MA Spring Break: Check!

My spectacular small group for the week!

The return flight from Vegas to Iowa was a lovely two and a half hour nap for me, I cannot speak for the hung over frat boys around me who spring breaked a little to hard however. And we begin re-entry, though it was not as difficult this time as compared to five months away from home with two of those months being in third world countries, there is still an initial shock when reflecting upon the week.

Thursday evening we had a commitment service for the group. The idea was to have a time of Holy Spirit led worship allowing the students a time to talk with God in reflection over the week and to decided where He should lead them next. After the night of worship, each of the 13 students could say they had heard the voice of God and had felt the Holy Spirit sometime during the week. It was beautiful, not simply because each of them were speaking with God, but they were also speaking with each other, student-to-student, the time became real. It is easy to rely on leaders, us crazy YWAM staff, their Bible teacher or the like, but to have built the community among their peers is different. In speaking to each other, they were soon encouraging each other, speaking the heart of the Father to each other, and reaffirming each others original design.

There were so many group photos taken this past week, yet
we were never able to get one of everybody looking at the
camera...

One of the convicting moments of the week was Friday morning when we gathered to go over highs and lows of the week. One of the boys said how amazing the week was, however he did not want to see the group clique up, rather reach others and hold each other accountable. It is so easy to be cliquey when others have not gone through the same experiences, I know because I have secluded myself on the basis of no one understanding, when in reality I did not allow them to understand.

This young man, a high school sophomore, was very wise. The community of Christ can only be built when we expand beyond our own walls. Jesus was not one to stay in the same town, nor did He tell His disciples to be stationary. Abraham, sometimes considered the first missionary, was commanded to go into the land God would show him once he began walking in blind obedience. Leviticus repeatedly says to take care of the aliens in the land for you, Israel, were once aliens. Our Ever Present Guide has marked the path before us, and it requires us to walks.

Even though the city lights shine bright for miles, we will
be the shining city on a hill.

Another comment that touched my heart was a late night conversation I was having with one of the DTS girls in the bathroom. This girl was telling me about another girl, with tears in her eyes she said, "She's my best friend." It caught me off guard, there was no reason to be all teary eyed about it. Then I realized the great love in her words. This was the kind of love that would die for each other, sacrificially giving up the last Dove chocolate and forgiving any grievance.

This is the community of Christ. To awaken the nations we are to find our best friend, go in twos with the Royal Priesthood supporting us and bring the children back to the table. Like the young man reminded our group, community is vital, however community can become an exclusive idol when we tell others they do not understand and turn our backs.

My gorgeous roommates!

The week was filled with 24 DTS girls who ate mass quantities of ice-cream and were excellent at sharing with me. These girls welcomed me into their week with arms wide, allowing me into their lives as I allowed them into mine. I shared a room with my old DTS roommates, only this time our room was not nearly as orderly as before, pretty much that was all my fault. 13 high schoolers and and their 3 leaders encouraged me with their faith. They had such a willingness to pray for strangers, pick up trash, wash dishes and live with so many girls (or at least I did not hear them complain...). MA partook in different evangelism tactics I did last fall, correctly stated, that I did with much disdain and not a positive attitude, yet this group climb the mountain with their arms wide open so to speak. The joy of the Living One inside of them shone brightly in our dark city. Their desire to ravish the nations with the love of our Abba was a reflection of the love of our Abba that so ravished their hearts.

Now it is back to bribing two year old to wear pants and having princess tea parties. Back to fresh fruit, my cats being my alarm clocks and long runs alone. This does not mean it is time to settle, no, there is no time to settle. Shortly now: go!