The start of the journey

The other interns are great! We have been discovering each others' passions and interests. It has been incredible to have people who are going through the same new situations as me and others who remember what it was like when they first got here and can help guide us. 

We have had fun exploring Lafayette together; going to art in the park one night and another time just walking around downtown. We have gone to different small groups together and met new people at Faith. And sometimes we spend a night together just watching Netflix.

I have been thinking through many ways to try and explain what my experiences here have been like so far. At times being on-shift vs. being off-shift can seem like a completely separate life, but I am here to guide the residents through their day and learn about biblical counseling. I guess I can explain it by saying in every situation I am reminded of God's Truth and His love for us.

More stories to come...but I wanted to check in with you and say thank you for your prayers towards this next year!

The Next Chapter

Four months of living back in the states, it's time for another transition right? This weekend I will be moving to Lafayette, IN.

I'll start at the beginning...my friend, Ashlen, was reading Jesus Feminist by Sarah Bessey. In the book Bessey writes about a women's rehabilitation center called Mercy Ministries. Ashlen knew that after getting back I was now interested in counseling women and in particular at a place where we all lived together and the help could be in every aspect of their lives. So she texted me and I looked up Mercy Ministries. I found they have a house in St. Louis. I read more about them a decided to apply. For no reason at all I Googled to see if there were anymore houses like this and I found Vision of Hope in Lafayette. I applied there too.

I received a response from VOH and after some phone interviews went up for a shadow weekend to see how everything ran. I loved everything I saw and everyone I met. While I was there I got a call from Mercy and set up a phone interview with them later that week. After talking with friends and praying about it I decided to take the position at VOH.

"Vision of Hope is a faith based residential treatment center whose staff and program focus on applying love, practical solutions from God's Word to help produce permanent and lasting change in women whose lives have been characterized by negative, life-dominating habits."

You can read more about VOH and watch testimonial videos here.

I will be escorting the residents from meals to classes, overseeing their volunteering at the church and community center, and going through counseling training. Since my shifts are about four hours I will have some free time. I am excited to get involved in the Lafayette community. When I was visiting I heard about some ways people are helping in the homeless cimmunity, one of the girls working at VOH is on a volleyball team, and I'm hoping to go to Thursday night meetings at Purdue's Campus House.

The next two weeks are training; afterwards I can post again and share how it's all going.