One of many tales from this summer. It will be long, but hopefully worth it.
Growing up in Florida, rain is a part of life. If you aren't from Florida, you may be asking yourself "but I thought Florida was the sunshine state!" LIES. Well, it is sunny sometimes. But from April till October, it rains almost every single day. So Florida kids deal. I was really lucky to grow up in a neighborhood with a ton of other kids, so during summer we ran around outside from morning till night. Our adventures were not dampened by the rain. Baseball turned to mudball, our treehouses had tarps over the roof, and we never left the pool or abandoned our fishing rods unless there was lightning. Hurricanes were a part of life. Sometimes they were actually terrifying, but usually it just meant two weeks off of school and a whole lot of use for rainboots.
This is the story of how four people, three songs, two feet of water and one crazy night have permanently affected my view of God.
I would be lying if I said summer project was easy this year. Don't get me wrong, it was hard last year and the year before. But it wasn't...heavy. That's a good word to describe this year. Heavy. My heart was already heavy when the summer started, burdened by pain that many of my loved ones were experiencing at the time. Then, week into project, a family in my church that I know well lost their baby daughter to a year long struggle with a degenerative brain disease. The unfairness of life devastated me as I grieved alongside my church family from 1000 miles away. As I began to get to know the lives of the people I was spending my summer with, my heart was wrenched in two over the brokenness of this life. I felt like I couldn't get away from the pain. Nothing in my life was particularly painful in this season, but I was overwhelmed by just how jacked up this world can be. As I struggled to speak truth into the lives of my teammates, my discipleship group, and a few other women in particular, I could not help feeling like it was hard for me to believe the truth myself. I began to doubt God's goodness as I looked into the faces of young women whose lives have been torn apart by abuse, loss, and injustice.
As I look back now on the prayers I journaled in that time, I see a theme. Over and over again I cried out for help, telling God that I desperately wanted to trust him. My shaky faith gained some footing as I began to look at things in a new light. As a staff team, we were learning how to reformat our thinking and see the history of this planet as one giant story of God redeeming His people. As I began to look for threads of redemption amidst the pain, I saw the Lord working in and through me. There was no major breakthrough, but the brick in my heart seemed a little lighter.
Then, on June 23rd, a girl from my sorority was riding her bike home when she was hit by a car. The driver fled the scene. Rebecca Harris rushed Theta Alpha after I graduated, but I met her in March when I went back to speak at retreat. My first encounter with her? I went for a sunrise run on the beach at 6:30 to gather my thoughts and pray before my first speaking session. I was shocked to see a tall, gangly girl with a mane of curly hair and a Theta Alpha T-shirt climb into the elevator with me, toting a longboard. We chatted about surfing and such as we walked down to the beach together. Four miles and 45 minutes later, I dragged my sweaty, sandy, salty self (you know you like that alliteration) back up the beach and was shocked to see Becca talking to the cops. I asked her what was wrong and she said her phone had been stolen while she was surfing. To my surprise, she didn't seem too put out by it. She shrugged her shoulders, said "it's just a phone" and kept talking to the cops. Apparently, this was very Becca. A skater, surfer, go with the flow girl who was sweet, loving, and curious. At the end of the retreat, she came up to me with tears in her eyes and thanked me for helping her experience freedom in ways she had never known. Humbled, I remember thanking the Lord for meeting her.
Three months later, to the day, this girl was laying in a hospital bed in Gainesville with several broken bones and major brain trauma. Any grasp I had on trusting the Lord was ripped from my hands. I withdrew from my team when I could, crying myself to sleep. I put on a strong face when I had somewhere to be. That weekend was really really hard. I felt like I was living in a fog and that the fog was strangling me. People kept asking me if I was okay, and determined to be strong, I lied. They knew. But the heaviness wasn't unique to me in that moment. Many people on our staff team were feeling it too. As the weight of huge decisions, terrifying secrets, and desperate pain bared down on us, we could do nothing more than hold each other up. I got a facebook message from Theta Alpha the afternoon of the 25th that said we needed to be praying, because Becca had taken a turn for the worse and was unresponsive. I remember being so numb and so bitter I could barely muster the strength to pray. I wanted to know why. I wanted comfort, I wanted answers. I wanted to trust God but I couldn't. I was angry and rapidly trading in my anger for apathy, which is bad news.
We had staff dinner that night, one of my favorite segments of the week, but I felt the need to escape the moment I got there. I couldn't bring myself to feign happiness any longer. At the same time, Tropical Storm Debby was absolutely drenching central Florida (different than Beryl, the storm during the first week of project). I remember thinking how fitting the weather was for my mood. The timing was perfect, however, because one of the other interns, Ethan, had flown out for a wedding that weekend and needed to be picked up from the airport. I left dinner early to get him, thankful for the escape route. On the way home, Ashton called me to let me know what the plans were for the rest of the night. Cru is considering using a new film as a tool to help people open up about topics like self injury and depression, and they had asked us to watch and evaluate the film. I got back to the condos and couldn't bring myself to get anywhere near the condo that was viewing the film. My heart was too broken already, so I headed back with Ashton and Ethan to work on some mind-numbing things until the movie was over, then Chad and I were gonna plan bible study.
After the movie let out, Chad got a crazy idea. (Sidenote- Chad, Blake, Kayleigh, and I have passes to the parks, which was really cool because we got to go see the students work on several occasions). Here is the dialogue that led to one of the most powerful nights on project for me.
Chad: Hey, do you want to go to Magic Kingdom?
Kayleigh: Umm, its raining.
Chad: I know.
Kay: What time does it close?
Chad: 11
Kay: Thats in 90 minutes
Chad: I know
Kay: That would be dumb.
Chad: I know.
Kay: Well, okay. I will call Blake.
Kay: Hey, do you want to go to Magic Kingdom with me and Chad?
Blake: Umm, its raining.
Kay: I know.
Blake: What time does it close?
Kay: 11
Blake: Thats in 90 minutes
Kay: I know
Blake: That would be dumb.
Kay: I know.
Blake: Fine. Did you call Kelly yet?
Blake: Hey, do you want to go to Magic Kingdom with me and Kayleigh and Chad?
Me: Umm, its raining.
Blake: I know.
Me: What time does it close?
Blake: 11
Me: Thats in 90 minutes
Blake: I know
Me: That would be dumb.
Blake: I know.
Me: Let me go grab shoes. I will meet you outside in two minutes.
Somehow, this dumb idea had been accepted by all four of us, and we rode out to the park in silence, nervously laughing as Chad's SUV plowed through massive puddles, each of us remarking on how ridiculous this was. We were listening to Needtobreathe and the song Slumber came on, which is one of my favorites by them. The lyrics promptly got stuck in my head, and over and over again I repeated to myself
Wake on up from your slumber, baby open up your eyes.
