HELLO!

How are all of you?

Looks like you've been having a great time at the last few Bright Lights meetings!
I can't believe how quickly time has passed... Can you believe I've been in the US for one and a half months already?

Looking back, I'm so grateful to God for all that's happened so far. I remember the morning I left, I felt really scared. I had been telling everyone that I would be okay by myself, even feeling surprised that they actually thought I wouldn't be. But as I left that day, the realisation suddenly came: that I would be away from everyone and everything I knew and loved and was going to a place where I knew no one. It was not a reassurring thought. But then I was reminded that there was nothing to fear for God was with me. So that has been a really comforting thought all the time I've been here;)

I've grown to really love the training centre here. The place, my room, the people. Its an amazing environment. Think a never ending ATI conference in Malacca. The people here have a close walk with God and are inspiring to me. Its not unusual during mealtimes here for someone to sit down and just start sharing about what God has been teaching them.

There's really been lots going on in my mind, that I've been learning this past month. There's so much I can share with you that I don't think it can fit in this post!

Well, the my first course just ended yesterday, so I was reflecting about the class and all.

When I started my music harmony class, I did not know what to expect. I thought that it should be fairly easy – wasn't harmony just about following rules? Or so I thought... Well, it wasn't exactly difficult, but it was certainly alot of mind work. The first phase was hard, but it got easier as I learnt more. Still, I could never have done it without God's help. At times, my emotions would get the better of me and I would just feel like giving up. Some days we worked on harmony from 9am-9pm with just a 15 minutes break after meals. But through it all God's grace, God's grace and only God's grace that helped me pull through. I am overwhelmed when I think of all the difficulties I faced in harmony but how God yet again was faithful.

I was reading II Corinthians 1:9-10 the other day and it was again a reminder of that.

It reads: "But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead: Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that He will yet deliver us."

But yet, in the midst of all those difficulties, there were happy times during the course. The walks we would take as a short break, the morning devotions when we shared what God was teaching us and the mealtimes when everyone would exchange funny stories.

Definitely the best thing I liked from the course was learning how to compose music and arrange vocal music. It was something I never even dreamed that I would ever be able to do, so I was encouraged that it could be done;) My classmate and I each chose to arrange a girl's choir piece. The one I arranged is called "My Song of Jesus" and the one my classmate arranged is called "Before the Throne". The thing I find the most meaningful about the songs are the words. I will probably be sending it to you soon, and it'll be great if you could all learnt to sing it!

Okay, so that's about all the news that I have:)

Below are some pictures...
Snow!
More snow...or maybe its ice...hmm
The training centre's fleet of vans! (We took the school bus to church last sunday;)
icicles}}
A trip to Starbucks last weekend. That was really fun! Hadn't had coffee for a long time;
My classmate and I had some fun writing words in the snow;)
A class picture we took for my music harmony course
I wanted to share with you a song that I've been loving a lot the past weeks.
Its called: "By the Gentle Waters"
Go to this link to listen to it and see the lyrics:
http://www.walkinthelight.ca/psalm%2023.htm

So, have a great day! And may God's strength and peace be with you;)


Lots of love,
Jolynn

3 comments:

  1. Hey Jolynn - it looks so lovely over there! All the snow! wow! Wish I could be there too:) I can't wait to see more pictures! I'm sure you're having a GREAT time!

    P.S. Your classmates look really nice and friendly too!:)

    ReplyDelete
  2. hey Jolynn!!
    wonderful view:)
    Wells thank God for His care and protection for you over the past one and a half months..
    May the Lord continue to grant you superb fun and joy while you study:):):)
    remembering and praying for you always<3

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  3. by the way, Jolynn, I love the photo you took with your coursemates! It looks so professional, like a poster!
    Haha.. :D

    ReplyDelete

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