So, I'm excited and thankful that I have this blog now. It's going to be a place where I put where I've seen Jesus and just about my journey through this year, so I hope that you stay tuned. It just might get interesting...
So here's an update on my life (trust me, it all ties in with where I've seen Jesus).
I don't have a house right now in Chattanooga. Well, I will. The apartment that I am living at won't let us (myself and two others) move in until September 20th. We started school on August 20th.
That's a month of being "houseless", Tiffany.
I know. I say "houseless" because I've felt more at home in the past week than I have in a really long time. My community has been so great to me and I'm so thankful for them. Sometimes all it takes is to ask for help...
I'm really bad at asking for help. I've realized this when God put me in 2 different positions to ask for help. One with housing, and the other with Student Staff. I hate asking for money and I hate burdening people with things..especially myself. But the Lord has shown me how to depend on my community, and that even though asking for help can be hard, people really love helping other people in need. It's like we were made to serve....
So back to the word "houseless"...
We had a student staff dinner the other night with our donors, Gary and Darlene, their son, our Area Director, his wife and two of his kids, and myself and the other 4 other Student Staffers. It was an incredible night. Really, really incredible. We all sat around and laughed and ate and shared stories of our summers. In the middle of dinner, I realized something: You don't need walls or a roof to have a home. I was at home, even though I didn't have a house. I felt like these people and these conversations were home to me.
There was a verse the other day that stuck with me and really made sense for my season right now.
"He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all- how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?"- Romans 8:32
He loves us. He wanted you to know how much He loved you so bad that He sent His Son to die on a cross...
Seriously, He gave up His Son to woo you, and pursue you, and to win you back....
So why wouldn't he provide places for me to sleep? Why wouldn't he provide food for me to eat? Why wouldn't he provide laughter and tears along the way? Why wouldn't he put incredible people and a community in my life to walk this journey with me?
There was 2 days last week where I didn't pay for a single meal. Jesus. I have a place to stay tonight. Jesus. I've had about 7 people offer me their houses to stay at. Jesus. A donor today said he was going to donate $500 for my Student Staff. Jesus.
I helped out with Calvary Kids at Calvary Chapel this morning. I worked with the 5 year old kids and it was incredible. We were watching a video about God and a picture of hands popped up on the screen to symbolize God's Hands. A little girl next to me whispers to me "His Hands are WAY bigger than that" and I said to her, "You have no idea..."
God is Good, and He is Gracious. My word of this week: PROVIDER
Think about it.
Thanks for reading folks...stay tuned.
With love,
T
So here's an update on my life (trust me, it all ties in with where I've seen Jesus).
I don't have a house right now in Chattanooga. Well, I will. The apartment that I am living at won't let us (myself and two others) move in until September 20th. We started school on August 20th.
That's a month of being "houseless", Tiffany.
I know. I say "houseless" because I've felt more at home in the past week than I have in a really long time. My community has been so great to me and I'm so thankful for them. Sometimes all it takes is to ask for help...
I'm really bad at asking for help. I've realized this when God put me in 2 different positions to ask for help. One with housing, and the other with Student Staff. I hate asking for money and I hate burdening people with things..especially myself. But the Lord has shown me how to depend on my community, and that even though asking for help can be hard, people really love helping other people in need. It's like we were made to serve....
So back to the word "houseless"...
We had a student staff dinner the other night with our donors, Gary and Darlene, their son, our Area Director, his wife and two of his kids, and myself and the other 4 other Student Staffers. It was an incredible night. Really, really incredible. We all sat around and laughed and ate and shared stories of our summers. In the middle of dinner, I realized something: You don't need walls or a roof to have a home. I was at home, even though I didn't have a house. I felt like these people and these conversations were home to me.
There was a verse the other day that stuck with me and really made sense for my season right now.
"He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all- how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?"- Romans 8:32
He loves us. He wanted you to know how much He loved you so bad that He sent His Son to die on a cross...
Seriously, He gave up His Son to woo you, and pursue you, and to win you back....
So why wouldn't he provide places for me to sleep? Why wouldn't he provide food for me to eat? Why wouldn't he provide laughter and tears along the way? Why wouldn't he put incredible people and a community in my life to walk this journey with me?
There was 2 days last week where I didn't pay for a single meal. Jesus. I have a place to stay tonight. Jesus. I've had about 7 people offer me their houses to stay at. Jesus. A donor today said he was going to donate $500 for my Student Staff. Jesus.
I helped out with Calvary Kids at Calvary Chapel this morning. I worked with the 5 year old kids and it was incredible. We were watching a video about God and a picture of hands popped up on the screen to symbolize God's Hands. A little girl next to me whispers to me "His Hands are WAY bigger than that" and I said to her, "You have no idea..."
God is Good, and He is Gracious. My word of this week: PROVIDER
Think about it.
Thanks for reading folks...stay tuned.
With love,
T
