Urban Plunge 2010

I just got back from a 4 day plunge into inner city Phoenix. I return hopeful for my generation, thoughtful, and full of passion.

The Urban Plunge involved college students from Young Life, CCC, Northwest Community Church, Palm Croft, and Pure Heart. Together, we functioned as the Body of Christ, resisting the temptation to segregate ourselves and taking the opportunity to listen to God's call to us. Together, we removed a covering of weeds to reveal playgrounds and backyards. Together, we painted walls and hopscotch courts. Together, we loved on the kids and families in the Herrera Elementary School community. Together, we planted a healing garden and created a mosaic involving the kids' artwork. Together, we laughed, sang, and danced. Together, we worshiped.

I've been on a lot of other mission trips before, but none that involved this many people from this many places. As I was taking a final look at our mosaic, I realized that the big picture wasn't what made it beautiful - it was all of the broken pieces of pottery. It was in that moment that I realized that the Body of Christ is like a mosaic, intentionally laid out and intricately planned to bring beauty and meaning to the world. We are broken and incomplete when we function out of our own limited authority, however, the Master Artist wants to place us in community with one another and give us the power to function on His behalf.

We studied a chapter from the book of Jonah each day of the Plunge. This was the first time I studied this story outside of a sunday school classroom - I never realized how raw and real this book of the Bible is. Jonah received a powerful call to invest in the Kingdom of God, and even though he tried to ignore it, God refused to give up. In His eyes, there was no one better suited for the job than Jonah. As Christians, God has issued us this same call. Isaiah 61 says:

^1-7 The Spirit of God, the Master, is on me because God anointed me.
He sent me to preach good news to the poor,
heal the heartbroken,
Announce freedom to all captives,
pardon all prisoners.
God sent me to announce the year of his grace—
a celebration of God's destruction of our enemies—
and to comfort all who mourn,
To care for the needs of all who mourn in Zion,
give them bouquets of roses instead of ashes,
Messages of joy instead of news of doom,
a praising heart instead of a languid spirit.
Rename them "Oaks of Righteousness"
planted by God to display his glory.
They'll rebuild the old ruins,
raise a new city out of the wreckage.

God calls us to function out of the freedom that He has brought us and to pull others out of the wreckage of spiritual, relational, and physical poverty. As former captives to our own selfishness, it is our duty, our CALL from God because the Spirit of the Lord is upon us. There is no one better for the job of living out the Gospel than us.

This experience was amazing for me because it affirmed my call to ministry. The Urban Plunge environment just felt so natural and refreshing to me. As someone called to this, the Lord even gave me opportunities to encourage others to explore their callings in life. I continue to be blown away by this incredible God we serve. I refuse to wait on my world to change, and I will continue to press in for the others of my generation in prayer so that they, too, will experience the power and abundance of serving others in Jesus' name.

Four Little Letters

I'm sitting here finding it difficult to do something right now, so I might as well blog :]

http://www.personalitypage.com/INFP.html Idealist. I've been so busy that I've had to live my life like a J lately, and that's been really hard. I can't wait to live like a P again. Okay, that's enough Myers-Briggs for now.

My life has been so crazy lately. It feels really good now that I'm starting to get back to semi-normal life. School. Work. Internship. Friends. That, I can handle.

I'm so stoked for Urban Plunge next weekend. There is nothing right now that could be closer to my heart. I'm so excited to be on leadership for this. I've just got to get through this week and and the wedding on Saturday.

I've been having a lot of Kairos moments lately - circular moments when it just feels like time stands still. I've processed some of them in my huddle, but I really just need introvert time. Maybe that's what I'm missing.

A lot of these Kairos moments revolve around:

-Jr. High students

-Callouses on my fingers from playing guitar

-Holy Spirit moments at Open Heaven

-Leading worship with Chris and Kelsi Jo Ozorio

-God's heart for the poor

-Sunday nights at Pure Heart

-Wild at Heart by John Eldredge

-Pandora radio

-Urban Plunge leaders meetings

-Toddy+half & half + chocolate and caramel sauce

-My spazzy laptop

-Self-sufficiency

-Fletcher Library

-New relationships

Hmmmm this is definitely a time of intense growth. I kind of love it.

Not to Mention Valentines Day

I love my life right now. I feel like so many dreams are coming true.

I have been pressing in for a job at Starbucks for 2 months because I knew that God was calling me to serve coffee to people. Well, I didn't get a job at Starbucks. I got a job at an awesome little coffee shop that fits me even better. I started training there this week, and it feels even more perfect all the time. The whole time that I was praying for a job, I kept telling God how I wanted to have time to do ministry. Welllll, the schedule is so perfect for that. I'm going to be working three mornings a week, and maybe picking up a few weekends starting in March.

