Transititon!

I spoke in July about an opportunity I've been given to do inner city ministry in Richmond, VA. I also said that would start in August. After having to jump the small (huge!) hurdle of finding a place to live, October 1st Dan Burgess, Randall Wattford, and myself have moved to the city. Our house is not yet a home, but it's on its way. We have plenty of furniture and have made our personal rooms our own, but we are yet to make it look less like a college students haha. Randall and Dan are both working during the day. Dan at Snagajob.com and Randall at Virginia Distributing doing wine displays at local stores. I am still in the search for a job...but I'm getting close. I have part-time work with Virginia Fishing Adventures doing after school and weekend programs with fishing and mountain biking, and I just had an interview with REI (I'll hear about that between the 8th and the 12th).

So there's where I am from a living/material aspect. The juicy part is where God has really shown up in my life in just the past week. As I said before, I'm not workin full time just yet (and we didn't have cable/internet till wednesday) so I've had a lot of opportunity to seek the Father in all of this. Friday (october 1) was one of the hardest and most emotionally stressful days of my life...it was the day I moved. I said goodbye to my parents and honestly cried for about 2 straight minutes in the car. Luckily I went mountain bikin the second I got in RVA to blow off some of that emotion, but to no avail. When I moved in and I was in this new place with all of my stuff strewn around the wave hit me again and I felt this feeling like "I just want to go home!" On top of all of that I had a sinus infection and was feeling pretty ill, and felt like packing up and heading back. I wanted to look to my parents for advice on what to do next and hug them and tell them I'd see them in the morning...but I couldn't.

THIS is where our God clinched my soul. In the midst of sickness, loneliness, frustration, doubt, and fear The Father calmed my frenzied spirit while listening to my itunes. "How he loves us" by Kim Walker came on and (for you avett fans) swept me away in his love and mercy, and I could finally sleep.

Among the days of no work I have also been blessed through the Word of the Lord, as well as authors he has inspired. "Irresistible Revolution" by Shane Claiborne and "Desiring God" by John Piper spoke to me and directed me towards scripture about how LARGE God's plan is and how important missions are (and reminded me, MISSIONS is what I'm doing!). I felt that me, my room mates and very few other people were here (for lack of a better term) "on fire" for Christ. Piper assured me that we can do nothing alone, and anything we see as impossible is possible IN CHRIST. Claiborne assured me that being a "radical" is well needed in this day and age of "christianity." But most importantly, THE FATHER assured me that I AM NOT ALONE IN THIS CITY!

Two ways of God's assurance. 1: While at Barnes and Noble lookin for Claiborne's book I met a girl named Hannah who was a breath of fresh air. Our conversation about the city and missions and JESUS helped me to realize that there are warriors everywhere that the Father can reach (as far as east is from west!) and 2: His word blew me away with this verse

"Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, FOR I HAVE MANY IN THIS CITY WHO ARE MY PEOPLE." Acts 18:9-10

Calloused Hands, Calloused Feet, Completely Open Heart