Another day, another 30 years

On average, we’ve covered 30 years of history a day over the semester as we’ve studied the period from the creation of the world to the exile of God’s people in Babylon – Genesis though to 2 Kings. I guess that explains in part why the semester seems to have flown!
After doing my exam on Friday (and spending a long time sitting and drinking coffee with my friend and fellow student, Kate) I spent the Queen’s Birthday long weekend at PY Winter Camp (If you missed it, there’s always Summer Camp, or next year. Find out more here: www.pynsw.org.au ).
At camp we looked at the life of another queen as we studied the book of Esther, and were reminded of the way God works in his world for the good of his people, of his sovereign care in every detail of our lives, and of the coming judgement for those who do not fear him. It was a helpful challenge to trust God in every circumstance, for the two hundred 12-16 year olds, and the 48 mostly twenty-something study leaders, alike. The study of the OT provided a really helpful backdrop, and an understanding of why God’s people were in the situation we find them in in Esther, and what he now expected of them.
And there I met another fellow student, Clare, who lives and studies in Albury, and whom I had previously ‘met’ in the online classroom. It was great to catch up with her in person and talk with her about some of the things we had learnt and enjoyed in the course, and about the ways in which it had been helpful in our ministries. And it was great to have the chance to minister alongside her as a sister in Christ and fellow servant of the King.