I don't think I could even count the number of times that participants at the Campus have asked me with absolute honesty, "Why in the world would you want to work/volunteer here at this crazy place?" Usually, I just shrug with a smile and tell them that it's never boring. However, after thinking about it more, I think I could give a more honest response. It's for the little moments of hope every single day....
*To have a participant tell me with such excitement that he starts job training this week.
*To see participants that have been around for years get approved for housing.
*To look at the pride on a participant's face as he shows me the review for his exam to become a certified electrician.
*To laugh with people who really wear their emotions on their sleeves...who laugh real laughs.
*To hear prayers for those who are poor from those who I often think of as "the poor"
*To see the transformation of an alcoholic after he has entered into treatment
*To listen to participants tell me how much they appreciate that I always seem to have a smile on my face
*To walk down the alley to work every morning and be greeted by name. In return, to witness the surprise of so many when they realize that I also know their names.
My job is not easy...in fact, there are times when I wonder "why am I doing this again?" But the little moments, the God moments, are what makes it more than worthwhile. These are just some of the reasons why I love what I do.
Friday, February 19, 2010
Sunday, February 7, 2010
"We are Praying"
It has been awhile since an update! Now that the holidays are over, I feel things starting to settle back down at the Campus (as much as it can anyways), and I have some time to breath again.
Last weekend, the 8 Nashville YAVs, along with 2 Cincinnati and 2 Atlanta YAVs all ventured to Deer Run Retreat Center in Franklin, TN, for a weekend of reflection and rest. We were literally snowed in all weekend, making it even more necessary for us to slow down and just be- with God and with each other. It was exactly what I had been needing at this point in the year.
Lately one of my struggles has been not experiencing meaningful worship. I do not think it is 2nd Presbyterian Church that is the issue; it's me. For whatever reason, I have had a hard time experiencing God's presence in worship. I expressed these feelings to two other YAVs during a spiritual listening exercise on Saturday night, and they prayed that God will help me to be filled with joy once again.
Sunday morning, these prayers were answered when our group of sixteen women collectively planned worship. Huddled in a cabin with nothing but a guitar, drums, and our voices, I felt the presence of God so powerfully in the words sung and spoken. It was one of the most meaningful worship experiences I have had in a long time, just when I was longing for it the most.
One song that we sung together was from our YAV Orientation called "We Are Praying." The song was written to help draw us into the prayer concerns of others as if they were our own. It has been a week, and ever since the retreat, this song has been replaying on repeat over and over in my head....
We are praying, oh, we are praying
We are praying, oh, we are praying
We are man, woman, we are children,
And oh, we are praying.
Let the rains go
Let the mighty rivers flow
Let justice roll like water
Let the day begin
When new life enters in
And let your kingdom come.
As much as it gets annoying to have one song stuck in my head for a week, I could not have chosen a better one. It gets to the heart of the passage in Thessalonians which urges us to "Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). In that case, I will keep on singing...
Last weekend, the 8 Nashville YAVs, along with 2 Cincinnati and 2 Atlanta YAVs all ventured to Deer Run Retreat Center in Franklin, TN, for a weekend of reflection and rest. We were literally snowed in all weekend, making it even more necessary for us to slow down and just be- with God and with each other. It was exactly what I had been needing at this point in the year.
Lately one of my struggles has been not experiencing meaningful worship. I do not think it is 2nd Presbyterian Church that is the issue; it's me. For whatever reason, I have had a hard time experiencing God's presence in worship. I expressed these feelings to two other YAVs during a spiritual listening exercise on Saturday night, and they prayed that God will help me to be filled with joy once again.
Sunday morning, these prayers were answered when our group of sixteen women collectively planned worship. Huddled in a cabin with nothing but a guitar, drums, and our voices, I felt the presence of God so powerfully in the words sung and spoken. It was one of the most meaningful worship experiences I have had in a long time, just when I was longing for it the most.
One song that we sung together was from our YAV Orientation called "We Are Praying." The song was written to help draw us into the prayer concerns of others as if they were our own. It has been a week, and ever since the retreat, this song has been replaying on repeat over and over in my head....
We are praying, oh, we are praying
We are praying, oh, we are praying
We are man, woman, we are children,
And oh, we are praying.
Let the rains go
Let the mighty rivers flow
Let justice roll like water
Let the day begin
When new life enters in
And let your kingdom come.
As much as it gets annoying to have one song stuck in my head for a week, I could not have chosen a better one. It gets to the heart of the passage in Thessalonians which urges us to "Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). In that case, I will keep on singing...
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