Race for Hope

Family and Friends,
 

July 2014 I started an internship with Vision of Hope in Lafayette, IN. VOH is a residential treatment center focused on helping young women overcome life dominating sins through Biblical counseling. I have a front row seat to see girls who come in with self-demeaning attitudes experience God’s love and start loving others. I have been challenged and come to the understanding that this job and anything I do is not about ‘I’. I thought I was being unselfish in my love, but sometimes my actions were motivated by what I could get out of it. I started out looking at my shifts as what I could do to fix problems, but that’s not my job description. I am to point the residents to the Truth in the Bible. In Acts 8, Phillip sat with the eunuch and told him the good news about Jesus. The most loving thing I can do for anyone I come in contact with is to be glorifying God with my life. I have been praying that I could see God in my interactions on shift and not do things for the approval of others. 

Vision of Hope’s program is set up so the girls are supervised throughout the day. I have four shifts a week where I help facilitate class, assign jobs for house cleaning, work meal prep, and answer questions during study hall. The ladies have one hour of counseling a week and then have homework to do to help them grow closer to God. When I am not working I have started volunteering at Faith Church. I help in the counseling department and have learned how to edit sermons. I have learned so much here and have built incredible relationships. I am so thankful to be at Vision of Hope.

One of Vision of Hope's biggest fundraisers is Race for Hope. This race is a 10k run or 5k run/walk around Lafayette. The money raised from Race for Hope will be used to keep the VOH program free and living expenses for the residents affordable. Each staff, intern, and resident will be a team captain. Each of us has a goal of raising $1000.

 

I would like to invite you to join my Race for Hope Team: The Mercy Empowered Givers (MEG). The way you can help me the most is to join my team.  You can come here for the fun event on June 13th, you can walk or run in your area any day or time, or you can even be a “virtual walker” and just ask friends and family to sponsor you online.  The cost to join my team is $25 and you will receive a T-shirt. I would love to have your support.  You can join my team by going here.

 

If you are unable to join my team but would rather sponsor me by giving a donation you can do that here, or you can mail a check to Vision of Hope, 5652 Mercy Way, Lafayette, IN  47923.  Please make checks payable to Faith Ministries and include my name in the memo. 

 

Thank you for all your prayers,

Biblical Counseling Training Confrence

Last week Faith Church hosted the Biblical Counseling Training Conference (BCTC). There were 2,000 people who came for the conference. I had the opportunity to attend and I took track 6, which is the women's track. Different speakers came from all over the country. In my track Elyse Fitzpatrick (author of Because He Loves Me), Martha Peace (author of The Excellent Wife), Jocelyn Wallace (former director of VOH), and Amy Baker (counselor at Faith) were the main speakers.
They spoke on topics like: Our Identity in Christ, Attitudes of Love, Helping Women to be Godly Mothers, Understanding God's comfort, Helping Women who have been treated badly by their husbands, Approval Oriented Friendships, and Panic Attacks. We received a lot of Godly wisdom in a very short time frame.
In my first session Elyse Fitzpatrick shared, the good news is for you everyday of your life, not just for unbelievers. God chose you because you wouldn't have chosen Him (Eph 1:3-6). Everything that should disqualify you from being in this family has endeared you to Him as a way to demonstrate His mercy. You are unceasingly, passionately, unquenchablely, loved by God (Rms 8:35-38). We started with the Gospel and everything else that followed was good to know yes but would be of no use without the Gospel. I am thankful to have been a part of the BCTC this year.

The Good News

photo via Christy Stewart

The Gospel is Jesus, the Son of God, living here on earth, dying for our sins, and then raises from the dead. As humans we are born into sin and once we repent God will show us grace and accept us into His family. Then as Christians we try to love God and love others. Most of you reading my blog know this and believe this. That's great! But is that it? Are we really living like we believe the Gospel?

