Things are going really well here. Our service last week was awesome. Our team has to split up on sundays because we do services in the lodge and at the campground at the same time. The people that came to our service were so thankful that we were doing this and so very supportive. It was a very intimate service since there were only 6 of us total, we just stood in a circle in the drizzle, and sang, prayed and had our service.
My eyes have definitely been opened since I came here. I have met so many different people with so many different beliefs. Some of them, I have had the wonderful opportunity to be able to sit down with them and share what I thought, others I have not had the chance yet but am praying for one. My mission here is definitely different from what I thought it would be. I thought it would be our team of 6 hanging out all the time and praying and ministering all the time, but it's not like that at all. We all have such different work schedules and locations that we don't hang out as much as we'd like. The ministry part is more of a one on one type through everyday life, which can be rather challenging becuase sometimes you're in situations where you would like to not act like a christian. I think it has made me so much stronger though.
Laura and I were driving the other day, and started talking about faith and the trials we go through. I never thought I would hear myself say this, but I think I am actually glad that I broke my leg. It made me sit on my butt for 6 weeks and think. That has never been an easy thing for me to do. I am border line ADD. But I was able to spend time with my family before I left, strengthen my relationship with my little sister especially, and just listen. It challenged my faith and shook my foundation like never before. I would sit and think and pray that God would heal so I could be off and doing His work and I expected healing becuase I "had faith" and asked for it, but one day it just dawned on me that God and my faith are not a candy machine where you put in enough faith and you get the result you want. You have to be constant in the sun and in the storm. It took me going through that to understand what others go through and soldify my personal faith.
I needed that for sure to walk through some of the things that I have out here. I may have very well been shaken to the core with some experiences I've had, if not for God stepping in and preparing me in such an extreme curveball sort of way. I never would have wanted or asked for what I went through but thank God he has plan laid out, and could see what was coming and what it would take to get me through it safely.
One of my favorite quotes comes from one of my favorite movies, Extreme Days. It says something like "when life throws a curveball, don't duck. You just might miss something"
How true that has been for me. Yeah breaking my leg has sucked, been painful, slowed me down, I'll probably have a limp for the rest of my life, but my faith has never been stronger, I met an awesome guy who has turned out to be a great friend (my therapist Patrick), I've sat out several activities that I wasn't able to handle yet, which gave me the opportunity to talk to people I might not have otherwise, and I'm sure there are plenty of other "extras" that I won't see for awhile.
I was developing my beliefs and approach to people, as I prepared to come here but now I know for sure what my mission in life is.
To accept people for who they are, to forgive no matter what the circumstance, and to be the love of Christ constantly.
My eyes have definitely been opened since I came here. I have met so many different people with so many different beliefs. Some of them, I have had the wonderful opportunity to be able to sit down with them and share what I thought, others I have not had the chance yet but am praying for one. My mission here is definitely different from what I thought it would be. I thought it would be our team of 6 hanging out all the time and praying and ministering all the time, but it's not like that at all. We all have such different work schedules and locations that we don't hang out as much as we'd like. The ministry part is more of a one on one type through everyday life, which can be rather challenging becuase sometimes you're in situations where you would like to not act like a christian. I think it has made me so much stronger though.
Laura and I were driving the other day, and started talking about faith and the trials we go through. I never thought I would hear myself say this, but I think I am actually glad that I broke my leg. It made me sit on my butt for 6 weeks and think. That has never been an easy thing for me to do. I am border line ADD. But I was able to spend time with my family before I left, strengthen my relationship with my little sister especially, and just listen. It challenged my faith and shook my foundation like never before. I would sit and think and pray that God would heal so I could be off and doing His work and I expected healing becuase I "had faith" and asked for it, but one day it just dawned on me that God and my faith are not a candy machine where you put in enough faith and you get the result you want. You have to be constant in the sun and in the storm. It took me going through that to understand what others go through and soldify my personal faith.
I needed that for sure to walk through some of the things that I have out here. I may have very well been shaken to the core with some experiences I've had, if not for God stepping in and preparing me in such an extreme curveball sort of way. I never would have wanted or asked for what I went through but thank God he has plan laid out, and could see what was coming and what it would take to get me through it safely.
One of my favorite quotes comes from one of my favorite movies, Extreme Days. It says something like "when life throws a curveball, don't duck. You just might miss something"
How true that has been for me. Yeah breaking my leg has sucked, been painful, slowed me down, I'll probably have a limp for the rest of my life, but my faith has never been stronger, I met an awesome guy who has turned out to be a great friend (my therapist Patrick), I've sat out several activities that I wasn't able to handle yet, which gave me the opportunity to talk to people I might not have otherwise, and I'm sure there are plenty of other "extras" that I won't see for awhile.
I was developing my beliefs and approach to people, as I prepared to come here but now I know for sure what my mission in life is.
To accept people for who they are, to forgive no matter what the circumstance, and to be the love of Christ constantly.
posted by Katie @ 12:19 PM
1 Comments:
At 10:05 PM ,
Dena G said...
Okay, so I'm sitting here bawling, of course. This is amazing stuff.
You are SO "getting it", Katie...real "ministry" is TOTALLY about the everyday life stuff, whether you're in Fairfield or Montana or Gulfport or Myanmar. It's about meeting muddy, messy people one-on-one, face-to-face, right where THEY are. It's about doing the "little things with great love" to quote "Momma T". :-)
You know, you asked God for healing and you expected you were going to get it, but healing doesn't always come in the form we expect...some people are bitterly angry with God because a terminally ill person for whom they've been praying dies instead of getting "well", but isn't that really the better healing? You expected the "McDonald's drive-through" physical healing (I like the candy machine illustration, too)--it's evident, though, that the breaking of your physical body has enabled a much greater spiritual/emotional healing/strengthening to take place.
It's truly a beautiful thing when you get to a place where you can be grateful for the painful things...and realize that God works right in the midst of them, sometimes even more strongly than He does in the good. In our weaknesses...that's where His strength shines through the best.
We'll limp together...K? :-)
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