I also started interning in student ministries. It doesn't really mean anything different from what I was doing before, but it does give me a title and a reference for a resume. I'm still unsure how I feel about it. I kind of want to do more, but it's probably best if I don't since my life is crazy as it is.

God has totally answered my prayer for deep-spirited friends. I feel so uplifted and energized every time I hang out with Brittney and Madi. This is another way that God has provided like crazy. These girls totally understand life and where I'm coming from. We were just made to be friends. Plain and simple. It's incredible to think that God has placed us in each other's lives. Instead of obsessing over boyfriends and status, like so many girls our age, we are choosing to focus all our love on Jesus, and we hold each other to that.

I cannot believe that my life-long friend, Emily, is getting married in a month! It seems like just yesterday that we were walking to the Circle K and climbing trees together. Being a bridesmaid is completely new territory for me. I've never been in a wedding before. I wish her the best, and I am praying for wisdom for her and her soon-to-be husband, George.

I keep falling more madly in love with Jesus all the time. It just feels so easy to me. Every time I step forward and ask for more of the Holy Spirit, I just receive it. It's changing the very person I am. I walk with a confidence and authority that is all His. Realizing how much He loves me and how much He wants to radically transform my very being continues to inspire me to live a bolder, more visible life. I used to try to be invisible because of all the insecurities I had, but now I just want people to see Him in all His glory. He is so wonderful and I owe everything I am to Him.

Apathy or action? Your choice.

This is more important than going out this weekend, buying a new outfit, or planning your next vacation. Will we be known as a generation more concerned about ourselves and our stuff, or will we be known for our sacrifices and desire to set things right?

Advocacy against child prostitution is something that I'm becoming incredibly passionate about. Did you know that the average age of entry into prostitution is 13? Does that concern you? It REALLY concerns me. Check the link below for more facts like this one.

It is imperative that we reorder our priorities. This is the only way that we can make a difference. Will your legacy revolve around always having your hair and make up done? How about the great parties you went to? Or maybe your great sense of style? This sounds incredibly shallow to me. I hope it does to you too. So join me.

Let's do something.

http://www.streetlightphx.com/

Life in the Fast Lane

2009 was literally the fastest year of my life to date. I don't think I've ever encountered so many life-changing events in one year. Here are just a few of them:

• I fell in love with Jesus. Don't get me wrong, I have loved Jesus for a very long time. However, I neglected to realize that He didn't just want a spoken commitment from me, He wanted to romance my heart. My relationship with God was one of reverent distance, rarely sprinkled with glimpses of Him until He ironically called me to fall more deeply in love with Him on Valentines Day. Isn't that sweet? Now, our relationship looks like an intimate friendship. I am learning what it is like to just spend time with Him, sans agenda. I am His Beloved and He is mine!

• I met some incredible people. The last part of 2008 was infused with so much loneliness for me. After graduating high school and starting college, I just felt so alone. It seemed like all my old friends had moved on, and I was too scared to make new ones. During 2009, I ventured out of myself a lot more and started going to a lot of Young Life events. I've met some amazing people there who totally get what life is supposed to be like. I'm so lucky to have an awesome small group and a great group of deep spirit friends. I am truly blessed with the blooming friendships in my life right now.

• I received calling and anointing from Holy Spirit. In April, a good friend of mine begged me to sign up for Project Timothy, which is a mission trip. During worship at orientation, I felt to surrendered to His will. I literally felt like I was on fire! Read Acts 2, if you want more details. He made me a carrier for His heart for social justice and poverty. I ended up going to Los Angeles, CA, where I saw God's love for the poor firsthand. His passion for me finally became my own. However, I sat on my calling for a few more months until He reached me again during worship. As the worship leader was singing about having God's heart, my hands heated up, and I saw myself throwing fire balls. It was entirely surreal and crazy, but it inspired me to start my own ministry called Louder Than Words, whose purpose is to train young people to live in Christ's footsteps and challenge the bonds of poverty and hunger on the world. My passion for student ministry also grew this year. I love those kids so much! I enjoy being a friend, big sister, and leader to them every Wednesday. I'm so convinced that ministry is my calling. And I'm ready to do anything to make that happen.

• I fasted from boys. God called me into a season of singleness this year, so I could fall more deeply in love with Him. Without the distraction of trying to find a date, God has used the time to refute so many of the lies that I had previously believed about myself. It also increased my capacity for ministry and building friendships. Letting myself fall in love with Jesus first is revolutionizing the way that I see relationships. He is preparing me for tons of ooey gooey love, and it's entirely exciting. I also took the opportunity to start writing in a journal for my future husband. My list of qualities that he will have is in there, as well as my prayers for him, and my dreams for our future. The fast is definitely not over yet, so I can't wait to see what God has for me in 2010!

