Hi friends!
So, back in November of my senior year in college some kind man named Greg came to my neck of the woods in little mountain town North Carolina to share with me what this place called Shelterwood was all about. We got coffee, and talked for hours. He shared the good and the ugly, he told me that this job as a mentor at a therapeutic boarding school for “troubled teens” would be the most difficult, but guaranteed it would also be worth it and that growth was inevitable there. He shared a word: hesed/chesed/heced (however you wanna say it) which is Hebrew for loving kindness, a characteristic present in Jesus and also present at Shelterwood every day. He told me about how you get the opportunity to love the kiddos that curse you out the day before brand new the next day, how you don’t keep accounts or hold on to wrongs, and how you have the chance to live out grace. The way he expressed the opportunity to live out the Gospel every day drew me in, and my heart raced a little faster as I thought about the things he shared about Shelterwood. For those of you who may not know, Shelterwood is a faith-based therapeutic boarding school that takes teenagers age 13-18 that struggle with behavioral issues, mental health, addictions, family issues, and a combo of those. It’s a place where broken teenagers get to come and freely face their brokenness head on with a team around them loving them the entire way through it.
So, needless to say, that conversation on the cool day in small mountain town North Carolina led me straight to little small town Missouri months later where I took the job at Shelterwood for a year. Just a few weeks ago I walked out of the doors at Shelterwood for the final time as my year came to a close. Now I sit here typing this blog with a smile on my face as I think about what this past year has taught me, the ways I’ve been stretched, and how stepping out of my comfort zone allowed for all of that to happen. Saying goodbye to Shelterwood was tough, but I am walking away with a renewed perspective on humans, and the way God loves us humans exactly as He created us.
As I begin processing this past year and thinking ahead to the next adventure with the World Race, I am eager to carry the things I’ve learned with me. If I could articulate three things I hope to carry on with me from Shelterwood, here they would be:
1 – God delights in us. More than anything, I learned so much about how God loves us, like really, intentionally, deeply, individually loves us just as we are. His love isn’t a matter of what we have to bring for Him, He loves us because He loves us because He loves us because He loves us. Simply put. He isn’t angry with us for being confused or lost or broken or a dang mess, He just wants to sit with us in that, He craves intimacy with us, face to face, one on one. Boy, did I experience His love this year. I got to taste it, see it, feel it, tangible in the air y’all. I hope to take that love and give it away just as freely as our Creator does.
2 – Brokenness begs for redemption. One of my favorite things about God is that He isn’t afraid of our messes, He doesn’t squirm from hearing of our sin, He doesn’t turn His back because we suck a lot of the time. We were just some young adults that were broken getting to love on and mentor these teenagers that were also broken, we got to offer the freedom we’ve found in Jesus, we got to express our hope and liberty we have in the Lord. The teenagers I had the opportunity to love on this year were being pursued by Jesus every single day, and I could feel that. He held His arms out offering redemption, like really, and it was beautiful to watch freedom be found and lives restored.
3 – Ministry is in the every day. I lived with these kids, you guys, like just a floor away from their rooms. My team and I did life with them, we ate with them, spent time with them, took them to school, picked them up from school, played games, conversed – like every day people. We were with them, in the heat of their process of healing. Sharing the Gospel was about choosing to show up on the floor despite what the day before looked like, and love on the very kid who bit your arm last night. Getting to look that kid in the face and say “I love you anyways.” Man, that’s the Gospel. That is ministry, and it was sweet to experience.
This year was good, and challenging, and the worst, and the best all in the same sentence. Shelterwood exposed me to liberty, and reminded me of the relentless pursuit and reckless love of our Father.
As I move forward, and run full force into the World Race, I just pray that I wouldn’t let these things slip my mind. Needless to say, I am more ready than ever to dive in and do the dang thing because I get to walk in full expectance that the Lord will show up all over again.
Onward!
PS – I am currently only about $200 from my first deadline and goal of fundraising ($5,000)! If you would like to join my team and donate any amount it would be extremely appreciated as I approach this first deadline. If 10 people commit to donating $20, or if 20 people commit to $10 I could reach this goal! Let me know if you’d be interested in helping by donating or if you have any questions on how to do so!
Thank you to those already supporting me and praying for me along the way!!
