world changers

let's take a trip down memory lane for a second.

almost 11 years ago my church decided to go on a summer mission trip to do something called "world changers". i didn't know what it was but it sounded cool. basically you paid your money to sleep on an air mattress on the floor of a school and to go work on someone's house for a week that was in need. and when i say in need ... i mean ... their roof was completely falling in, their siding was rotting off of their house, they had a big hole in the floor of their kitchen or their wheelchair ramp was falling apart. these were/are real people in REAL need. not only are their houses in need but their lives are in need ... in need of love in a real way.

so i went. and i loved it. and i fell in love with what the ministry was. helping people by loving actions. showing people the love of Christ through dirty, hard, sweaty and sometimes painful work. you'll never know how many unbelivers saw God for the first time in the eyes of kids that were laughed and enjoying being covered in dirt and grime. so many people came to know the Lord through these smiles and hugs. not fancy evangelist words ... just living a life that was an example of the love of the Lord. i met some amazing people on the trip and knew i had to go back and do it again. and i did. i went back the summer of my senior year to the chicago area and did it all over again. this time i got to share the experience with my father. it changed his life like it did mine.

so after being told i should ... i applied to be on summer staff for world changers for the summer after my freshman year in college. i got the job and headed off to atlanta to train for the summer. and i did that for the next 4 summers. i was paired up with a team of 3 or 4 other people each year. each of us had our specific duties and we somehow pulled off amazing weeks of camp for 100-400 kids each week. each summer we usually had 4-5 weeks of camp.

summer #1 i spent in wyoming and montana as the office manager. and yes we drove a 15 passenger van and hauled a trailer from atlanta to montana. something you didn't know i could do ... back up a trailer into a parking spot. yes sir!
summer #2 i spent in arkansas, missouri, and indiana as the team leader.
summer #3 i spent in texas and louisiana as the team leader
summer #4 i spent doing the behind the scenes work in the office in atlanta

i loved every single summer. i had some of the hardest and most emotional moments of my entire life during those years. i was growing. i was so young and had been given so many responsibilites. but it changed me. every week, every kid, every homeowner, every cook, every youth leader, every other summer saffer ... every single person changed me. i wasn't changed immediately but now ... 5 years later i realize that i was changed and molded and more than anything i was shown the love of the Lord by thousands of people.

so today i sit here more excited than i have been in a long time as i wait to meet with a team of world changers staffers that i will work with for the weekend. the team leader/office manager of the project here in nashville has to leave for a couple of days and they invited me to step in for those 3 days. i cannot wait! i feel really blessed!

it's been 5 years since i have been on staff. i'm 27 years old but i am as excited as i was when i was 18 and got the job the first time. i'll only be there for 3 days, but for my heart and where i am right now it is the perfect time and place.

i'm doing this to serve. i'm doing it to step outside of myself and remember what it is like to love for the sake of loving and not for what it does to benefit me. i forget to do that so often. i have fallen into the terrible habit of thinking everything is about me. i hate how i always wonder how you can help me feel better today? my brain is so messed up in that area. i need some shaping and molding and growing. i need a big kick in the pants is what i need. anyone wanna take a shot? :)

so as this shaped my life 5 years ago i pray the Lord speaks to me in a mighty way. i pray i am humble and calm and patient. i pray i am helpful and encouraging and kind. i pray that lives are changed through the kids that will sacrafice a week of their summer vacation to help those who are starving for some TLC on their homes and their hearts.

may the Lord be honored and glorified in all we do as this weekend begins. i ask for your prayers in my life ... my everyday life ... i pray for peace and joy in the everyday moments of my life. not everyday can be filled with exciting things. i have to find the joy in the everyday ... right now moments.

the JOY of the Lord IS my strength!