• I owned 3 cars. I have no idea how I could possibly be so unlucky, but I had three accidents this year, two that totaled my car. Each accident was definitely laced by drama and frustration. However, I got to see God work through it every time. It was so reassuring to know that He was with me. I also learned to let go and trust Him. There were so many times where there was literally nothing more I could do, but God worked in the midst of the impossible. These accidents pushed me so far out of control of my life, that it became imperative for God to intervene and take the reins from me. Here's to no accidents next year.

• My heart became a garden. As a part of deepening my love for my savior, He has begun pulling weeds out everywhere in my life. During this year, I began to see that, in order for Him to heal me from some deep wounds in my heart, it was necessary for Him to pull weeds and break soil so that there would be room for new life. He is definitely making more room for something!

• I quit my job. In November, God told me to quit my job because He had something better in store for me. After over two years of dealing with stuck up moms, spoiled kids, and immature staff, I will be out of there in just a couple of weeks. I have Him at His word that He has a job for me that will support my call to ministry and my affinity for thrift stores, paying my bills, and hanging out with friends. I don't even know where I'll be working next, but Holy Spirit has definitely been whispering things to me about Starbucks. I'm in the process of applying to every Starbucks I know of, it's just a matter of finding the right one. It's like a treasure hunt.

My life is getting so exciting. I don't even know what to do with myself, but God does. Here's to 2010!

Preparation

This season just feels ... different. I'm definitely seeing things in a new way this year. Advent has been a bigger part of my life than ever before. In years past, I've always bypassed Advent because it wasn't even the main event. This year, however, Advent is hitting me upside the head. God is definitely preparing me, fashioning me to be more like Him. It's kind of hard, but it feels oh so good to just hang with Him. I'm learning to abide in Him so that I can increase my capacity for producing Fruit. It's good. Sometimes I just lay on my back and cry because I'm so humbled by His goodness. Other times, I sketch and paint or pick up my guitar. This abide piece is sooo good for me! So refreshing! For the first time in my life, I feel like my life is balanced - God is pouring so much out of me (This is a season of Fruitfulness), but He's also pouring so much into me. He is blessing me with so many new opportunities and new friendships. It's so good to have Deep Spirited friends again. I've finally found some people who see life the same way I do and who value me. I also joined a discipleship group, known as a Huddle, where I'm learning to let Holy Spirit take more control of my life. And then, on the other side of that scale, I'm starting a new ministry called Louder Than Words ( http://louderthnwords.blogspot.com/), and investing in youth ministry more than I ever have before. SO CRAZY.

So I quit my job last month because it couldn't support my growing capacity for ministry. As of mid-January, I am out of there! Holy Spirit has been whispering things in my head about Starbucks lately. So I've been filling out applications, and I know of a couple stores I want to apply at. I'm just so nervous to ask for a job, and so afraid of rejection! I know that He goes before and after me, but it's so hard to trust that He will provide. But seriously, when has He ever failed me? I just need to get over myself and do it. I also know that It's on my heart to intern in Student Ministries next semester, which is something I never thought of doing until this year. It's just up to Him to provide the right ministry opportunities.

Threshold Season

If you haven't heard of Joseph Campbell, you probably haven't heard of the Heroic Journey. I'll bet you anything that you've lived one, though. So it goes like this: You get called to adventure, you enter the journey by stepping across the threshold, people in your life function as helpers when you face challenges associated with your mission, you face your fears in the belly of the whale, you experience death and rebirth, and you receive a boon, which is basically a reward.

I'm so obsessed with the power of journey and story in my life right now. I recently moved from my old room into what used to be the guest bedroom. Sorting through all my junk was a big part of this move, and while doing so, I uncovered many artifacts of my journey up to this point. I'm so in awe right now of the way that God has been preparing my heart to step over the line and live the adventure that he has for me.

I received a powerful, undeniable call to adventure during the summer when the fire of Holy Spirit made a me a carrier of God's heart for Social Justice. I've been exploring this call for the last 4 months or so, and I feel this incredible urgency to take the next step, to leap over that threshold. In his book, A Million Miles in a Thousand Years, Donald Miller writes, "Here's the thing about telling stories with your life. It's going to sound like a great idea, and you are going to get excited about it, and then when it comes time to do the work, you're not going to want to do it. [...] People love to have lived a great story, but few people like the work it takes to make it happen. But JOY costs pain." It's time for me to do the work!

This is one of the weirdest, most intense feelings I've ever had. Half of what God is telling me almost doesn't make sense. He's calling me to sacrifice. He's promising blessings. He's giving me an urgent peace. This is just so incredibly odd. As a part of crossing the threshold, I quit my job, because I sensed that God wanted to bless me even more. I've committed to teaching others about God's passion for His people. My life is so unwritten right now, it's crazy,but I wouldn't have it any other way.

This is such a sweet season of life because I'm incredibly humbled by His grace, overwhelmed by what He has called me to, and so motivated to do His work. This is the Threshold Season.