There have been multiple times in my life where the Lord has spoken to me through song lyrics. I usually find myself at wit's end, praying for an answer, having sung the very answer to myself three dozen times that day. This was another one of those times. As we pulled into the flooded parking lot, I confessed to my friends what had been weighing me down for three days and asked them to be praying for Becca too. It felt good to no longer carry that burden alone. I started to recognize just how much I needed to wake up and open my eyes in that moment. Still singing Needtobreathe, we sprinted into the park at around 10:20. It was raining steadily and the park was deserted. It looked like we could more easily navigate on canoe than on foot, but we sloshed our way back to Splash Mountain to try and get on. That makes sense right?? We were soaked to the bone and chose to go on a water ride. It had rained so much the splash pools were especially deep, and the full ridiculousness of the night hit us full in the face as we practically drowned when we hit the bottom, the now-torrential downpour blinding us and stinging our faces. As we got off, the lyrics of another Needtobreathe song popped into my head
Even when the rain falls
Even when the floods start rising
Even when the storm comes
I am washed by the water
Even when the Earth crumbles under my feet
Even when the ones I love turn around and crucify me
I will never ever let You down
I won't fall
I won't fall
I won't fall as long as You're around me
As we sprinted to the other side of the park, slipping and sliding through massive puddles, the weight of what I was singing to myself hit me. The water that washed me when I gave my life to Christ is the same water that is redeeming every moment of pain. Every broken heart. Every injustice. It has all been paid for. The Earth will crumble, the storms will come. But I will not fall. I won't understand it all. But it is finished. That promise that Jesus made on the cross 2000 years ago holds true today- every moment of every story is a thread in the tapestry of redemption. Becca's accident was part of God's plan, not a moment where He got distracted and forgot to protect His child. It was in His hands and it WILL bring Him glory (it already has, but that's another story). We don't see the whole picture. And we don't need to be happy with our current snapshot of life. The Lord doesn't necessarily command us to be happy. He commands us to have joy. And joy is the ability to trust the Lord despite our circumstances. Joy is the ability to look past the pain and see the glory of God. And I can choose to have joy.
Right there, in the middle of Magic Kingdom, in the middle of the night, in the middle of a tropical storm, I found peace. With three of my best friends in this world, I found the strength to laugh. It felt foreign, but man it felt good. To truly be joyful and trust God fully for the first time in weeks. Tears streamed down my face (it was raining to hard to notice) as I laughed and praised the Lord for the rain and the beauty of being washed by the water. Half an hour later, as we got back in the car to go home, I felt the urge to play another song, this time by Rush of Fools.
Come to me
You who are weak
Let my strength be yours
Tonight
Come empty cup
I will fill you up
I'll descend on you like a dove
Tonight
Peace, be still
Peace, be still
Please, be still
And know that I am God
Please know that I am God
That night was crazy and ridiculous and dumb. But it turned out to be a very significant night for all four of us, separately and later communally. (If you want to read this story from another point of view, here's Kayleigh's blog. Scroll about halfway down, past the picture of us on the beach) It was cheesy, and it was weird, and everyone thinks we were crazy for doing it. But hey, the Lord works in mysterious ways.
Becca died three weeks later after first showing signs of recovery. It was still devastating. But in the midst of it, God was good. And He is already using her story for His glory. And I can't be too sad, because every time I think about Becca in heaven it involves her and Jesus and a surfboard, and the thought makes me smile. God is faithful.
Today in church they played this video about the Harms family, the ones from my church who lost their baby girl to Alexander's Disease. Watch it, please. It is worth your time. God is faithful.
I know I said this post was about three songs, but I fibbed. Here is another. Tenth Avenue North just came out with their new album, and this is my favorite track on it. It's like they read my prayer journal this summer and wrote a song about it. It articulates things better than I could
I'm tired
I'm worn
My heart is heavy
From the work it takes to keep on breathing
I've made mistakes
I've let my hope fail
My soul feels crushed
By the weight of this world
And I know that you can give me rest
So I cry out with all that I have left
Chorus:
Let me see redemption win
Let me know the struggle ends
That you can mend a heart that's frail and torn
I want to know a song can rise
From the ashes of a broken life
And all that's dead inside can be reborn
Cause I'm worn
I know I need
To lift my eyes up
But I'm too weak
Life just won't let up
And I know that You can give me rest
So I cry out with all that I have left
Chorus
And my prayers are wearing thin
I'm worn even before the day begins
I'm worn I've lost my will to fight
I'm worn so heaven so come and fill my eyes
Chorus
Yeah I'm worn
Worn, but trusting in Him,
Kelly
Monday, August 27, 2012
Monday, July 16, 2012
At Last I See the Light
Well, clearly I ROCKED at keeping this thing updated. Not.
The last time I updated was the night before the 59 students of WDWSP12 even arrived in Orlando. Not only have they arrived, but they are now in charge. I have been home for about a week from what was undoubtedly the most insane summer of my life. As always, the transition was incredibly hard coming back. On top of the usual post-project depression, a girl from my sorority, Becca, died from injuries sustained in a hit-and-run accident only two days after project ended. Please keep her family and friends in your prayers. Although it is incredibly difficult, I am rejoicing that she is with Jesus now. In stark, ironic contrast to the mourning I experienced this week, I also attended a wedding of a very dear friend this weekend. Let's just say my emotions have been...unstable.
It has taken me multiple attempts to even write this post. I have had to come to terms with the fact that no matter how long I sit here and ponder, I will never be able to adequately summarize the last two months of my life and give the Lord the glory He deserves. But the longer I take to write this, the less raw it will be. And you, my friends and family, deserve the truth. The truth that this summer humbled me, broke me, terrified me, blessed me, and built me up in ways that my words will never be able to give justice. God moved mountains in my life in 2010 and 2011, but this year He just outdid Himself. And here goes my attempt to invite you into that. Ye be warned, this will probably be long. And it won't be complete.
Although I failed at updating this blog, one thing I did keep updated was my prayer journal. I have tried multiple times in the last five years of my life to keep a journal as part of my daily time with the Lord, but I always felt like a middle school girl writing Dear Diary entries about the mundane activities of the day. I would slack off after a few weeks or even a few days of consistency. This summer, however, a good friend suggested journaling my prayers, and I did just that. I filled up three quarters of a leather journal with my prayers, praises, triumphs and failures on a daily basis starting two days before project going all the way up through today. It has been mind-blowing to look back now and see how God has moved in the course of six short weeks. Prayers I don't even remember praying were answered in big, albeit unexpected ways. I will share with you parts of some of those entries as I attempt to weave for you a tale of God's redemption and power in the midst of my stubborn effort to maintain control of life.
5-22-12
"...I trust that it is Your will for me to go back. My heart is open to what you have to teach me even though I feel like there isn't much I have to learn there"
Well, if that just wasn't me BEGGING for God to take the snowglobe of my life, turn it upside down and give it a few good shakes, I don't know what is. As excited as I was to be back on project, I mistakenly went in to this summer thinking that it would be the easiest yet. With two crazy years under my belt, I feigned humility (probably not very well) as I confidently assured myself that I had it all together this year for the first time. Ha. Ha. Ha.
The last entry for this blog that I managed to write was the night before the students arrived, begging for your prayers as the remnants of a tropical storm threatened to completely destroy my perfectly laid out plans of how to get dozens and dozens of students from the airport to the resort. I was one of two people responsible for getting everyone safely to their new home. God used this occasion to remind me for the first, but certainly not last time, that He is in control, not me. My beautifully laid plans were immediately tossed in the trash the moment I woke up that next day and had half a dozen texts from stressed out students about delayed and cancelled flights. In what became one of the most stressful days of my life, tropical storm Beryl delayed or cancelled nearly every flight and car in and out of Orlando that day. But by the grace of God, the hard work of my staff team (special shout out to my co-coordinator in the effort, Bryan), and probably an entire pot of coffee, everyone made it. Barely anyone made it at the time or by the means originally planned, but by golly they got there!
