Time flies when you’re having a ball…it also seems like ages when pushing for something that feels like it will never come. There’s also those lulls where no excitement takes place, and then just as rest begins to get a little too friendly, right before your very eyes, you’re back in the action.
I’ve felt a bit like all of the above has been true for me over this past month. As a whole base of about 300 people, we’ve been working together relentlessly towards finishing our new property that we will officially own. We’ve got so many inexperienced yet servant-hearted people around who have been willing to give their time so freely to see this project come to completion. It’s amazing how far one’s will can take them…it’s a miracle by the hand of God that this place looks as amazing as it does, as well as what a testimony it is that all different types of people can be used to do something they may have never thought they’d be able to pull off.
Here’s a little video of the building… enjoy ;)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lC9DTLv9XaYOne more cool thing I feel to share about this place is this:
In late 2010 I was praying about where to go next after I finished serving in Mexico City. I felt that I home was my next move, but I had a few random dreams about walking through this building made of tons of glass. I can describe to you one vivid picture of walking up the stairs and looking down from the top, being able to see almost the entire building. When I woke up, I felt like God had given me a vision of what the new base might be like, having absolutely no idea what the floor plan or layout looked like. A whole year later, I was moving some boxes walking up this new building and looked down for the first time, and was instantly taken back to this dream that I had in Mexico. How crazy is that? God showed me a little picture of my future…even though I didn’t realize it at the time!!
I’ve been personally growing in a lot of ways. This past month or so, I feel like I’ve really been establishing myself here in this organization, finding where my contribution lays, as well as pursuing more people who are a part of this family.. and God has been so faithful in really making this place a home for me. ..and it’s not just a statement that I have to repeat in my head anymore to make myself believe that I’m supposed to be here, but it’s a real sense of belonging that I have, and I feel like this is home. And as hard as it is to be away from my family, I recognize the incredible personality and character that surrounds me, and I couldn’t be more thankful. I thought it was a good idea to start a prank war with one of the guys houses down the street… I’ve quickly changed my mind about that now, as they have stolen my water guns and plotted some scheme to annihilate us.
I’ve also joined this ministry in the city called “Street Chaplains”. It is a ministry that has teamed up with the police here in Perth, and on the weekends, the Christians will go out into the city in pairs of two----and from 9pm until 4am they walk around the streets and just help people where there is a need. The majority of the work they do is helping defenseless intoxicated girls, breaking up fights, assisting if first aid is needed, pulling out the vomit bags once in awhile, or just sitting and striking up conversation where there would be an opportunity to minister. It’s really just giving pastoral care to the community in a practical, yet totally different way. God has used it to do a lot of work in the city at those hours…and I see the heart that says, “Just because most people are sleeping at that time, God doesn’t.” It’s an incredible way to reach out to people in need and really minister God’s by just simply caring. I have my first observation this Saturday and I’m pretty stoked about it!
As I was saying earlier… this past month has felt like a whirlwind of emotional ups and downs… definitely great time and incredible amounts of growth, but the ride has been pretty wild. It’s taken my full focus, and heart to really gage each day and maximize it to my best.. There have been moments where I’ve felt pretty discouraged or disheartened, thinking “will this ever happen..” (This was I think a lot of people’s feelings when our base took weeks to get approved).I’m learning it’s not wrong to feel a bit dull and dry sometimes, but it just means I need to keep pressing on and looking forward because God says there is wonderful joy ahead. And that reminds me that I don’t store my treasures here on earth, but I look for them above.. and I thank God as He stretches my capacity to understand how to be more like Him, and take on more and more weight with a joyful spirit. He is good.
"So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while.These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world." 1 Peter: 6-7
I am also aiming to start fund raising for finances to come home in June for a few weeks... to see family, friends, and be there for my sisters graduation...if you could be praying into that for me, I'd definitely appreciate it!
