“Be Mine?”

I thought I joined this journey to finally give back to God from all the Goodness that he’s blessed me with. The truth is, I have walked through much more growth, hardship, personal struggle, and victory in the past seven months than I could have imagined.

He’s pulling me closer towards himself.

I definitely have ministered. I’ve spoken words of encouragement, spread the Good News, shared my professional experience, sung worship songs of hope in very dark places. There are just too many stories to share. It’s too big… Here’s a nibble and a snack.

Story 1

One time, Month 2, I sat on a beach in a long skirt and listened as an 18 year old girl shared her story of heartache, depression, and physical hardships. I could only pray for her, but the hours we spent together left an impression on BOTH of us. We ate at her house, talked to her brother & father about the hope we have in Jesus. We worshiped in their home, and had to leave.

Story 2

Valentines Day rang in Azerbaijan while on a midnight train FROM Georgia. (Listen to the song “Midnight Train to Georgia” if you haven’t. It’s not spiritual, just catchy. 🙂 We took an overnight train to and from GA, so this wasn’t a first-time experience. No, we were highly seasoned second-timers.

The train was a sleeper: 4 bunks in a space, enclosed by a sliding door. The interior door had a mirror that startled you with your own reflection of you closed the door too suddenly. The seats were a deep emerald shade of vinyl, and the room had a window the size of half the wall, with a shade that drew up or down (depending on your lighting preference). 

As I lay down on sheets provided by the train service, I remember thinking, “I’ve always wanted to sleep on a train…”

Oh, how many moments since that first month have passed like this! Reflection on tiny little thoughts, first thought so long ago, dreams and whispers of my heart, so far removed from my situation at the time they were thought or dreamt… I never could have imagined this is how they would come to fulfillment. Moments from when I was 10 years old, or 18, or 20…

Then I think about my current dreams, the whispers of my heart that seem too grandiose and removed from my current situation. Maybe they will be “train moments” too? Maybe one day.

I’ll just have to wait and see!

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Jeremiah 29:11 – Good News Translation (GNT)