That was event numero uno in a landslide summer. One verse that has played a monstrous role in my faith is Matthew 7: 24-27
"Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”
Let's face it. I am a control freak. You probably know that. And I also tend to come off as a know-it-all. I like to have the answer. I like to help people and fix their problems. I adore ministry. Nothing brings me greater joy than seeing God work in a person's life. This summer challenged me again and again to consider exactly what the foundation of my house was. Areas of my life that I was sure were founded in the rock began to ebb away as the waves of life relentlessly crashed upon me. For so long in school I was known as the "smart one" or the nerd, so a lot of my identity, where I find my own worth, is wrapped up in my ability to determine and deliver the correct answer. So many times this summer I was forced to face the fact that I was completely clueless. For the first time in my life, there were several situations where I depended upon the Holy Spirit for everything. Don't get me wrong, the Spirit has moved through me (or in spite of me) many many times before. I do my best to yield to Him in every situation. But I remember one night in specific, sitting on the curb in the parking lot of our condo complex.
6/7/12
"..Thank you for showing up tonight Lord. You always do, but thank you for filling me with the right words when I had no clue. Thank you for speaking through me when I was powerless to do so... I acknowledge that You are in control, not me."
I remember praying desperately for something, anything to say. I had been rendered utterly speechless while walking through something difficult with a student. I remember praying "Lord, I got nothing. You NEED to show up now." And He did. A speaker we had at the beginning of the summer said "Sometimes the Holy Spirit speaks best when we shut our own mouths," and this was a clear example of one of those times. In what was probably the first time I consciously admitted that I had absolutely no idea what to say, I found myself reciting scripture I didn't know that I knew. I declared God's truth regarding things that I struggle to believe myself, and I BELIEVED what I was saying 100%. This began a cycle of relying more and more on God, His Word, and His people instead of my own thoughts and knowledge.
A huge part of this shift came as a result of the team that I was a part of this year. I know I will never find the right words to describe what I experienced this summer. One of the women I worked alongside said that the only word she could think of to describe it is "Holy." For six weeks I was able to live in a world I have only caught glimpses of up until this point. What I experienced was a mixture of the Church described in Acts 2, the Body described in 1 Corinthians 12, the unity in Ephesians 4, and the corporate, heavenly worship described in parts of Revelation. Specifically, our intern team (all ELEVEN of us!) bonded in a way I will never forget. We had a ton of fun, laughed a lot, planned bible studies together, shared stories of our lives together, dreamed (and schemed) together, cooked and ate together, and even got to play in the parks together.
But what I will never forget were the ways we supported each other in our mess, prayed through tears as we walked through hard things, failed each other and grew even closer as we humbly asked for grace, broke down barriers, went to bat for each other, and protected one another at personal risk. We fought with each other sometimes, but we fought for each other all the time. God worked through eleven completely broken people and managed to weave a tapestry of His love, redemption, and grace. We relied upon each other, but more importantly, we forced each other to rely completely on God first and foremost. Hours upon hours were spent praying with and for one another. Sleep was lost and the details of life were tossed aside in the light of more important matters. We had our closets opened, our skeletons exposed, and our dirty laundry thrust into the open. We all had chances to run. And instead we pushed deeper into the mess and forced each other to see what the Lord has done, is doing, and will do. We spoke truth into each others lives when the lies were playing too loud. We found peace and power in God's word while huddled under a blanket at 3AM when life was too scary to deal with it alone. His work is not complete, and it won't be until we reach Heaven, but specifically because of each of the ten interns I worked with this summer, I am several steps closer to healing. I have had so many glimpses of this on past summer projects, but never have I experienced it in this magnitude.
So there is a taste of the last two months. I am going to write several more entries about more specific stories and happenings- discipling four amazing women, leading women's time, bible study, and things God has revealed to me regarding my future. But for now, I think this is enough.
I get it now. I have "gotten it" in pieces before. But in a breathtakingly holy summer, the Lord has shown me what true biblical community is supposed to look like. I see it now.
The last time I updated was the night before the 59 students of WDWSP12 even arrived in Orlando. Not only have they arrived, but they are now in charge. I have been home for about a week from what was undoubtedly the most insane summer of my life. As always, the transition was incredibly hard coming back. On top of the usual post-project depression, a girl from my sorority, Becca, died from injuries sustained in a hit-and-run accident only two days after project ended. Please keep her family and friends in your prayers. Although it is incredibly difficult, I am rejoicing that she is with Jesus now. In stark, ironic contrast to the mourning I experienced this week, I also attended a wedding of a very dear friend this weekend. Let's just say my emotions have been...unstable.
It has taken me multiple attempts to even write this post. I have had to come to terms with the fact that no matter how long I sit here and ponder, I will never be able to adequately summarize the last two months of my life and give the Lord the glory He deserves. But the longer I take to write this, the less raw it will be. And you, my friends and family, deserve the truth. The truth that this summer humbled me, broke me, terrified me, blessed me, and built me up in ways that my words will never be able to give justice. God moved mountains in my life in 2010 and 2011, but this year He just outdid Himself. And here goes my attempt to invite you into that. Ye be warned, this will probably be long. And it won't be complete.
Although I failed at updating this blog, one thing I did keep updated was my prayer journal. I have tried multiple times in the last five years of my life to keep a journal as part of my daily time with the Lord, but I always felt like a middle school girl writing Dear Diary entries about the mundane activities of the day. I would slack off after a few weeks or even a few days of consistency. This summer, however, a good friend suggested journaling my prayers, and I did just that. I filled up three quarters of a leather journal with my prayers, praises, triumphs and failures on a daily basis starting two days before project going all the way up through today. It has been mind-blowing to look back now and see how God has moved in the course of six short weeks. Prayers I don't even remember praying were answered in big, albeit unexpected ways. I will share with you parts of some of those entries as I attempt to weave for you a tale of God's redemption and power in the midst of my stubborn effort to maintain control of life.
5-22-12
"...I trust that it is Your will for me to go back. My heart is open to what you have to teach me even though I feel like there isn't much I have to learn there"
Well, if that just wasn't me BEGGING for God to take the snowglobe of my life, turn it upside down and give it a few good shakes, I don't know what is. As excited as I was to be back on project, I mistakenly went in to this summer thinking that it would be the easiest yet. With two crazy years under my belt, I feigned humility (probably not very well) as I confidently assured myself that I had it all together this year for the first time. Ha. Ha. Ha.
The last entry for this blog that I managed to write was the night before the students arrived, begging for your prayers as the remnants of a tropical storm threatened to completely destroy my perfectly laid out plans of how to get dozens and dozens of students from the airport to the resort. I was one of two people responsible for getting everyone safely to their new home. God used this occasion to remind me for the first, but certainly not last time, that He is in control, not me. My beautifully laid plans were immediately tossed in the trash the moment I woke up that next day and had half a dozen texts from stressed out students about delayed and cancelled flights. In what became one of the most stressful days of my life, tropical storm Beryl delayed or cancelled nearly every flight and car in and out of Orlando that day. But by the grace of God, the hard work of my staff team (special shout out to my co-coordinator in the effort, Bryan), and probably an entire pot of coffee, everyone made it. Barely anyone made it at the time or by the means originally planned, but by golly they got there!