This is something I have been learning about since last December when I was in Haiti. I read a lot more and talked to God a lot more there than I did before and sadly more than I do now. I was reading Ezekiel and saw what our lives look like without God. In Ezekiel 16: 1-14 God tells the prophet how when Israel was born there was no one to take care of her. She was dirty and alone. But God loved her and she become His. Do we ever stop and think of how much of nothing we are? Or about how nothing we do can be good enough for Him and He loves us anyway?

In The Cost of Discipleship Dietrich Bonhoeffer writes, "grace is costly because it calls us to follow, and it is grace because it calls us to follow Jesus Christ. It is costly because it costs a man his life, and it is grace because it gives a man the only true life. It is costly because it condemns sin, and grace because it justifies the sinner. Above all, it is costly because it cost God the life of his Son."

Recently this topic has been coming up again. The sermon series we just finished covered Hosea. God asks Hosea to marry a prostitute to show the people His love towards them. Through His loving discipline He showed grace. Why do we think we can accept God's grace and then go back to living our lives? How can we call ourselves Christians when we keep putting our trust and hope in ourselves?

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.  

Caribbean Cruise

Carnival.com

Last week I went on my first cruise with my parents, sister, aunt, uncle, two cousins, and one of their girlfriends. I was excited to be leaving the country again and to see more of the world. I tried to prepare myself for the tourist mindset instead of the missionary. Overall it was a great trip. The weather was perfect. We didn't have problems with luggage. It was mostly what I expected; laying out in the sun, snorkeling in the ocean, and watching shows on the ship. 

My favorite port was Belize City. For a couple of reasons: it reminded me a lot of Haiti and my sister, Hannah, and I took a tour by ourselves to explore some of the Mayan ruins. We took a two hour bus ride to the ruins so we saw a lot of Belize and our tour guide shared a lot of information. Because it did look so similar to Haiti I think it was hard for me to be okay with being a tourist but our guide told us tourism is their biggest form of revenue and she loved us being there, taking pictures and telling our friends about it. So that made me feel better.

In Cozumel and Roatan we found beautiful beaches to relax on and at Grand Cayman the nine of us went snorkeling over a sunken ship, fed stingrays, and played with starfish. This vacation was filled with many things I had never done before and I loved that I got to experience these countries with my family. I'm glad I got to go some places by myself first though because after seeing how everyone drives I don't know if my mom would have let me leave America :) 

It's not about you

My walk leaving church

Last May I went to training before becoming an apprentice in Haiti. The other 20 or so people there were interning for the summer in a few different countries. One of the girls, Courtney, spent the summer in Kenya. When she started school again in the fall she started a blog for one of her classes talking about her time serving in Kenya. In October I read what she had to share. God told her, "Don't you see, none of this has to do with you? All of what you are participating in is about Me and furthering My kingdom. You can't be effective here unless you realize that you are nothing without Me and that your identity is in Me. You are not your clothes, your past, your hair, your story, you are simply my dear child." I did not want to hear this at the time. Isn't my story who I am? I thought I was in Haiti to be an example of Christ so lives would be transformed. Even now I have to remind myself that this, what I'm doing with my life, isn't about me. It's not even really about anyone who is watching my life. I am living a small story compared to the one God has written. The one where he and his kingdom are at the center. 

Dancing at the Christmas party in Mirebalais

During my time in Haiti God taught me who I am and that it's not prideful to own these characteristics. He revealed to me the image I had created of myself for protection from other's judgments. Once I was able to see and believe God's truth about me I was able to love others better. I am not as concerned about what others think or how they react to me. Now that I am confident in who I am I can see where God wants me to love and serve others.

If you know me, you know I like to read. I read a lot in Haiti and one book was called True Community by Jerry Bridges. In this book the author talks about the different ways Christians live. We should be abiding in Christ. This means instead of asking God for help to get through the day because of his power I should ask him to get me through the day because of his power. God and I are not equal working on a problem together, he is doing everything, and I am just the physical being here on earth the work is being attributed to.

