A Fresh Hope

A couple of weeks ago I was given the opportunity to go to Marion, Indiana where headquarters for World Gospel Mission is located and attend a workshop. I decided to stay with a good friend in Indianapolis which meant a long commute every morning and afternoon, but I knew that ahead of time and planned on the travel. What didn't I plan for?? Well from my time at IWU I thought I remembered that it took just under an hour to get to Marion from Indy. That was my first mistake. So after a fun Sunday night at youth group with kids that I LOVE, I woke up Monday with enough time to get ready and an hour to drive. Well, turns out it was further than I remembered if only by like 10 minutes, so I decided that I should speed things up a bit and get there on time. Let's just say that getting pulled over for speeding does NOT get you to your destination faster. Dang it! Strike one. So I arrive at the workshop, meant for career missionaries (not so much for volunteers), late on the first day. Strike two. I get to the room a good 15 minutes into the first session, devotions, with no bible to be found in my purse. Strike three. I had set expectations for myself for the week because I was there representing the volunteer status at WGM. I had failed... and I was super tired because staying in Indy with my buddy means not much sleep, so Monday morning did NOT start off well and I was praying that my experience that morning would not set the mood for the entire week. Well by the end of the first session via text message I was given these words of wisdom, "leave earlier, drive slower, and I have your bible." To top it all off I got to see two missionary families that I spent a lot time with while in Uganda. What started off as the worst day ever became one of the best days ever, not just because I got to see people I love, but also because I got a few minutes to take a step back and hear the goodness that the Lord has for me. He was imploring me to slow down... not just with my driving btw.
So each morning I woke up way before the sun was scheduled to rise, after getting just a few hours of sleep and headed on my way up to Marion. I am NOT a morning person by any means and I really love to sleep. So why didn't you just stay in Marion, you ask? Well I was much more blessed to stay with mi amigo and hang out with the youth group kids down in Indy... I don't get to see them during their daily lives very often, so this was a great opportunity to spend time with them. I was also excited to go to a bible study that I've been hearing about and to hang with fun people.
Anyways... if you've ever spent much time in Indiana or driving I69, you know how dreadfully boring and flat it is. There's not much to look at, and between Indianapolis and Marion there's a whole lot of fields of nothingness. In the winter time it almost seems desolate, unhopeful. It's as though the earth has been defeated because of the frigid cold. A long drive becomes even longer when you're passing over such a weary land. Those were my first thoughts about my surroundings. With unfamiliar morning radio shows I tuned into the very familiar Moody radio and KLove. Like a cloud opening up to reveal the warmth of the sun, the Word of the Lord came that second morning and brought hope to a weary and desolate land. Not to sound too dramatic, but it was like I had blinders on and they were removed. There was literally hope on the horizon as the rays of the sun began to creep over the vast flatness. Various shades of blues, purples, pinks, and oranges rose up from the darkness. I love the little gift that Jesus shared with me that morning. What a creative God we serve! Maybe now as I drive from Chicago to Indy, as I often do, I won't be as bored with the nothingness. It's not as hard to see beauty in that part of the creation. I love that hope always shines through... there's a promise of new life (like the coming of spring).
So anyways, the workshop was really good. Some of it didn't apply to me, but for the most part I found it helpful. It was also really cool to be at HQ because I've not been since I've been a part of the mission. I finally met the people I've been communicating with for the past two years and also made some good connections for my time back in Uganda. Over and over confirmation keeps coming that this is where God wants me. I'm excited. Spending time with the Coppedge's and the Bourne's was a huge blessing and very refreshing to me. It was like a little reminder of my time in Uganda. I went to Sudan with the Coppedge's almost a year ago and spent a little time with them in Northern Uganda where they live. The Bourne's lived in Kampala and are one of the most down to earth families that you'll ever meet. I love them and their genuine love for the Lord. :)
Beyond the workshop I was able to spend time at IWU that Friday hanging out with a girl connected with my church up here. She was an exchange student to my old high school a few years ago and now she is back in America attending IWU. Her brother is now here from Poland as an exchange student and he's on the worship team that I direct. I was able to help her get a little more familiar with campus, tell her about classes and teachers. She had just arrived that week and was still getting used to campus. It was so cool to see all of the new stuff that IWU has. It's been so long since I was on campus that I didn't even recognize some stuff. After that I drove back down to Indy to have dinner with a fabulous woman from Trent's church. I always love spending time with her... never a dull moment, let me tell you!
WSUMC (my home church) was having their winter high school retreat in northern Indiana, so after dinner that night I went home, packed up my stuff, and left for the retreat. I didn't get there til almost 11pm so I was completely exhausted after a week of no sleep. I knew going into the weekend that I shouldn't expect much sleep there either. BUT the senior girls laid claim on me to sleep in their room and they even gave me the big bed! It was SO amazing... like a nice hotel. We got like 6 or 7 hours of sleep... all in one night. It was fantastic! The whole retreat was great and it was so cool to finally hang out with some of those kids outside of the church. It's easier to connect in a different setting sometimes. The speaker was great and the band was pretty good too. I thought it was a relaxing weekend with some really sweet times with Jesus. :)
I finally arrived back home late Sunday afternoon and I feel like I've been catching up on sleep since. I did almost nothing last week after work and slept like 9 hours every night. It was amazing and I don't even feel guilty about my laziness. Even today, I laid around until like noon then went and hung out with my senior girls then came home, talked on the phone, and as soon as I'm done with this I'm going to bed!
That said... would you be in prayer for Haiti? I feel a strong burden for that situation and I really want to get down there asap. I'll go when it makes sense for me to go and I won't be in the way of medical type people. Right now I feel like I would be a hindrance. Pray for clarity on a time frame and also pray for the team from my church going down there tomorrow to scope things out. Lastly, I've just sent out my prayer/support letters as of yesterday and it always makes me a little anxious. Pray for the support to come in, but mostly pray that I am quick to remember to trust Him with the finances. Thanks! Much love.