That was event numero uno in a landslide summer. One verse that has played a monstrous role in my faith is Matthew 7: 24-27
"Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”
Let's face it. I am a control freak. You probably know that. And I also tend to come off as a know-it-all. I like to have the answer. I like to help people and fix their problems. I adore ministry. Nothing brings me greater joy than seeing God work in a person's life. This summer challenged me again and again to consider exactly what the foundation of my house was. Areas of my life that I was sure were founded in the rock began to ebb away as the waves of life relentlessly crashed upon me. For so long in school I was known as the "smart one" or the nerd, so a lot of my identity, where I find my own worth, is wrapped up in my ability to determine and deliver the correct answer. So many times this summer I was forced to face the fact that I was completely clueless. For the first time in my life, there were several situations where I depended upon the Holy Spirit for everything. Don't get me wrong, the Spirit has moved through me (or in spite of me) many many times before. I do my best to yield to Him in every situation. But I remember one night in specific, sitting on the curb in the parking lot of our condo complex.
6/7/12
"..Thank you for showing up tonight Lord. You always do, but thank you for filling me with the right words when I had no clue. Thank you for speaking through me when I was powerless to do so... I acknowledge that You are in control, not me."
I remember praying desperately for something, anything to say. I had been rendered utterly speechless while walking through something difficult with a student. I remember praying "Lord, I got nothing. You NEED to show up now." And He did. A speaker we had at the beginning of the summer said "Sometimes the Holy Spirit speaks best when we shut our own mouths," and this was a clear example of one of those times. In what was probably the first time I consciously admitted that I had absolutely no idea what to say, I found myself reciting scripture I didn't know that I knew. I declared God's truth regarding things that I struggle to believe myself, and I BELIEVED what I was saying 100%. This began a cycle of relying more and more on God, His Word, and His people instead of my own thoughts and knowledge.
A huge part of this shift came as a result of the team that I was a part of this year. I know I will never find the right words to describe what I experienced this summer. One of the women I worked alongside said that the only word she could think of to describe it is "Holy." For six weeks I was able to live in a world I have only caught glimpses of up until this point. What I experienced was a mixture of the Church described in Acts 2, the Body described in 1 Corinthians 12, the unity in Ephesians 4, and the corporate, heavenly worship described in parts of Revelation. Specifically, our intern team (all ELEVEN of us!) bonded in a way I will never forget. We had a ton of fun, laughed a lot, planned bible studies together, shared stories of our lives together, dreamed (and schemed) together, cooked and ate together, and even got to play in the parks together.
But what I will never forget were the ways we supported each other in our mess, prayed through tears as we walked through hard things, failed each other and grew even closer as we humbly asked for grace, broke down barriers, went to bat for each other, and protected one another at personal risk. We fought with each other sometimes, but we fought for each other all the time. God worked through eleven completely broken people and managed to weave a tapestry of His love, redemption, and grace. We relied upon each other, but more importantly, we forced each other to rely completely on God first and foremost. Hours upon hours were spent praying with and for one another. Sleep was lost and the details of life were tossed aside in the light of more important matters. We had our closets opened, our skeletons exposed, and our dirty laundry thrust into the open. We all had chances to run. And instead we pushed deeper into the mess and forced each other to see what the Lord has done, is doing, and will do. We spoke truth into each others lives when the lies were playing too loud. We found peace and power in God's word while huddled under a blanket at 3AM when life was too scary to deal with it alone. His work is not complete, and it won't be until we reach Heaven, but specifically because of each of the ten interns I worked with this summer, I am several steps closer to healing. I have had so many glimpses of this on past summer projects, but never have I experienced it in this magnitude.
So there is a taste of the last two months. I am going to write several more entries about more specific stories and happenings- discipling four amazing women, leading women's time, bible study, and things God has revealed to me regarding my future. But for now, I think this is enough.
I get it now. I have "gotten it" in pieces before. But in a breathtakingly holy summer, the Lord has shown me what true biblical community is supposed to look like. I see it now.
And at last I see the light
And it's like the fog has lifted
And at last I see the light
And it's like the sky is new
And it's warm, and real, and bright
And the world has somehow shifted
All at once, everything looks different
Now that I see you
-I See the Light (from Disney's Tangled)
"Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work."
Ephesians 4:15-16
Kelly
Monday, May 28, 2012
Prep Work
Well hello from Orlando!!!
On the 23rd Ashton and I traveled the last 180 miles of our journey back to the same set of tacky colored condos I have called home the past two summers.
We have spent this week preparing for the FIFTY NINE students to arrive, and that happens tomorrow!! We have been growing and bonding as a staff team, learning about each other and preparing to lead well.
One way I already see the Lord working is through our intern team in particular- there are ELEVEN of us!!! It has been really fun thus far and I cannot wait to see how God grows us as a team of young leaders.
As the students begin to arrive in mere hours, please join me in praying for them. First of all, please pray that the aftermath of Tropical Storm Beryl does not destroy the travel plans of everyone. I am helping coordinate rides from the airport, which is quite stressful when the weather forecast looks this bleak. Pray that flights arrive on time and that weather does not delay any of the driving students. Pray for safety too!!!
I will give a more thorough update soon, but we really need prayers for good weather tomorrow. Not only for the flights, but because we are supposed to have a barbeque for all of the students tomorrow night!
I love you all and I am so thankful for each and every one of you!
Kelly
On the 23rd Ashton and I traveled the last 180 miles of our journey back to the same set of tacky colored condos I have called home the past two summers.
We have spent this week preparing for the FIFTY NINE students to arrive, and that happens tomorrow!! We have been growing and bonding as a staff team, learning about each other and preparing to lead well.
One way I already see the Lord working is through our intern team in particular- there are ELEVEN of us!!! It has been really fun thus far and I cannot wait to see how God grows us as a team of young leaders.
As the students begin to arrive in mere hours, please join me in praying for them. First of all, please pray that the aftermath of Tropical Storm Beryl does not destroy the travel plans of everyone. I am helping coordinate rides from the airport, which is quite stressful when the weather forecast looks this bleak. Pray that flights arrive on time and that weather does not delay any of the driving students. Pray for safety too!!!
I will give a more thorough update soon, but we really need prayers for good weather tomorrow. Not only for the flights, but because we are supposed to have a barbeque for all of the students tomorrow night!
I love you all and I am so thankful for each and every one of you!
Kelly
Monday, May 21, 2012
When Life Hands You Lemons
Well, the insanity of life has once again ruined my plans of being a good blogger.
Here is a summary of the last four weeks-
~I did not die running in Nashville. It was touch and go for a moment, but I lived and successfully completed my first half marathon!!
~I finished up my first year of grad school! I can't believe how fast it went. We celebrated by having a picnic in the park for Anita's birthday.
~I had my last day of nannying Jackson. We went to see the Avengers, which was fabulous. I even splurged on the 3D version since it was a special occasion. I am gonna miss this kid so much!
