When he asked me what the plan was I got nervous. I was excited don't get me wrong, but there was more going on than the one answer I could give. So in one long breath I told him - the good, the bad and, the ugly. That's how I was taught to live and love - my family won't let me forget it.
Staying here, in Knoxville this summer is most certainly one of the more grown up decisions I've ever had to make. And I can tell I'm already glad I said yes. And Gods timing is beautiful, hearing that I got the position with Emerald Youth Foundation eased the let down of not getting into Urban Plunge. As much as I will miss my beautiful Lexington, my friends, my family, and my kids... This is part of the process. This is something that I never planned... But He did.
I never would have imagined that telling her over lunch, that someone would overhear and remind me God has a plan much better than mine. It sounds so cheese ball but you don't just grow up considering yourself comparable to Jonah and constantly fight that feeling of running away or doing it your own way - and then your pastor tell you this sermon is for you - not once ever knowing that is how you feel. Jonah & Jesus - God has a plan SO much bigger.
That conversation was the reason I didn't get into the program I thought was so perfect. And the comfort and peace I feel over the situation is nothing like any peace I've ever felt before. Because I know that God knows I am just a silly little girl trying to run the show on my own.
So these are my early Monday morning thoughts. Still in bed. Coffee close by. A paper due at 5. And a heart and a head that just can't comprehend how amazing my God is. How beautiful the people in my life are.
And that I can still praise God anyway.
Monday, March 30, 2015
Monday, March 2, 2015
Overcoming Giants in Jackson
Who would have thought that a bus full of Intercultural Studies & Church Planting students spending a weekend in Jackson, Mississippi would have so much impact?
I didn't.
The only information we were given prior to the trip was that ONE church was getting ready to celebrate their 1st birthday & we would be there to see how planting a multi cultural church in Jackson looks like. Hang out with kids, & maybe meet Dr. John Perkins, who just happens to be my hero. I was obviously excited to go & see a place I had never been before, learn what I could about urban ministry through someone else's perspective etc. but honestly I was pretty skeptical with the lack of information, & the group that was going. Story of my life constantly looking at great opportunities & feeling the fire in my heart to be a part of them, & silencing the crackle of the fire inside. All I can say is Praise God that I ignored my doubts & got on that bus to Jackson.
We played more mafia this weekend then I have ever played in my entire life. It was a blast.
We stayed in a house I've seen in my dreams. It was huge - like it sleeps over 50 huge. There we stayed up way too late playing apple to apples, having deep conversations about our creator, & just getting to know each other.The house was smack in the middle of a very low income neighborhood with more pot holes in the streets than I remember in Santa Cruz. It was just a few blocks away from Dr. Perkins own home, was surrounded but a huge, locked, chain link fence. Bars covered the windows, & both nights spent there we woke up to over a dozen gun shots. But when we arrived, the first thing Matt said was, "Welcome Home" & with that, I knew we were meant to be there.
On Saturday we met in the parking lot of the cinema, where ONE church hosts their Sunday morning services, & introduced ourselves to a few members of their church who would be passing out promotion flyers to 7 of the 22 apartment complexes in the Jackson area. So the 11 of us on the trip divided up and set out with these beautiful peopl & heard their stories, shared our own, & caught a glimpse of what their vision for a multi cultural church looks like. Matt told us around 7,000 were reached Saturday morning. All it took was 2 hours on a Saturday morning & willing hands & feet... crazy huh?
Matt & Sara opened up their own apartment for us to rest, eat lunch provided by their partnership with the Fresh Market there, watch some basketball, & get to hear their story and how ONE church came into existence. But much like those involved with a new church plant, & community workers, there is never too much rest or a dull moment, so we headed back to the apartments with HOPE truck - one of their ministries they have for the
We were given the opportunity to go to a local High School game that night for free and got to watch some highly recruited kids win and go to their championship game!! To say I was hype would be an understatement. Their coach invited us into the locker room to celebrate, congratulate, & pray with them. To have that opportunity in a public school these days is huge. I won't forget those young men and their 23-3 record. Their positivism, & their hard work was so encouraging.
Spending the day with the kids in the appartments, seeing how Matt & ONE church engages the community, worshiping on Sunday, & hearing Donavon's message about over coming Giants are just a few other snapshots of what caused my heart to flood over with Joy & ignite my passion for intentional community & urban work even more. I believe in raising up children so they can be leaders in their community, I believe that we should love our neighbors no matter their skin color, education, place of birth, religious background, sexual orientation, past mistakes, economic status, etc. The Kingdom looks like this: diverse, multicultural, beautiful. I am so blessed to have been able to see other people currently living this out.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)