i was talking with a friend this weekend. My friend is a missionary who's been working with an AWESOME ministry for the last 20 years. She know's a lot about ministry - and kids - and youth - and loving the Lord. A prayer i have is that someday i will be as knowledgeable and as soft hearted as she is. She seriously loves the Lord - it's so cool to see.
So, we were talking, and catching up, and i got to share a lot about the ministry i've been doing in salem - how i've set up the kids ministry, what all we're doing, my heart behind it, and what i want to do with it in the future... it was fun. Then she gave me one of the biggest compliments i could have gotten. She said that she wished her kids could be a part of my ministry!
man alive - i can't begin to explain what that did for my heart. To hear someone i deeply respect tell me that they wish their kids were in my ministry. It came from just the right person, at just the right moment - and propelled my heart forward... deeper into seeking the Lord and seeking where he's leading me.
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i also had a conversation this weekend with a friend about how we shouldn't shut our hearts off to uncertain situations - but to let them get caught up and feel the outcome, be it pain or joy.
(i was the one saying that you SHOULD let your heart get caught up - who knew i would ever have that conversation).
and let me tell you what - i sure let my heart get involved in this weekend...
- i have things planned out to most likely go back to school full time in the fall and commute from salem - and let my heart freak out a little about how crazy of an idea that is...
- i talked ministry with the Patty's and let my heart yearn for deeply impacting students here, and let it ache that i wasn't overseas yet, and let it ache more that i have no idea when i'll get to go overseas, and let the fire grow to the fact that i'll get to go...
- i saw 2 dear friends that i haven't seen in month's and let my heart feel the tragedy that ripped our community to pieces...
- i watch 2 people get married - and let my heart long to be in a deep and committed loving relationships someday...
- i got to go to church for the first time in months and get fed spiritually - and i opened my heart to the Lord in worship and took Josh's words to heart and let them challenge who i am - and how i relate to the Lord...
- and because i've opened my heart i've dealt with sleepless nights laced with tremors and nightmares...
needless to say - it's been quite the weekend. My heart has felt incredible joy - and immeasurable pain all in a short 48 hours. It has been incredible and cause my heart to long for a much deeper relationship with my Papa - to be able to run to him in my times of pain and to give him praise in the joy.
i'm excited to see where the Lord leads me in this next season.