~I said adios to St. Louis for the next three months! It was a little bittersweet- I was not expecting to fall in love with this city. But after only a few hours of driving, I picked up the wonderful Ashton Skates in Paducah! She was a student on WDWSP11 and basically my twin- she worked in the Emporium like I did and then held the same student leadership position I did (Associate Project Director). She is coming back to intern with me! So we spent the last 16 hours of my 20 hour drive together. She was a great sport because I made it my mission to see as many friends on the way home as possible! We crashed one night in Atlanta with the Grassos, who I haven't seen since they were still Ms. Gorsuch and Mr. Grasso :) We pit-stopped in Gainesville for dinner with a few friends from church before making it home around ten on Sunday night. We spent today at the beach. Man, I miss the water.
And, drumroll please......
I have passed my support raising goal for this summer! God was so faithful in these last few weeks and I have been so humbled by the generosity of you guys. I have been so blessed by every single person who has been there through this journey, whether through financial means, prayer, or being incredible cheerleaders. It is so encouraging to have people root for me despite all my flaws.
These past few weeks have been hard in a lot of ways because I helplessly watched as life seemed to spin out of control for a lot of people I love. It seemed like every time I picked up the phone or turned on the computer, the news on the other end was not good. It wasn't isolated either; life washanding lemons to CHUCKING lemons at friends from one end of the US to the other. Also for those same few weeks I was trying to juggle too many things- school, three part time jobs, church, family, friends, support raising.... and I was not doing any of it well. Adding on the heartache of watching my friends and family go through hard things when I could do nothing to help left me distraught. I was frustrated and exhausted and not relying on God. My own life was spinning out of control because I was desperately seeking to control it. It is so ironic that God works in a way where we need to surrender our control in order to attain the peace and comfort that we are seeking in the first place.
Most of you reading this know I did not grow up in church or even really believing in God. Life was fine. I am really lucky. I have lived an incredibly awesome life with wonderful family and friends. But by the time I got to college, I realized that I was letting things like insecurity, anxiety, and the need to perform absolutely rule my life. The last few years have been a daily adventure learning how to let go. Most of you reading this also know that I am a total nerd. When I have a bad day and need to de-stress, I usually go to the book store. Something about being surrounded by all that wisdom makes my heart happy. I read a lot. I go through at least a few books a month when life isn't spinning out of control. And a few weeks ago, I started reading a really great book called Grace for the Good Girl. It is written by a woman named Emily Freeman who has an incredible heart for women and an even more incredible heart for the Lord. I feel like she has a secret window that sees directly into my soul, because this book is one of those that seems to speak to me in every line. The subtitle is "Letting go of the try-hard life." It is all about experiencing the grace of God instead of trying to earn it. I highly suggest it to everyone who has ever ever put on a mask and pretended that life was perfect. After a while, you forget how to take the mask off, and eventually you forget what you looked like in the first place.
Anyways, the last six weeks have been a daily battle not to let the anxiety that consumed me in middle and high school creep back in to the "ruler" position in my life. Some days I wake up and feel like an elephant is sitting on my chest. God has been faithful in giving me the strength to daily choose to keep that demon of my past at bay. It isn't a pretty battle. And I lose at it often. But grace is always more abundant than my failures. My relationship with God often becomes rocky when life gets busy. During finals week, I don't get to go for two hour runs where I spend a good portion of the time crying out to God, praying, and seeking wisdom from Him. I don't get to sit down with my bible and a journal and a cozy blanket and search for the truth that sustains me when life hands me lemons. Worship music on the radio becomes background noise on my way to work as I think about the 2984573094 other things I need to do in the next day.
Two years ago, right after I learned I was going on project the first time, my dad was diagnosed with cancer. The lemon of all lemons in my life thus far. I wrote about it in this post back in May 2010. And trust me, looking back now, I was actually putting on a huge mask even through the veil of "honesty" I was trying to show. I was a hot mess, pissed at the world, shell shocked, and not even sure if I believed in God. Well, thankfully, He showed up. In spite of my mess and failure. His hand guided me through the worst days of my life. Romans 8:28 says "And we know that in all things, God works for the good of those who love him." I am still trying to figure out exactly how every lemon in my life will work for my good, but I am choosing daily to trust that it will. Life sucks sometimes. But lemonade is sweet. Even if it takes decades to make. This is what I read today from Grace for the Good Girl:
"There is a time for cozy blankets and journals. There is also a time for gut-wrenching, on-your-knees soul searching; for joy unspeakable and peace unwavering and mourning with the ugly cry. Life is fluid, it ebbs and flows in cycles of busy and rest, crisis and joy. The truth is, I struggled with this shift. I fought it and cried about it and wondered if I could really call myself a Christian since it was so hard to spend any time with God. What I didn't realize until later was just how vital this shift would be in order for me to understand God as he is and not as I think he should be. We have a Creator who knows about the swing. He set it into motion. He is not afraid of our life stages. They don't hinder him. He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love. He offers us a new place to hide."
Please continue to pray for me, the staff team, the students, and those we will encounter in the next few months. We leave tomorrow afternoon for Orlando! Pray for safe travel, smooth transitions, and open hearts.
Love you all!
Here is a summary of the last four weeks-
~I did not die running in Nashville. It was touch and go for a moment, but I lived and successfully completed my first half marathon!!
~I finished up my first year of grad school! I can't believe how fast it went. We celebrated by having a picnic in the park for Anita's birthday.
~I had my last day of nannying Jackson. We went to see the Avengers, which was fabulous. I even splurged on the 3D version since it was a special occasion. I am gonna miss this kid so much!
~I said adios to St. Louis for the next three months! It was a little bittersweet- I was not expecting to fall in love with this city. But after only a few hours of driving, I picked up the wonderful Ashton Skates in Paducah! She was a student on WDWSP11 and basically my twin- she worked in the Emporium like I did and then held the same student leadership position I did (Associate Project Director). She is coming back to intern with me! So we spent the last 16 hours of my 20 hour drive together. She was a great sport because I made it my mission to see as many friends on the way home as possible! We crashed one night in Atlanta with the Grassos, who I haven't seen since they were still Ms. Gorsuch and Mr. Grasso :) We pit-stopped in Gainesville for dinner with a few friends from church before making it home around ten on Sunday night. We spent today at the beach. Man, I miss the water.
And, drumroll please......
I have passed my support raising goal for this summer! God was so faithful in these last few weeks and I have been so humbled by the generosity of you guys. I have been so blessed by every single person who has been there through this journey, whether through financial means, prayer, or being incredible cheerleaders. It is so encouraging to have people root for me despite all my flaws.
