Bonjour friends!
I am
sure as you read posts from different students you realize that the Spirit is
on the move. He is wrecking our worlds, and magnifying His glory and the beauty
of His grace at work in us. This sanctifying process has been very tangible in
my life as I have been here in Paris. God has humbled me and continues to do
this day-by-day and moment-by-moment. One of the biggest desires I had coming
into Project this summer was that I would learn what it means to walk by the
Spirit. While I would have loved a list of steps to follow to become dependent
upon the Holy Spirit that would actually contradict the heart of a life
following the Spirit. Instead God has removed the places, ways, and strengths I
seek to find confidence beside Him to show me that He is my Strength, Friend,
Lover, Creator, Voice [literally, as I lost mine from sickness], the list goes
on & on… It is a hard but beautiful thing to learn that I am not needed in
this work God is doing but that He gives me the opportunity to be a broken
vessel redeemed only through Him.
To share with
you some specific examples of how God is clearly in control and at work here in
Paris I want to share with you a little bit about someone who has become very,
very special to me. About a week and a half ago Rhyan & I met a Japanese
student, Yukiyo, who has been living in France for about 4 years during her
university studies. Even meeting her was clearly God’s doing—we were talking to
a girl named Tracy at lunch that day when Yukiyo, Tracy’s classmate, came up
and joined us. We talked with both of them about their backgrounds, their
lives, their beliefs, what we believe about God, and how our lives have been
transformed by Him. I could go on and on about our conversations, but I will
just say that from that day till now Rhyan, myself, and others on the team have
gotten to spend time with Yukiyo almost every day since we met this incredible
woman. We have dug into many, many great questions about God, Jesus, theology,
why we can trust scripture, etc. that Yukiyo has had. We have dug into John 1
(or “Jean” in French) with her. We have brought her to French church with us
twice, and even got to eat lunch with an incredible Japanese woman from the
church.
My friend,
Yukiyo, has not made a decision to trust Christ and is very honest to say that
she is not sure she believes, but I can see God tearing down walls and opening
her eyes to see Him for who He is more & more with each conversation we
have. On Saturday we invited our friends to come hang out at the park for a
picnic in the afternoon, as we do each week, and at this picnic that the Holy
Spirit once again moved. I went into this picnic regretting leaving bed,
voiceless from the cold I have, and without expectations for anything
significant. As soon as I sat down next to Yukiyo I could speak, and we had a
great time talking and enjoying the beautiful day. I hadn’t made any
intentional effort to make the conversation spiritual when Yukiyo—looking at a
tiny white wildflower in her hand—says something I was not prepared for. She
told me that as she looks at the variety in plants, trees, and people she
thinks that there must be a God who created all these things. WOW. A girl who
didn’t believe in any god two weeks ago is now exploring who this “God” may be,
asking questions, reading the Bible, and meeting up with these crazy American
Christians again & again.
Please,
please, please pray for my friend, Yukiyo. I
care for her deeply and I know that God loves even more deeply & fully.
Pray that she would continue to explore who God is, and that she would respond
and give all that she is to the only One who is completely trustworthy. Also,
as we are only able to be here with her for about a week longer pray that she
stays connected to Christian community her in Paris.
Thanks to all of
you for your love, support, & prayers! You guys mean so much to us.
Grace &
Peace,
Ariel Currieo