Romans 15:18 God did his work through Paul. Paul acknowledged he does nothing on his own. 

Phil 2:13"For it is God who worketh in you both to will and do his will." 

Isaiah 26:12 "Lord you will ordain peace for us, for thou also has wrought all works after us."
Rms 8:28 and 2 Tim 1:9 I am called to do this right now, not because of my own works but because of his purpose and grace. It doesn't matter what I can do, I am called to do what God asks.

I noticed that the youth I became friends with want to evangelize to everyone they see and think that all Christians think this way. I am learning from them to tell my story so God is praised but it's not about me. It's not about them either, is it? The point is Christ.

What I've learned...

It’s a new year and my last semester working as a Staff Intern at the Campus House. This week I have spent some time remembering my time here. I started writing down everything I have learned, first to see and acknowledge all God has grown in me, but also to recognize how I can be more intentional in my last semester.

What I have learned:

I enjoy reading not just for pleasure but also for knowledge.

In order to build more connections I have to speak what I am thinking.

Others need to be praised for their willingness to help.

Even when I overall loved my job there were some things that were frustrating and I did not like doing, but that’s ok. 

“Good” is not an acceptable answer. You have to share what made it good.

My supporters want to hear about what I am doing. I have to share as much in newsletters as I do in real life.

Ministry happens in the interruptions.

Just because I didn’t get everything crossed off my list doesn’t mean it wasn’t a successful day.

Budget and you will have the money you need when you need it.

The only way to hear someone’s story is to ask them to tell it.

Others do not process or view things the same way I do. I cannot force them to enjoy the same things I do.

Others need to be praised for their abilities.

Just because plans change doesn’t mean I have to wait until they are final to share them with others.

When you want to give up, don’t. Afterwards you will feel like you can do anything.

Looking at Pinterest and listening to a sermon is a good use of my multi-tasking skills.

 Everything doesn’t need to be fixed.

There is a lot that goes on behind the scenes to make a Wednesday night happen.

Group projects were not just a school thing. Every project I work on I get input from everyone else to make it better.

Understand sometimes it is physically impossible for me to do it all.

How to delegate and have patience with those I delegate to.

In order to hear someone’s story I have to ask the right questions.

Vision Week

Last week we transformed the basement of the Campus House into ten spaces separated by sheets for students to come and walk through their story. The theme for vision week this year was Storyline. The majority of the material came from Donald Miller’s Storyline book.

In the book Don starts by looking at God’s timeline. Then using Joseph’s life as an example of how our stories fit into God’s story. He shows the positive and negative turns in a person’s life and how that denotes the theme of their life. The theme is the statement which everything you do must pass through. If what you are planning on doing doesn’t line up with your theme you might want to reconsider what you are doing.

A story is a character who wants something and overcomes conflict to get it. After figuring out the theme for of life we moved on to the roles we play, the ambitions we have with each role, the inciting incident (the thing that once it happens you will never be the same), the conflict, and the climactic scene (the scene that can only take place after the ambition is reached).

For me one of my roles is Staff Intern.

My ambitions for that roles are to create art that inspires students and the God's word is understood and can be applied.

Some Inciting Incidents I need to do would be to plan the KC grow trip, ask students questions about what they are learning, and seek out more girls to meet one on one with.

I foresee conflict being that I don't know the answers to questions students ask, no place to stay in KC, or no place to serve in KC.

Climatic Scene I imagine would be when a student gets it and when a student is leading someone else.

It was a very successful week. We heard a lot of good feedback from students. If you want to read people’s  stories, Don set up a website,  you can go to mysubplot.com.  

Amsterdam.

The last week of October I took a trip to Amsterdam, The Netherlands with my church from back home, Graceway. It was a cultural discovery trip. There were 17 of us that went ranging in age from 14 to 69. We stayed in the Memphis Hotel to the south of the city. From there we could walk or take the tram anywhere we wanted to go.

