I cannot tell you how many times someone has asked me, "What does your typical day look like?" in the last week or so. My answer is either long and complicated or I avoid the question altogether. I don't really have a "typical" day. Everyday is different and generally crazy and I'm still trying to decide if I love it, or if I just keep telling myself that in an effort to survive. Who knows? I do know that I LOVED today. It was one of the best, most rewarding/productive days I've had in a while. I thought I'd share it so that I remember why I'm here and why I really think I do love this temporary insanity that seems to have become my life.
This morning I woke up bright and early, got ready for the day, and took off immediately to take a friend to the pharmacy. After picking up her prescription and hearing about her love-life for a half hour, we had breakfast and chatted about how God feels about men and women should relate to each other according to the Word.
Then, I took a young lady out for coffee. This girl has a lot of guts. She has come all the way from the Middle East, while her fiance is living back in her home town. She is living with her family, but very obviously would much rather be back with him. Understandably, she doesn't leave the house a lot and gets rather depressed waiting around at home until she can get her papers to finally return and get married. I decided for her she has to get out of the house every once in a while. I'd go insane if I were her! We spent most of the morning and early afternoon together, drinking coffee and having lunch with her mom. I'm hoping this turns into a weekly meeting where we can mutually encourage and pray for one another.
After that, I went to a prayer meeting with the refugee organization that I've been volunteering with. The staff and volunteers meet once a week for prayer and this week I was finally able to make it. (Just a side-note, this organization has been experiencing a HUGE amount of spiritual warfare in just the last several weeks. God has provided incredibly, but it has still be a very difficult and painful time for those involved. Please pray that the Lord would heal hearts and the relationships between various staff members and volunteers would be restored. Pray for unity and means to reach as many as possible.) That said, it was very encouraging to me for some reason, in spite of some of the awkwardness and bitterness that the last few weeks have left behind. Even though it has been painful to watch some of this stuff, I know that I'm committed to this organization and the people in it. the Lord has definitely given me a peace about it.
I finally was able to break away from our conversations at the prayer meeting, and run to the Dollar Tree and K-Mart to go shopping for some supplies and prizes for an Arabic Youth Conference I have been planning for for several weeks. The conference is this weekend and nearly everyone I have recruited to assist has dropped out with the exception of two people. Yeah, awesome, I know. At this point, I know that the only way this Conference will be any good and be of any use to the Kingdom is if the Lord works a miracle. I trust completely that He will accomplish His desire for this conference. Praise the Lord we don't have to be strong or capable apart from Him!
After a very quick shopping trip, I met a family from the refugee for dinner. They had been inviting me for weeks, and I finally joined them. It was a great time of fellowship with them and helping their 8 year old understand some biblical concepts in English. I just felt at peace being with them, like it's what I'm supposed to be doing.
Don't get me wrong, I don't feel as though the six months I've spent here so far have been a waste, but I finally feel as though I know where I need to focus my time. I love teaching ESL and I know the research I try to make time for is important on some levels, but really truly spending time with people and investing in them is what I am passionate about. If I am running around like a chicken with my head cut off constantly, never stopping more than a couple hours to spend with people in my life, I will never have truly impacted anyone. If I don't invest in people, they will not be impacted by me, nor will I be impacted by them. We will be mere acquaintances. That was a huge revelation to me as I was trying to fall asleep tonight. I am striving to break out of mediocrity. If I'm truly honest with myself, mediocrity is my biggest fear. I don't want to waste a single minute on something, no matter how noble it seems, if it isn't what the Lord wills for me.
May we all, "Act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God."
This morning I woke up bright and early, got ready for the day, and took off immediately to take a friend to the pharmacy. After picking up her prescription and hearing about her love-life for a half hour, we had breakfast and chatted about how God feels about men and women should relate to each other according to the Word.
Then, I took a young lady out for coffee. This girl has a lot of guts. She has come all the way from the Middle East, while her fiance is living back in her home town. She is living with her family, but very obviously would much rather be back with him. Understandably, she doesn't leave the house a lot and gets rather depressed waiting around at home until she can get her papers to finally return and get married. I decided for her she has to get out of the house every once in a while. I'd go insane if I were her! We spent most of the morning and early afternoon together, drinking coffee and having lunch with her mom. I'm hoping this turns into a weekly meeting where we can mutually encourage and pray for one another.
After that, I went to a prayer meeting with the refugee organization that I've been volunteering with. The staff and volunteers meet once a week for prayer and this week I was finally able to make it. (Just a side-note, this organization has been experiencing a HUGE amount of spiritual warfare in just the last several weeks. God has provided incredibly, but it has still be a very difficult and painful time for those involved. Please pray that the Lord would heal hearts and the relationships between various staff members and volunteers would be restored. Pray for unity and means to reach as many as possible.) That said, it was very encouraging to me for some reason, in spite of some of the awkwardness and bitterness that the last few weeks have left behind. Even though it has been painful to watch some of this stuff, I know that I'm committed to this organization and the people in it. the Lord has definitely given me a peace about it.
I finally was able to break away from our conversations at the prayer meeting, and run to the Dollar Tree and K-Mart to go shopping for some supplies and prizes for an Arabic Youth Conference I have been planning for for several weeks. The conference is this weekend and nearly everyone I have recruited to assist has dropped out with the exception of two people. Yeah, awesome, I know. At this point, I know that the only way this Conference will be any good and be of any use to the Kingdom is if the Lord works a miracle. I trust completely that He will accomplish His desire for this conference. Praise the Lord we don't have to be strong or capable apart from Him!
After a very quick shopping trip, I met a family from the refugee for dinner. They had been inviting me for weeks, and I finally joined them. It was a great time of fellowship with them and helping their 8 year old understand some biblical concepts in English. I just felt at peace being with them, like it's what I'm supposed to be doing.
Don't get me wrong, I don't feel as though the six months I've spent here so far have been a waste, but I finally feel as though I know where I need to focus my time. I love teaching ESL and I know the research I try to make time for is important on some levels, but really truly spending time with people and investing in them is what I am passionate about. If I am running around like a chicken with my head cut off constantly, never stopping more than a couple hours to spend with people in my life, I will never have truly impacted anyone. If I don't invest in people, they will not be impacted by me, nor will I be impacted by them. We will be mere acquaintances. That was a huge revelation to me as I was trying to fall asleep tonight. I am striving to break out of mediocrity. If I'm truly honest with myself, mediocrity is my biggest fear. I don't want to waste a single minute on something, no matter how noble it seems, if it isn't what the Lord wills for me.
May we all, "Act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God."
