What’s around the riverbend?
Well, I’m planning a WEDDING! I guess I didn’t expect to enter into this process so soon after I came home, but I am loving it. God’s ushering me into one of the greatest ministries of all time – marriage. It’s humbling. I never thought that’s how I would describe being engaged. But it’s true. There is much excitement and joy, but humbling sort of overtakes them all. I understand the seriousness of this promise and pray that Ben and I will constantly propel each other towards our Father for the rest of our lives. We’ve already started a bit of planning and are thinking sometime this fall 🙂
There have been a lot of things this year that have sort of striken my heart in new ways, and I like to think of these things as kisses from the King. Certain passions that have been awakened in my heart have allowed me to see more into the Father’s heart and who He has created me to be.
Consistently throughout the year I have thought a lot about reaching the lost in my own backyard. I’ve felt pretty convicted that if I can cross oceans to proclaim the Good News, whats stopping me from sharing with people who I have relationships with at home? And people from my own country who clearly need the Love of God in their lives? Sadly, it is a lot easier to be vulnerable with people you don’t know and who you know there is a slim chance of ever seeing again. I don’t want to live like that though – love gets vulnerable.
The race has given me such awesome opportunities to work in so many different types of mission fields, so many different places, so many different cultures. I have been discovering new things about myself all along the way, which I praise God for because I asked Him for that before the race began. I discovered that I have a passion for urban ministry. People often ask “what was your favorite country?” And immediately, Ireland and Thailand come to mind. Not because of the landscape, no matter how beautiful. Not because of available conviniences. But because of the ways in which we were reaching out to the people there. Working in both of them ignited a fire inside me for replacing the darkness that most cities are saturated in with the Light of Life. Just something about the urban work we did made me feel right.
As I re-enter the United States, my prayer is that the Holy Spirit sweeps through Baltimore and DC. Columbia and Frederick. Mount Airy and Woodbine. The biggest cities to the smallest towns. I feel like He’s been whispering to me about ways in which to effect these places for His Kingdom. I truly do believe that somethings in store for ministering through art or dance or both. Whatever that looks like, I’m really excited. And instead of trying to box them in, or pick one or the other, I’m just going to take each step as I feel led and see where God takes me with them. I definitely have visions of Him using me to show Himself to my neighbors near and far through the arts.
There are some job opportunities that are happening right now and I’m excited. The
one I am really praying over is working for an organization called
World Relief. They are a Christian nonprofit based in Baltimore. I
really believe in what World Relief is working for and would love to
partner with them in that. You can check out their website at :
one I am really praying over is working for an organization called
World Relief. They are a Christian nonprofit based in Baltimore. I
really believe in what World Relief is working for and would love to
partner with them in that. You can check out their website at :
http://worldrelief.org/Page.aspx?pid=2665
I have lots of vision and just pray for clarity in it all.
Amigos in Christ (an organization we worked with in Nicaragua) has a saying…
“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”
I won’t settle for anything less than Life. Being alive in the spiritual sense… Abundant life. He desires it for us, and that we desire it for one another. I praise Him for this past year, I praise Him for what may be ahead… for what’s around the riverbend.
To all my supporters – – a HUGE thank you for being with me this year. For loving me, praying for me, supporting me through it all. And for continuing those prayers in this crazy re-entry stage. The word ‘appreciation’ doesn’t make a dent on the way I feel, my gratitude. I love you very much.
