So I'm getting on a plane to South Africa. The day is finally here! I can't believe that it has come so quickly. The last year has gone by so fast. I am overwhelmed by all of the emotions I am feeling right now, so much so, that I am finding it extremely difficult to communicate where I am with the Lord at this moment. My first response to all of this emotion is to avoid communicating in general. That desire aside, I know it is best for me to attempt to be as open and vulnerable as possible. So here goes….
It’s been a crazy couple of weeks, especially the past week. I've spent my time at Denver Christmas Conference working with the creative team to serve and love 1300 students from colleges in our Great Plains Region. It has been great fun jumping right into Crusade staff. I am blessed to serve a God who enables each of us to serve in so many capacities. The creative team helped me to serve students on an artistic level. We used our creativity to put together countless videos, pantomimes, skits, dances, and interviews, all to serve and love these students well. It is such a blessing to serve these students and watch the Lord work in their hearts. I have the best job in the world. We are here to serve students and love them well! This conference was the perfect way to do just that.
After working with other Crusade Staff members, I realize it is amazing to have co-workers who love the Lord with all of their hearts and want to glorify him with everything he has given them! The conference was a great way to start my time on Crusade Staff. Linked below is the website for the Christmas Conference. There are some promotion videos and information on the conference if you are interested in knowing more about it.
http://godcc.com/media.php
I spent a lot of my time with the creative team, but also had the chance to spend time with the South Africa team. It has been nice to spend time with them, but to be honest it has been extremely overwhelming. A year ago I couldn't be more convinced that South Africa is where God wanted me. This week I have struggled to be so confident. I want to be as real as possible with all of you through my year, and sometimes that means I let go of the ideal stuff. I know that Jesus wants me in South Africa, my head is sure of it. My heart is stuck here for now. I am so sad to leave the parts of my life in Denver that mean so much to me. I am going to this nation Christ has enabled me to care for so deeply, but I am leaving this life that he has built in Denver. It is hard to leave the people who God has used to teach me, love me,and redeem dark areas of my life. There is “a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and time to dance” Ecclesiastes 3:4.
My last week in the states has been filled with so many emotions and it has left me confused. I thought to myself, if this is what Christ wants for me, why is it so hard to go. In the midst of so many questions I remembered a conversation I had with my best friend. We were talking about the sacrifice Christ made to be with us, and how he knew when he made the decision that it wouldn’t be easy to go through it. During this conversation, Arielle kept saying “God never told us it would be easy”. I started to think about why it was hard to leave. I started with leaving my family, my best friends, my church and the community at DCC… As the list went on I began to realize that all of these things I am devastated to leave are pure representations of Christ in my life. I started to understand that it is a great blessing to experience sadness in leaving these people. So many people don’t have relationships, communities, churches, and family to shed tears over. My selfishness kept me from thanking God for his decision to send me. I realize now that I am beyond blessed to experience this immense sadness in leaving, because all of you are a gift from God. I am not ashamed to cry for a gift as amazing and incredible as you!
I guess what I am trying to say is I am so incredibly sad to leave Denver, but am so thankful that the Lord has given me so much to miss about my life here. Today I am sad to leave, but I know that God's plan is what is best for me. I am so excited to see what I learn in the process.
I can't end this incredibly long post without first saying what I am most excited for, and that is to watch the Lord work in students and families lives, just as I have watched him work in all of yours. I can't wait to cry just as much next year when I have to leave all of the amazing people he will put in my life in South Africa. Thank you so much for sending me, and being a part of what Christ is doing.
Lots of love!
Arias
No comments:
Post a Comment