Here I am, sitting outside on a rainy day in Paris wondering how on earth did I get here? Two years ago I was pretty lost and defeated after a failed relationship. All of what I thought I wanted for my life had just been taken away. Everything I had been working towards, gone. Life sucked as far as I could tell. Sitting on the other side though, I’m hyped for everything that has happened, however miserable it was in the moment.
Because of a few life altering events I’m now exactly where God wants me to be. Who knows where I would be if things had been different but I know that because the way things went, I’m now doing exactly what God has created me for.
I’m impacting those around me in ways I couldn’t even possibly imagine a few years back. I’m getting to explore and enjoy life in ways I had only dreamed of before. I’m living my life not just for myself, but entirely for what God wants of me. Funny how God knows the desires of your heart even when you can’t see them.
I’ve discovered so many things about myself and others these past two years. God continually brings me to my knees. My capacity for loving others increases everyday. Which leads me to where I’m at now. I’m so stoked to be able to be leading such an amazing group of men and women who have given up their lives for a year to serve the world.
I’ll be honest and say that it’s a little uncomfortable for me to leading so many and fear at times has got the best of my mind. However, I know that God has created me for this time and that I am fully capable of doing it. I know that I have the ability to create safe environments and walk people into a deeper relationship with God. I know because I’ve been where they themselves are at.
I’m not only excited to lead others but I’m also incredibly excited for the opportunities which God is going to place before our path as we go. This first month we’ve been here in Paris, serving the refugee crisis. In a world that is filled by so much division and war, getting the chance to show how much God loves people though my actions of serving and love truly brings so much joy to my heart.
There are so many people here seeking refuge. Every day at least a hundred more people show up looking for a place to call home. I’ve meet people from all over North Africa and the Middle East who are fleeing war or searching for a better life. Every face has a wild and extravagant story or struggle to make it this far. Many of those who I’ve encountered have family that has been slip up through the chaos. Most have been traveling for years.
Paris, for most is not the first place in Europe they’ve tried to go to either. Many were on their way to England before they shut their boarders. Rejection is around every corner. Germany doesn’t want them, America doesn’t want them, most of France doesn’t want them either. They feel like unwelcomed guests almost everywhere they go. Literally millions of people. PEOPLE. My heart has grown more and more for these human beings. Desiring for them to understand and believe in their worth.
And so, my mission here is impact. I desire to impact those around me in a way that leaves them changed forever. Whether that is changing perspectives of those I interact with on a daily basis or changing hearts of those I encounter on the streets. I’m excited for what God has in store for this season.
