I have been living in Georgia for just over two months now. These have been the hardest, craziest, awesome, saddest, and happiest two months I have had in a while. That is saying a lot, considering I spent the last year immersed in different cultures, with long travel days and a constant pull to learn and change for the better.
The transition to Georgia was harder than I could have ever imagined it to be. I was still adjusting to life in the States. I still missed my squad tremendously. I still had not got to spend enough time with all the people I missed over the last year. Nevertheless, 6 weeks after arriving back in the States, I obeyed God’s next “go” command in my life.
This one was harder than the call to go around the world. I was back in the “real world”. I had to get used to a whole new group of people. I had to fund raise again! I had to learn a new job.
CGA has been one of the most awesome experiences the Lord has allowed me to apart of. What the Race was to building me up in my personal and spiritual life, CGA has been that for my professional life. And I am only 2 months in.
There are three main parts to CGA. The first is our labs. Labs are just a fancy name for classes. I am currently in two labs: Discover Your Calling and The Living Word.
In our Calling lab we take steps each week to help reveal the call God has placed on our life. When I got to CGA I was pretty certain of the call God had placed on my life. He has called me to bring the truth of identity to His daughters. While that hasn’t changed much, it has become more focused and I have learned so much about what drives me and why what I want to do is so important.
The second part of CGA is our apprenticeships. For my apprenticeship I work in the Encounter department. My first big job with the department was to write a 3 week VBS curriculum for our Project Leaders to take out on our trips this summer, and potentially beyond. It was a stretching experience, but I learned a lot in it and enjoyed doing it.
The third part of CGA is our track. I am in the Activation track. This semester we have are working alongside department heads to help tackle projects that need to be done, but that the departments themselves are having a hard time accomplishing with their day to day tasks. I am currently helping to put together a business plan for a proposed new department within Adventures. The tools I am learning in this project are some that I know I will use again when I start the pregnancy center someday.
Spiritually, this season of my life has been a valley. If I am being honest, I kind of expected it to be. I left the Race of such a high note, the valley had to be coming. Even knowing I am in a valley, I wouldn’t change my location. I am learning a lot in this valley. I am fighting things out with God and our relationship is stronger because of it. I am finding myself having to go to the basic, my foundations, and finding the cracks. It is a painful process. Some days I just want to call it all off, to stop fighting, head for home where my safety net is.
Those are the moments I have to choose. Do I run to comfort, safety, and the loving arms of my friends and family? Or do I stick it out, DO something, press in, fight for more understanding of where the Father wants me to go?
In my heart I want so badly to go home. I miss home, a lot. But there is a bigger part of me that is scared of what would happen if God granted me this desire. How miserable would it be to be living outside the will of God’s plan for my life? I know He could use my being home for good. But I also know that right now I am living the best He has for me.
So I fight. I make choices daily, sometimes hourly, to keep pressing in to what God is teaching me. As hard as this valley is, it is one of the best valley’s I have experienced.
I think I’ll stay here for a while. I’ll choose to fight until I get to the top again. Who knows what adventures this valley holds for me?
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I have started sending out monthly newsletters! Want to know more about what I am doing? Send me your email address and I will get you on the mailing list!
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I am also still raising fund for this journey. I am looking for monthly ministry partners. If you would like to help you can click the “Support my Next Adventure” button on the left side of the blog. Or you can send me an email or Facebook message.
I do not know enough people to get this funded on my own! If you know someone who would be interested in helping me out ask them about it! If they say they are interested in hearing more please pass their name to me so I can get in contact with them.
Thanks so much for all your support!
