I’m going to be honest and say that I don’t really enjoy my current job. I am incredibly grateful for it, and how it’s providing for me, but I don’t love it everyday. I love deep, meaningful conversations and relationship. My job currently involves me making cold calls to sell things all day long. I leave exhausted.
I promise this is not a rant about how I don’t enjoy my job….
The Lord loves to give us sweet gifts all the time and surprise us when we need it most. He has been giving me these gifts as I’m doing my best to push forward in what I believe He wants from me. Last week I called a chiropractor and ended up talking to him for over 30 min. He told me how he was 80 years old, had been in the navy, had traveled around the world, had been working as a chiropractor for over 40 years, has four kids, etc, etc. I LOVED hearing him talk about his life and actually have a genuine human interaction while making calls. What made me smile the most was how he spoke of his wife—how talented she was, how beautiful, and sweet, and how he absolutely adored her. She seemed like a woman of incredible grace and character.
This was in the midst of the Miley Cyrus outburst. All I could think as I thought about her and the girls that I want to dedicate my time serving was, “man…I want to help raise up women, who people speak of in that way, and who after over 50 years of marriage, their husbands still adore them. I want to help raise up women, who no matter what age they are, their very character points to Christ.”
I missed the VMAs, but after hearing so much about them on the radio, I went on YouTube to watch what everyone was talking about. I expected to be appalled and enraged like most others, but what happened surprised me a bit…I cried. I sat there watching and my heart broke for her. I’m not going to go on a rant, because there have been so many of those on both ends of the spectrum, but what I will say is that she is lost and she needs someone to show her the identity she has in Christ.
Similarly, I was sitting eating lunch with some people recently, and there was a group of teenagers sitting nearby. Girls were wearing clothes that didn’t leave much room for the imagination, they were all using all the expletives you could think of and talking about made up sexual endeavors. While people around me gasped and rolled their eyes, again, my heart broke. I wanted to hang out with these kids who I knew were just seeking attention and trying to find their place and identity in this crazy mixed up world.
Recently I had the opportunity to meet up with girls that I had worked with through Teen Challenge, and some through YoungLife. They are all in different stages right now, but it was a blessing to see them and encourage them individually. It’s great getting to just sit and say “I’m for you and say a resounding “yes” to where you are right now, because I know the end of this story, and I know Who has the victory.” They make me a better woman by just giving me their time and I am blessed to have those sweet moments with them.
All of this to say, I am thankful that the Lord continues to give us sweet reminders of the passions He has put in our hearts to pursue. I am blessed to have been part of some stories, and pray that I get to be part of so many more as I develop my idea for a young women’s home–not so that they can encounter me, but in hopes that they can encounter Christ. I am blessed with sweet encouraging people who are excited with me and push me to Christ in the midst of it all. You know who you are, and to you I say, thank you!
I don’t know the timeline or the ways in which the Lord wants to lay out my future plans, but I am being given one step at a time and I am blessed to be on this journey.
The Lord has said Spain next….so with faith and a prayer, I bought a ticket last week. I will leave October 3rd and still need to raise $5,500–one thousand of which will need to be before I leave. If you would like to help me be able to stay all 6 months to develop leadership skills, learn from people who have gone before, and gain wisdom and tools to walk it out, please pray with me. If you feel led to give financially, you can go to:
http://www.g42leadershipacademy.org/donate
Click: “Donation to Leadership Academy or other G42 Ministry” on the top tab
Click: “One-Time or Reoccurring Donation” on the top tab
Click: “Leadership Academy Intern”
Click: “Name of Intern” after you have input donation information
If you would like to hear more about my vision or G42, please don’t hesitate to email me at: [email protected] (and you can also look at my previous blog: http://laurenduhame.theworldrace.org/?filename=audacious-love-taking-the-next-step)
Let's do this. For all of those out there who we are tempted to judge and become frustrated with, let us see them with new eyes, and speak life into their dry bones.