In the mornings we met in the conference room and Jeff taught us about different cultures and how we can better relate. I wish I could retell all his stories and share all the knowledge he gave but here are a few things that stood all to me this past week.

·         There are 180 different cultures of peoples in Amsterdam compared to 150 in New York City. Jeff challenged us to listen to the different languages we heard during the day. I did this and found myself disappointed that I listened to the many languages put didn’t know what they were. I could pick out the major ones like Spanish and French but nothing else.

·         We all tend to be ethnocentric. This means we tend to see the world through our own cultural lens, whether that be American culture and/or Christian culture. God did not call us to plant American churches in every nation, he says to make disciples of every ethnic group. The only way to establish the Gospel among a people is through their culture.

·         New ideas in society can be traced:

                First with the intellectuals

                The educated –ideas get passed down through the school systems

                The workers

                And finally the middle class

·         Thomas Aquinas sought balance between Grace (God the Creator, heaven, heavenly, invisible) and Nature (the created, earth, earthly, visible). Catholicism rejected nature from the 5^th-15^th century. The Renaissance brought nature back but rejected God’s truth. People didn’t change what they were thinking, they started to change the way they were thinking.

·         We have formed a Christian culture that is so inward focused we have lost connection with the viewers. Post Modern thinking means wanting to participate. They don’t want a show a church.

·         “Expect great things from God, attempt great things for God.” William Carey.

In the afternoons we were free to explore the city. It is so quaint. The gardens I walked through were beautiful and tranquil. I could have sat there for hours reflecting on God’s creation.

I went to the art museums and saw Rembrandt’s, Van Gough’s, Vermeer’s, Gauguin’s, Cezanne’s and many others. It is so surreal to see this works of art in person that I have seen hundreds of times in my art books.

My favorite part was visiting the churches. I saw the Old Church, the New Church, Zuiderkerk, St. Bavo’s, St. Nicolas, and Begijnhof Chapel. I love seeing the grander and majesty of the old churches built to glorify God.

You can go to my Facebook to see pictures from the trip.

Leadership Team Retreat

Last week we took our leadership team on a retreat to prepare for the year. This was the first year we planned our own retreat. It went wonderfully. Of course there were things that we will be changing for next year but for the most part we accomplished what we set out to do. We grew in closer relationship with each other, we set out the vision for the year, and we had fun! I am so excited for the group of students we have this year. They are ready and willing to help new students feel welcome, get connected, and grow in a deeper relationship with God.


During some free time a night we played some games



We went to the City Museum in St. Louis

There were things to climb on and slide down



There was a ball pit to play in

Some of us played softball with a paper ball at the church we stayed at



The girls were excited when they made it around the bases!



We spent one night in St. Charles looking at the shops
and eating a meal out

Spring Break part 2

We are home and back to work and school.

In Tennessee, God's creation was beautiful and the weather was perfect. The most repeated things students keep saying is how awesome it was that they could be themselves on this trip and were accepted. So many friendships were made this past week. I pray they continue and spread to others in our community.

At the beginning of our trip on Sunday morning we went to Crossings in Knoxville. Caleb taught on the book of Luke. Mark and Caleb came during the week and taught through the book of Nehemiah. I learned a lot and thought I would share a thought from my notes with you.

On Sunday I heard a parable I have heard probably a hundred times (and you probably have too), but this time I heard something differently. Luke 19:11- 24 says,
And as they heard these things, he added and spake a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear. He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come. But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us. And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading. Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds. And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities. And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds. And he said likewise to him, Be thou also over five cities. And another came, saying, Lord, behold, here is thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin: For I feared thee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest up that thou layedst not down, and reapest that thou didst not sow. And he saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow: Wherefore then gavest not thou my money into the bank, that at my coming I might have required mine own with usury? And he said unto them that stood by, Take from him the pound, and give it to him that hath ten pounds.

By investing the money, the first and second servant were telling their master, the nobleman, they believe he will become king and they want him to become king. Because if he hadn't become king the servants would have lost the money. This isn't just a story about how to invest what God has given you. Jesus wants to know if you will risk everything and bet on him. Do you have the courage to risk what God has given you?