These past few weeks have been hard in a lot of ways because I helplessly watched as life seemed to spin out of control for a lot of people I love. It seemed like every time I picked up the phone or turned on the computer, the news on the other end was not good. It wasn't isolated either; life was
Most of you reading this know I did not grow up in church or even really believing in God. Life was fine. I am really lucky. I have lived an incredibly awesome life with wonderful family and friends. But by the time I got to college, I realized that I was letting things like insecurity, anxiety, and the need to perform absolutely rule my life. The last few years have been a daily adventure learning how to let go. Most of you reading this also know that I am a total nerd. When I have a bad day and need to de-stress, I usually go to the book store. Something about being surrounded by all that wisdom makes my heart happy. I read a lot. I go through at least a few books a month when life isn't spinning out of control. And a few weeks ago, I started reading a really great book called Grace for the Good Girl. It is written by a woman named Emily Freeman who has an incredible heart for women and an even more incredible heart for the Lord. I feel like she has a secret window that sees directly into my soul, because this book is one of those that seems to speak to me in every line. The subtitle is "Letting go of the try-hard life." It is all about experiencing the grace of God instead of trying to earn it. I highly suggest it to everyone who has ever ever put on a mask and pretended that life was perfect. After a while, you forget how to take the mask off, and eventually you forget what you looked like in the first place.
Anyways, the last six weeks have been a daily battle not to let the anxiety that consumed me in middle and high school creep back in to the "ruler" position in my life. Some days I wake up and feel like an elephant is sitting on my chest. God has been faithful in giving me the strength to daily choose to keep that demon of my past at bay. It isn't a pretty battle. And I lose at it often. But grace is always more abundant than my failures. My relationship with God often becomes rocky when life gets busy. During finals week, I don't get to go for two hour runs where I spend a good portion of the time crying out to God, praying, and seeking wisdom from Him. I don't get to sit down with my bible and a journal and a cozy blanket and search for the truth that sustains me when life hands me lemons. Worship music on the radio becomes background noise on my way to work as I think about the 2984573094 other things I need to do in the next day.
Two years ago, right after I learned I was going on project the first time, my dad was diagnosed with cancer. The lemon of all lemons in my life thus far. I wrote about it in this post back in May 2010. And trust me, looking back now, I was actually putting on a huge mask even through the veil of "honesty" I was trying to show. I was a hot mess, pissed at the world, shell shocked, and not even sure if I believed in God. Well, thankfully, He showed up. In spite of my mess and failure. His hand guided me through the worst days of my life. Romans 8:28 says "And we know that in all things, God works for the good of those who love him." I am still trying to figure out exactly how every lemon in my life will work for my good, but I am choosing daily to trust that it will. Life sucks sometimes. But lemonade is sweet. Even if it takes decades to make. This is what I read today from Grace for the Good Girl:
"There is a time for cozy blankets and journals. There is also a time for gut-wrenching, on-your-knees soul searching; for joy unspeakable and peace unwavering and mourning with the ugly cry. Life is fluid, it ebbs and flows in cycles of busy and rest, crisis and joy. The truth is, I struggled with this shift. I fought it and cried about it and wondered if I could really call myself a Christian since it was so hard to spend any time with God. What I didn't realize until later was just how vital this shift would be in order for me to understand God as he is and not as I think he should be. We have a Creator who knows about the swing. He set it into motion. He is not afraid of our life stages. They don't hinder him. He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love. He offers us a new place to hide."
Please continue to pray for me, the staff team, the students, and those we will encounter in the next few months. We leave tomorrow afternoon for Orlando! Pray for safe travel, smooth transitions, and open hearts.
Love you all!
Monday, April 23, 2012
Questions, questions, questions
Goodness gracious, if my life has had a theme lately, it would most definitely be questions.
Example one- I teach children's church for kindergarten-2nd grade every other Saturday at The Journey. Last Saturday we were learning from Ezra about the Jews rebuilding the temple. We didn't even finish our story for the day because we got delayed by so many interruptions. I encourage my kids to ask questions related to what we are reading- almost my entire class is made up of 6 year old boys, all of whom are curious about everything under the sun. I try my best to keep us on topic, but some weeks, like this one, it was a valiant but hopeless effort.
Here is a sample-
Ms Kelly what shape was the temple?
Ms Kelly what color was the temple?
Ms Kelly was Jesus a real person? (perfect example of a good time to let it go off topic...)
Ms Kelly I need to throw up (thank goodness for classroom assistants) (he was fine)
Ms Kelly why does the bible have so many big words?
Ms Kelly what kind of clothes does God wear?
Ms Kelly my shoe is untied
Ms Kelly you just said the temple lives in us now. Do I have bricks in my belly?
Ms Kelly is that why Nelson had to throw up? Are there bricks in his belly??
Ay yi yi. I love them to death
On Friday, I taught a 30 minute social studies lesson to a class of 3rd graders. We were talking about all the landmarks in America and whether they were natural features or man-made. One of my students could not understand how a bridge could be made by people because it was over water and people can't just swim out there and build a bridge. This launched me onto a 5 minute tangent on how bridges are built before I looked up and saw how lost my kids were. I realized my ship was sinking fast and thankfully reeled everyone back in before all my lesson completely went down the toilet.
As crazy busy as I have been writing term papers, doing projects, working my butt off, training for a half marathon, trying to start studying for finals, AND trying to raise support on top of it all, I haven't been sleeping well. The second my head hits the pillow every night, my body desperately tries to sleep but my brain starts going a million miles a minute with my own question reel-
Am I going to die in Nashville this weekend while trying to run 13.1 miles?
Am I going to pass my finals?
Am I going to finish my term paper?
What am I going to do my independent study on? What am I going to spend the next YEAR of my life researching?
Am I really gonna cut it as a teacher? Do I have what it takes?
Am I doing the right thing going on project this summer even though the smart thing would be to work and save money?
Am I going to be a good student staff member this summer?
What are the girls I disciple going to be like? Will I be able to help them grow?
Am I going to raise enough support for this summer?
All of this really boils down to one question. The root of all of these questions, no matter how diverse, is the same.
Do I trust God? Do I trust that He is who He says He is and that He will do what He promises to do?
As I wrestle with this question day in and day out in every form possible, I find comfort only in the truth of God's word. One verse in particular has been on replay in my head. I have been continually turning up the volume on my "Truth Player" as the lies inside my head get louder and louder. When I am stressed, exhausted, and overworked, my "Lies Player" hits me full blast telling me I am not good enough and I never will be. So I pray for the strength every day to wake up and choose to listen to the Truth instead.
That I WILL never be good enough, but I am not in this alone. I serve a God who is, was, and always will be more than enough for me. A God who will fight for me and be my source of strength. As the semester draws to a close, please join me in praying for the strength to drown out the noise of life and draw my strength from the fount of living water.
"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Deuteronomy 31:6
To everyone who has given thus far, I am SO thankful for you. To everyone still interested in giving, please call me. I would love to chat and share stories about how God has changed my life these past two summers. To everyone else, please keep me in your prayers. I love you all.
Kelly
Example one- I teach children's church for kindergarten-2nd grade every other Saturday at The Journey. Last Saturday we were learning from Ezra about the Jews rebuilding the temple. We didn't even finish our story for the day because we got delayed by so many interruptions. I encourage my kids to ask questions related to what we are reading- almost my entire class is made up of 6 year old boys, all of whom are curious about everything under the sun. I try my best to keep us on topic, but some weeks, like this one, it was a valiant but hopeless effort.
Here is a sample-
Ms Kelly what shape was the temple?
Ms Kelly what color was the temple?
Ms Kelly was Jesus a real person? (perfect example of a good time to let it go off topic...)
Ms Kelly I need to throw up (thank goodness for classroom assistants) (he was fine)
Ms Kelly why does the bible have so many big words?
