Flourish {to be in a vigorous state; thrive}
There is something to be said about the state of flourishing. Flowers seem to flourish almost effortlessly. Humans though, need much more aid in order to flourish in a new environment. Although, it seems impossible, we need to take a leap of faith in order to bloom where we are planted. Only then is it deemed possible.
This picture was taken the first weekend I was in Chicago. I had the day off and as I was roaming the streets, I stumbled upon this cute floral shop outside. Anyone who knows me, knows just how much I love floral arrangements and anything involving succulents. These particular flowers caught my eye though as I marveled at them with the very thought that these flowers will thrive, despite external factors working against them.
Now on to a life update!
For those who don’t know: shortly after I graduated, I moved to Chicago and have been residing here ever since. Now, moving to the city has been a change of pace, but, I will say its been a healthy change. Thankfully, the Lord has given me the skill of adapting, so, the idea of coming to Chicago definitely excited me from the start. Since I come from a small town in Florida, there were a variety of factors I had to integrate myself into while adjusting to city life. Such as, riding the CTA train and bus system, the commotion of the cars, ambulances, and frankly just the everyday hustle and bustle of civilians. The weirdest thing besides everything the city encompasses was just how easy I was able to fit into the city life. To be frank, after my first day in Chicago, I already felt like a local. I have been in Chicago for well over a month now and love it.
The blessings keep pouring out because the Lord has also blessed me with a part time nanny gig for the summer. I watch two children from Monday to Friday, a brother and sister who keep me on my feet. It turns out that working part time has given me the freedom to explore when I’m not working. This freedom takes the form of bike riding along the Lakeshore Front trail, to checking out local coffee shops in Chicago, rock climbing, farmers markets, food truck festivals, and beaches. I almost always have something new to explore in the City!
Not to mention, the community I’ve surround myself with has been surreal. I attend a church called Missio Dei Chicago: Uptown. This church has been vital in showing me what loving others look like. Missio Dei desires to be a multicultural church where people from any background, age, gender, and race can participate in a reconciling community of faith. Their vision is to see the renewal break through all across the neighborhood. Every week, I have seen church members wheel across the elderly from a retirement home close by. I have seen the homeless community come inside and participate in the service. How humbling this has truly been for me. This church truly embodies the mentality of “come as you are” and I look forward to every service.
This leads me to another sub-population I’ve been able to interact with while residing in Chicago: the homeless community. Every homeless person I’ve come in contact with has a unique story that desires to be heard. It’s been intriguing to hear what exactly has brought them to the streets, as well as hear the unimaginable stories they each offer up about who they are as an individual. A large majority of this community wants others to know that they are just as much human as us. Thankfully, there is a huge coalition for the homeless that seeks to end homelessness here in Chicago. I love seeing a City who is willing to fight for the voices that aren’t being heard.
I cannot say it enough, but God has blessed me immensely in this current season of my life. This summer has been far from average and I feel as though the Lord has been preparing my heart for the World Race with my time here in Chicago by letting me experience diverse cultures and communities alike. I am fortunate enough to have a couple months left in Chicago and plan on making the most of my time here through impacting the lives of others that I interact with on a daily basis.
Lastly of course, a huge part of my time here has been spent working on support raising. I have to say, I’ve seen the Lord answer my prayers with support raising and my heart has been teeming with the love of others who have given already. However, I am far from done. As I continue this process, I am constantly reminded to preserve and flourish to the best of my ability. I am currently at $1,400 and I want to ask if you are feeling some kind of placing on your heart to give, please don’t hesitate. Most of all, I appreciate you taking the time to read where the Lord has me placed currently.
Friends, I am excited for what the Lord has next, and I can firmly say I am blooming where I’ve been planted. I want to encourage you guys to see where you are, and figure out what it means to flourish in your environment 🙂
With lots of love, Meg