Here are a few picture from the trip...


Hiking to Chimny Tops



Just Dance



Knoxville

Change in routine

Today was an unusually warm day for February. In Warrensburg it was in the 60’s! I decided to walk on campus and spend some time outdoors. As I made my way to the benches in front of the Union I saw one of my old professors sitting and eating lunch with a couple of other professors. I stopped and said hi. We discussed some of my old classmates and where they are now and what they are up to. I told her some of what I have been doing at CCH and how I love it. We said our good-byes and I moved along.

 I found and empty bench and took The Screwtape Letters, my notebook, and a pencil out of my bag to start reading and writing notes for the community group members to discuss. I got about a chapter read before one of my friends, Jenna, passed by. She was headed inside the Union to get some cake. Apparently for 18 years now the university has had a 90% employment rate after graduation. So what better way to celebrate, then by giving its students free cake! I followed her inside. We each picked up a piece of chocolate cake and found a seat on a sofa.

Jenna told me she has been reading Leviticus, where God lays out the laws He wants the Israelites to follow. The more she read and studied the more she learned the things the Israelites were required to do in themselves had no significance but because God had commanded them was what made the acts worship to Him. We questioned and discussed why God set so many rules and how it is different from today. Beth Moore says, “Relationships are the goal of regulations.” In the Old Testament not everyone could have a relationship with God, but today it is possible.

Trials made perfect

Yesterday morning I was in a car accident. No one was injured but my car is pretty banged up. God has shown me a lot through this experience and I wanted to share some thoughts with you.

I had decided earlier this week I was going to fast for 24 hours on Wednesday. The Point-in-Time Count was that day. The Point-in-Time Count is done every six months counting the number of homeless in an area. A group of community members survey the town to try and get a better idea of how many homeless men, women, and children there are so that we can be better equipped to help them. Since I was not going to be able to go out Wednesday night I decided to fast and throughout the day keeping in mind and prayer for everyone counting and being counted. I had a few more selfish reasons for wanting to fast on Wednesday as well.

I started out my reading James and praying for my girls I meet with. I left to go to Northside where we would be watching week 2 of the Beth Moore study over James. I was at a 4-way stop. Almost through the intersection I was hit on the driver’s side rear end. A neighbor heard the wreck and called police. We got everything worked out with the police. Thankfully it wasn’t too cold Wednesday morning. I never made it to Northside. My car is still drivable so I went to CCH and started making the necessary phone calls.

(Ironic moment: The other driver and I have the same first and middle name)

Now to the lesson(s) to be learned from all of this…

In 2 Samuel 6 David gets angry at God. David had no right to get angry, he was in the wrong, but because David got angry he got to understand more of who God is. I’m not saying I got angry at God but I do believe I have come to understand God a little more now because of it. God is my Protector. HE should be the only one I fear.

“My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” James 1:2-4

I think these verses describe it perfectly. There will be hardships; be filled with joy. You will be tested; have patience. Everything will be achieved.

Vision Week

This week we took a week “off.” We transformed the basement of CCH (where we usually have chairs set up to listen to Brad on Wednesday nights) into a place students could get out of their ordinary routines and encounter God. The building was open so that students could come anytime that worked with their schedule.

We hung sheets to separate the space into different stations. Each station had a different theme. Some were review about what we have been studying in David, while others were new, we had a station where students could give $1.20 and package 6 meals to be sent to Africa through Something To Eat.

This year there were several new things we added to vision week. Every night at midnight we had worship, some students fasted for one, two, or three days, and for the first 36 hours students were praying continually in the prayer room upstairs.

Thursday night we had our wrap-up. It was laid back with worship and some sharing of what God had revealed to us.