Ms Kelly what kind of clothes does God wear?
Ms Kelly my shoe is untied
Ms Kelly you just said the temple lives in us now. Do I have bricks in my belly?
Ms Kelly is that why Nelson had to throw up? Are there bricks in his belly??
Ay yi yi. I love them to death
On Friday, I taught a 30 minute social studies lesson to a class of 3rd graders. We were talking about all the landmarks in America and whether they were natural features or man-made. One of my students could not understand how a bridge could be made by people because it was over water and people can't just swim out there and build a bridge. This launched me onto a 5 minute tangent on how bridges are built before I looked up and saw how lost my kids were. I realized my ship was sinking fast and thankfully reeled everyone back in before all my lesson completely went down the toilet.
As crazy busy as I have been writing term papers, doing projects, working my butt off, training for a half marathon, trying to start studying for finals, AND trying to raise support on top of it all, I haven't been sleeping well. The second my head hits the pillow every night, my body desperately tries to sleep but my brain starts going a million miles a minute with my own question reel-
Am I going to die in Nashville this weekend while trying to run 13.1 miles?
Am I going to pass my finals?
Am I going to finish my term paper?
What am I going to do my independent study on? What am I going to spend the next YEAR of my life researching?
Am I really gonna cut it as a teacher? Do I have what it takes?
Am I doing the right thing going on project this summer even though the smart thing would be to work and save money?
Am I going to be a good student staff member this summer?
What are the girls I disciple going to be like? Will I be able to help them grow?
Am I going to raise enough support for this summer?
All of this really boils down to one question. The root of all of these questions, no matter how diverse, is the same.
Do I trust God? Do I trust that He is who He says He is and that He will do what He promises to do?
As I wrestle with this question day in and day out in every form possible, I find comfort only in the truth of God's word. One verse in particular has been on replay in my head. I have been continually turning up the volume on my "Truth Player" as the lies inside my head get louder and louder. When I am stressed, exhausted, and overworked, my "Lies Player" hits me full blast telling me I am not good enough and I never will be. So I pray for the strength every day to wake up and choose to listen to the Truth instead.
That I WILL never be good enough, but I am not in this alone. I serve a God who is, was, and always will be more than enough for me. A God who will fight for me and be my source of strength. As the semester draws to a close, please join me in praying for the strength to drown out the noise of life and draw my strength from the fount of living water.
"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Deuteronomy 31:6
To everyone who has given thus far, I am SO thankful for you. To everyone still interested in giving, please call me. I would love to chat and share stories about how God has changed my life these past two summers. To everyone else, please keep me in your prayers. I love you all.
Kelly
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Eastering
Hello friends!
I think the last three weeks of crazy weather, crazy schoolwork, crazy traveling, crazy visits, and crazy amounts of extra babysitting shifts have caught up with me- it is sinus infection city in my apartment. I woke up yesterday convinced that my face was going to explode, so I took a sick day and went to the doctor this morning.
A different kind of sickness has been creeping in lately too- it has been over three months since I have seen my family, and it will be 6 more weeks before that happens. That is beginning to take it's toll as well. I got to see my sister last weekend, which was super fun, and I have seen a lot of friends as well. But I still miss home, especially around Easter. Luckily, the lovely Alicia Corona drove over from Louisville this weekend since neither one of us got to celebrate with our own families. We had a blast dyeing eggs, eating jelly beans, and being downright lazy as we powered through multiple movies camped out on my couch. We got to just chat about what life is like so far away from home and how weird it is to be "big girls."
As I face the marathon of the next few weeks, I am supremely thankful for the dozens of people I have here that I can call family. They love and encourage me, life me up, pray for me, make me laugh, and constantly point me to Christ.
Support raising is going really well, I am at 40%!!! I am really eager for this summer to begin. Brief overview again for newcomers- in 2010 I was a student on the Walt Disney World Summer Project. Me and 32 other college students worked full time in entry level positions in Magic Kingdom for the purpose of sharing the Gospel with our co-workers, especially international students who come to work at Disney for the International college program. We had a staff team of 14 people who led the daily project ministry events- bible studies, women's time, ministry teams (prayer team, world vision team, community team), etc. I was discipled by an incredible woman named Liz who helped me learn more about myself and grow confident in my identity in Christ. I was so impacted by the leadership team that last year I went back as student staff. I got to mentor women as they experienced the same thing I did the year before. I got to train leaders, give messages, and plan events. It was an incredible experience! And this is what I get to do again this summer. I won't be working at Disney again- my full time job will be leading the project- kinda like being a camp counselor instead of a camper! I need to raise over $1600 for living and travel expenses for this summer. If you would like to partner with me, please email me your address so I can send you a support letter! My email address is KLW91288@gmail.com. Or send me a text or give me a call with your address- 561-704-0509.
For those of you who have already partnered with me, you are awesome. I am SOO thankful for you. I am praying for the Holy Spirit to work through me this summer, and I cannot wait to share what God does.
I am getting SO excited. Please be praying for my support raising, the hearts of the students, the hearts of the rest of the staff team (including the NINE other student staff interns!! We make up more than half the team!!), and that I can finish the semester strong and be content where I am! I don't want to wish away a single day the Lord has given me.
Let me know how I can be praying for you!
Much love,
Kelly
I think the last three weeks of crazy weather, crazy schoolwork, crazy traveling, crazy visits, and crazy amounts of extra babysitting shifts have caught up with me- it is sinus infection city in my apartment. I woke up yesterday convinced that my face was going to explode, so I took a sick day and went to the doctor this morning.
A different kind of sickness has been creeping in lately too- it has been over three months since I have seen my family, and it will be 6 more weeks before that happens. That is beginning to take it's toll as well. I got to see my sister last weekend, which was super fun, and I have seen a lot of friends as well. But I still miss home, especially around Easter. Luckily, the lovely Alicia Corona drove over from Louisville this weekend since neither one of us got to celebrate with our own families. We had a blast dyeing eggs, eating jelly beans, and being downright lazy as we powered through multiple movies camped out on my couch. We got to just chat about what life is like so far away from home and how weird it is to be "big girls."
As I face the marathon of the next few weeks, I am supremely thankful for the dozens of people I have here that I can call family. They love and encourage me, life me up, pray for me, make me laugh, and constantly point me to Christ.
Support raising is going really well, I am at 40%!!! I am really eager for this summer to begin. Brief overview again for newcomers- in 2010 I was a student on the Walt Disney World Summer Project. Me and 32 other college students worked full time in entry level positions in Magic Kingdom for the purpose of sharing the Gospel with our co-workers, especially international students who come to work at Disney for the International college program. We had a staff team of 14 people who led the daily project ministry events- bible studies, women's time, ministry teams (prayer team, world vision team, community team), etc. I was discipled by an incredible woman named Liz who helped me learn more about myself and grow confident in my identity in Christ. I was so impacted by the leadership team that last year I went back as student staff. I got to mentor women as they experienced the same thing I did the year before. I got to train leaders, give messages, and plan events. It was an incredible experience! And this is what I get to do again this summer. I won't be working at Disney again- my full time job will be leading the project- kinda like being a camp counselor instead of a camper! I need to raise over $1600 for living and travel expenses for this summer. If you would like to partner with me, please email me your address so I can send you a support letter! My email address is KLW91288@gmail.com. Or send me a text or give me a call with your address- 561-704-0509.
