14). Ezekiel named him Jehovah-Shammah= The Lord is there, the lord is present. (Ezekiel 48:35) Jeremiah named him Jehovah-Tsiakenu= Straight, Righteousness, Justify. (Jeremiah 23:5,63) We learned that God is spirit, not a spirit. That he can see (Gen 1:10). That he can smell (Gen 8:21). That he hears (Exodus 2:24). That he remembers (Gen 8:1). That he will wipe away tears of those who cry (Isaiah 25:8). That he gets angry (Jeremiah 7:18-19). That he can be grieved (Psalms 78:40). And that he can rejoice over you (Isaiah 62:5).

The ability God has given us, no one else has that. You have dreams, fight for them. If you don’t use the ability God has given you, that is pride. You are not nothing, nothing doesn’t exist in this world.

Thank you Jesus for your healing powers, your love, and your amazing grace.