One of the coolest things for me was the Intro. It was based around John 13:1-17 when Jesus washes the disciples’ feet. At this station there were washable markers where you could sit down and write your sins on your foot and then step into a tub of water and the marker would disappear from your foot as a picture of Jesus making you clean. If you don’t know, I have a tattoo of a cross on my foot, so when I was writing sins on my foot I was writing them on the cross, and when the marker was washing off my foot it was an awesome picture of because Christ died on the cross is the reason my sins are being cleansed.

A day in the life of...ME

I realized while talking with my family last night that many of you may get to hear me tell stories of exciting things going on here at the campus house or you may receive my monthly newsletter and read about the highlights from the month, but most of you may not know what I do on a daily basis. So I thought I would share with you what my day usually looks like.

First off, I need to say that no two days look the same. So I will give you an idea of what I have done and still plan to do today.   

For our upcoming Grow Trips I am creating a daily devotional. When I went to Haiti this past summer the mission sent me a booklet containing a daily devotional  and it changed my experience of the trip. Coming into this year I knew I wanted to provide something similar for the students of CCH. This morning I worked on it a little more. I am designing the booklet in InDesign. I’m not completely satisfied with the cover yet but it is coming along. I am laying out the text as well. I asked the staff and some students for some input on what they thought students needed to know and be intentionally thinking about on a mission trip.

I am leading the Grow Trip to Kansas City over Christmas break. I emailed a few more people trying to finalize our plans for the week. I also looked up each of the places we are for sure going to on a map and none of them are more than 30 minutes away from each other. So that’s great because I don’t want to spend the entire trip driving from place to place. God is working everything out, just a lot more slowly than what I would have wanted.

I took a break and did some reading in I Once Was Lost by Don Everts and Doug Schaupp. One of the students I meet with weekly and I are reading through it and discussing it.

I worked on a few things for vision week, which is coming up in two weeks. Vision week is a time we set aside and cancel all our activities. We transform the basement into a place where students can come and meet with God through different means. Last year a few places we created were a place where students could let go of their worries, a place to pray for the world, and a place to reflect on beauty. This year the areas will be different and all centered on the picture of Shalom. Shalom being wholeness, completeness, rightness, the way God intended.

Usually for lunch on Tuesdays I go to Planet Sub ($2.50 turkey on Tuesday) with one of the girls on the leadership team. We share life together. We talk about everything. Hopefully I am able to answer questions she has about school or relationships or whatever is going on in her life.

This afternoon I will meet with another girl on the leadership team. We usually sit outside on campus since it has been so nice but soon we are going to have to move inside to the Union or something. Her community group meets on Tuesday night so we go through what she has prepared and I give her any thoughts I have. We talk about anything and everything as well. I love the time I get to spend with these girls.  

I hope this gives you a better picture of what I do here at the Christian Campus House.

Community

My main ministry is the work I do at CCH but on Wednesday mornings I go to a women’s Bible study at one of the churches in town, Northside. We are going through the book The Shelter of God’s Promises by Sheila Walsh. We sit in table groups of about eight ladies at each table and discuss the promise for the week.

Personally, I have really enjoyed this time because I have been able to interact with women in the community who I would otherwise not see. In my group there are women in all stages of life. There’s me, a newly graduate of college, few are new mothers and a few are grandmothers. Likewise we are all in different stages in our spiritual lives. One woman started following Christ later on in her life but because of how broken she was before she met Christ she has a lot to share and teach us. Another woman just started coming to Northside because her son said his friends from school went there and so he wanted to go there too. Another woman found Christ and her husband saw a change in her and wanted to know what had happened, so for years now instead of pretending they are Christians who went to church every Sunday they live their life for Christ. Another woman grew up in church like me; her and her husband went to a Christian college together. I may be the youngest but since I work at the Christian Campus House everyone seems to assume I know the most.

Our conversation usually starts out talking about the promise for the week. This morning it was the promise of hope, Hebrews 13: 5-6. In the process of our talking we start asking different questions and the topic moves from hope to actually knowing if God is there when you are praying to Him to how to forgive, to eating right, to Halloween to Christmas to being a good wife.  