For those of you who have already partnered with me, you are awesome. I am SOO thankful for you. I am praying for the Holy Spirit to work through me this summer, and I cannot wait to share what God does.
I am getting SO excited. Please be praying for my support raising, the hearts of the students, the hearts of the rest of the staff team (including the NINE other student staff interns!! We make up more than half the team!!), and that I can finish the semester strong and be content where I am! I don't want to wish away a single day the Lord has given me.
Let me know how I can be praying for you!
Much love,
Kelly
Friday, March 30, 2012
Here We Go Again (Again)
Well, this is unexpected.
Never in my wildest dreams did I think that this blog would get any more action. But, alas, I stand on the brink of a THIRD summer spent sharing God's love in the Most Magical Place on Earth.
When I last left off in August, I was about to embark on my new adventure: grad school 1200 miles from everyone and everything I knew. Leaving behind the sunny beaches of Florida for the plains of Missouri. Saying adios to UF and hey howdy hey to Washington University St. Louis and the Master's of Science in Deaf Education program. Seven months later, I have settled in to my new life quite nicely. Life is just as busy as it has always been, except in different ways. I am not nearly as involved on campus, mostly because "campus" consists of one building here. I take all my classes at the Central Institute for the Deaf, where I also work as a recreational aide (I do lunch and recess duty plus I pick up aftercare shifts a few times a month). I am super involved in a wonderful church called The Journey that is all about loving God and loving people. I work as a nanny for a nine year old boy who is seriously the funniest, smartest kid I have ever met in my life. I regularly have a "Stuff Jackson Says" feature on my facebook, because it is all just too good to not share. I am still teaching children's church, a real passion of mine, and I help coordinate childcare for classes at the church. My life is filled with a lot of joy, and I have almost daily confirmation that I am doing EXACTLY what God created me to do. I LOVE my classes and I actually enjoy studying because it seems so relevant and applicable to my life and my mission. My senior year at UF I volunteered in an elementary school that had a hearing-impaired inclusion class. I worked closely with a speech pathologist who had a sign on her door saying "Just because I can't hear doesn't mean I don't have anything to say." I started a blog when I moved to St. Louis, and here is an entry that basically sums up my passion: Alive.
I miss a lot about Florida. The people and places who shaped me into the person I am today. I also miss working with college women. I have loved serving in that capacity, and the Lord has given me a strong passion for investing into the lives of women in college because God changed my life so much in those four years through wonderful women who were willing to pour into my life. For some crazy reason, my grad program doesn't have summer classes. But this gives me the opportunity to fully serve God for one last summer without being tied to a career. It is a huge blessing, and after a lot of prayer, confusion, talking to people, more prayer, some tears, some disappointment, a crazy situation that found me a subleaser, and some more prayer, I am going back. One more summer spent serving God by leading a group of college students on the craziest adventure of their lives. I have tried my hardest to stay in touch with the four girls I discipled last summer, and I am so thrilled to still be a part of their lives and blessed to see what God is doing in and through them. I am SO incredibly excited for this summer. There will be a HUGE group of us interns, both students from last year, students from MY project in 2010, and students who will be along for the ride for the first time!! We are gonna be quite a team.
Anyways, I sent out my first round of support letters a week ago! If you would like one and haven't gotten one yet, email me with your address and I will send you one!! If you would like to support me again (I have to raise over $1600 for living and travel expenses for this summer- it is a little more expensive now that I need to actually GET to Florida... I have always been there already!) here is the info.
Send a check made out to "cru" to
Kelly Wood
4949 West Pine Blvd #11R
St. Louis, MO 63108
I am having issues with my online account, so until that gets straightened out, mail would be the best option.
I love each and every one of you and I am so thankful I get to share this journey with you for a THIRD time. Please keep me in your prayers as I try and finish out this semester strong. Let me know how I can be praying for you too!!
Kelly
Never in my wildest dreams did I think that this blog would get any more action. But, alas, I stand on the brink of a THIRD summer spent sharing God's love in the Most Magical Place on Earth.
When I last left off in August, I was about to embark on my new adventure: grad school 1200 miles from everyone and everything I knew. Leaving behind the sunny beaches of Florida for the plains of Missouri. Saying adios to UF and hey howdy hey to Washington University St. Louis and the Master's of Science in Deaf Education program. Seven months later, I have settled in to my new life quite nicely. Life is just as busy as it has always been, except in different ways. I am not nearly as involved on campus, mostly because "campus" consists of one building here. I take all my classes at the Central Institute for the Deaf, where I also work as a recreational aide (I do lunch and recess duty plus I pick up aftercare shifts a few times a month). I am super involved in a wonderful church called The Journey that is all about loving God and loving people. I work as a nanny for a nine year old boy who is seriously the funniest, smartest kid I have ever met in my life. I regularly have a "Stuff Jackson Says" feature on my facebook, because it is all just too good to not share. I am still teaching children's church, a real passion of mine, and I help coordinate childcare for classes at the church. My life is filled with a lot of joy, and I have almost daily confirmation that I am doing EXACTLY what God created me to do. I LOVE my classes and I actually enjoy studying because it seems so relevant and applicable to my life and my mission. My senior year at UF I volunteered in an elementary school that had a hearing-impaired inclusion class. I worked closely with a speech pathologist who had a sign on her door saying "Just because I can't hear doesn't mean I don't have anything to say." I started a blog when I moved to St. Louis, and here is an entry that basically sums up my passion: Alive.
I miss a lot about Florida. The people and places who shaped me into the person I am today. I also miss working with college women. I have loved serving in that capacity, and the Lord has given me a strong passion for investing into the lives of women in college because God changed my life so much in those four years through wonderful women who were willing to pour into my life. For some crazy reason, my grad program doesn't have summer classes. But this gives me the opportunity to fully serve God for one last summer without being tied to a career. It is a huge blessing, and after a lot of prayer, confusion, talking to people, more prayer, some tears, some disappointment, a crazy situation that found me a subleaser, and some more prayer, I am going back. One more summer spent serving God by leading a group of college students on the craziest adventure of their lives. I have tried my hardest to stay in touch with the four girls I discipled last summer, and I am so thrilled to still be a part of their lives and blessed to see what God is doing in and through them. I am SO incredibly excited for this summer. There will be a HUGE group of us interns, both students from last year, students from MY project in 2010, and students who will be along for the ride for the first time!! We are gonna be quite a team.
Anyways, I sent out my first round of support letters a week ago! If you would like one and haven't gotten one yet, email me with your address and I will send you one!! If you would like to support me again (I have to raise over $1600 for living and travel expenses for this summer- it is a little more expensive now that I need to actually GET to Florida... I have always been there already!) here is the info.
Send a check made out to "cru" to
Kelly Wood
4949 West Pine Blvd #11R
St. Louis, MO 63108
I am having issues with my online account, so until that gets straightened out, mail would be the best option.
I love each and every one of you and I am so thankful I get to share this journey with you for a THIRD time. Please keep me in your prayers as I try and finish out this semester strong. Let me know how I can be praying for you too!!
Kelly
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