Rahab's identity confusion

I came across a verse the other day which confused me. 

 You crushed Rahab like a carcass; you scattered your enemies with your mighty arm. (Psalm 89:10)

Wait, really? I thought we liked Rahab! I know she's a prostitute, but she and her family were saved in Joshua, she is given as an example of someone who trusted God in Hebrews. Why has she been crushed? 

I did some reading and found a few references to Rahab being defeated by God (Job 26:12), and even as being a nation (Psalm 87:4). 

It turns out that there are two Rahabs. One is the prostitute of Joshua, the other is some sort of ocean creature like a leviathan, which God is said to have defeated when he created the world. It sometimes symbolises the chaos of the sea, so when God parted the sea for Israel he defeated Rahab again. Eventually Rahab ended up as a synonym for Egypt, as in Psalm 87:4. 

How interesting! 

AFES AC

Last weekend I went to AFES' apprentice conference. It was at the end of the semester, a weekend with other apprentices looking at our glorious God, and sharing stories of joys and struggles. While I was a little tired to be spending time meeting people, it was great being with others who are keen about God's Kingdom, singing loudly, inputting discussion, volunteering to pray. 

The best bit of the weekend was the small group. Most conferences tend to put you in a group, you meet them, forget them and are in a completely different group next year. This time I got put in a group with four other gals, and we will be in the same group at the end of year conference, and then twice again next year. All of a sudden it's worth forming real relationships with them, even though we live in different cities, keeping in contact and sharing stuff throughout the year. It was wonderful to share stuff I had had trouble with and have four others nodding and saying 'me too!' rather than 'oh, you don't need to worry about that.' 

The other great thing was the singing! There were only about 50 there, but everyone was enthusiastic and confident, even with just a keyboard to back us up.