I have left challenged every week to search for answers to their questions. I pray every week when I am sitting at the table for the Holy Spirit to give me words to say to speak truth into these women’s lives. Sheila said this morning to tell the truth, don’t hide what God is doing in your life, someone needs to hear about it.

Thoughts from DIG...

“The wilderness holds answers to questions man’s not yet learned to ask.” –Nancy Newhall

This quote reminds me of what my professor would tell us all the time about the “real world.” She would say, “You don’t know yet what you don’t know.” Meaning she had taught us four years worth of interior design knowledge but there were things we had to experience for ourselves in the work force that could not be replicated in a school setting.

The wilderness is where you grow when you didn’t know you needed growth. David was in the wilderness running from Saul in 1 Samuel 24 & 26. He learned to ask, “Should I take revenge?”  Jesus spent time in the wilderness in Mathew 4:1-11. When Satan was temping Jesus He relied on His father instead of Himself.

The wilderness does not have to be a scary, dreaded place. Brad pointed out the wilderness can be fearful and awe-inspiring at the same time. This afternoon I was talking with Meagan with three a's and she imagined when in the midst of the wilderness the fear would take over more than the awe but when you think back on the experience you will remember the awe more than being afraid.  It is an important part of our stories where we get answers to questions we don’t know yet to ask.

Click here to listen to Brad’s message this week from the Life of David series.

A Different Perspective

Recently I have discovered a new perspective on Joseph’s life, Joseph in the Bible that is. I’ll give you the short story of his life. He was the eleventh son of Jacob. He was the favorite of his father’s. His brother’s hated him. One day his brother’s threw him in a well and eventually sold him into slavery in Egypt. This is usually where the preacher/ Sunday school teacher stops and tells everyone that God knew the whole picture and had a plan in mind. Back to the story, Joseph eventually becomes second in command in Egypt. There is a famine and his brothers come to Egypt to receive some food. We are usually left with the main point of the story being that even though God brought Joseph trough some hard times he is now able to provide for his family. Read Genesis 37-47 for the complete story.

 But what if that wasn’t God’s whole purpose? What if there is even a bigger picture than Joseph’s life? When we are going through trials we tell ourselves, “God has a plan” but we think that plan is still about us. What if God brought Joseph to Egypt so that he could tell the Egyptians about the God he served? If Joseph’s brothers had never come to get food, God’s purpose would still have been accomplished because Joseph interpreted Pharaoh’s dreams and God was able to show how great He is by not only saving His people but the Egyptians as well.

Even when we are at the center of God’s plan do we still think it is about us?

So my soul longeth after thee

          
             Today for lunch I left the Campus House and headed to Lions Lake. I got in my car and it said the outside temperature was 100°. But I was determined to eat outside and enjoy the beauty of God’s creation. I drove around the lake and saw some benches but they were in the sun so I decided to park and sit at a picnic table under a shelter. There were several geese who wanted to enjoy the shade of the shelter as well. Again though, nothing was going to deter me. I ate my sandwich and chips rather quickly keeping an eye on the closely approaching geese. There is a trail through the woods that I had taken before with a few friends. I decided to eat my apple as I walked.

           

              As I walked I talked with God. I told Him how beautiful everything was and how thankful for where He has brought me in life. I just wanted to tell Him so much more, it was over pouring but I didn’t feel like I had the sufficient words. So I stopped. I told God I was sorry I kept talking when I should be listening. Not a minute later I heard the leaves rustle to my left. I looked up and there were two deer. I froze and stared at them. They stared back at me. I stood there for a long time just watching them until this guy came by riding on his bike. I probably looked pretty strange just eating my apple staring out into the trees.

            Do you have a specific animal or experience that you know when you see it God showed up just for you? That for me is deer. And this time God was telling me, “Megan, you’re right, you need to shut up. You do a great job listening to everyone else, now you need to listen to what I have to say.”