Invitations from Jesus

God has a plan. He sends us invitations to go places and do things. We can try and say no, but like Jonah, it will not always work out. So we accept those invitations. Sometimes they are happy invitations, like a Birthday Party, sometimes they are sad, like a funeral. But nonetheless, we listen and go where he tells us to go. This summer I have received 4 invitations from Jesus that have taken me to some pretty incredible places.  

The first invitation came in early May when the Children’s Ministry director at my church asked if I wanted to be their intern for the summer. I immediately jumped at the opportunity, as I had been looking for ways to be more involved in my church. This invitation led me to being a small group leader on Sunday’s in June, being a VBS crew leader to 1st graders, co-leading a 6th grade girls bible study, helping with TACO (Taking Awesome Care of Others) Tuesday, and going into the office 2 days a week. Through all of this, God taught me to trust his timing and his plan. I didn’t want 1st graders, I wanted 3rd, but God moved things around to teach me patience. I had to rethink what it really meant to be patient when working with those little kids. He also taught me how to work on a team. As much as I love being a lone wolf, there are so many things you cannot possibly do alone. He taught me how to work with people I didn’t necessarily like. So, in those 150 hours I was their intern, I did a lot and I learned a lot.

The next invitation has been 13 years in the making and came in the form of my Chrysalis retreat.  My mom has been wanting me to go on this since she went on her Emmaus, when I was 2. But, honestly, the thought terrified me. Going to one of their gatherings was like coming in on a friend group that already had years of inside jokes. I had no idea what I was getting into. But, I felt a tug on my heart, so despite my fears, I went anyways. And it is one of the best things I have ever done. While there, God showed me his love in ways I had never seen before. There were people praying for me by name who had never met me. There were friends back home who didn’t know Jesus who were writing me letters. I have never seen a community so full of love before in my life. To give it a frame of reference, if God’s love is a hurricane, I experienced a drop of it there. But that drop was not tiny, it was overwhelming, and relentless, and more than I could have ever asked for.

The third invitation is a bit more unique and came in the form of a wedding invitation. My mom and I were invited to my cousin’s wedding out in Seattle. (I have a whole travel diary posted here) While I was there, exploring the Columbia River Basin, Olympic National Park, and Mount St. Helens, I realized how huge God is. He is the creator and he created all of that. He created the ginormous mountains, the pure blue waters, the endless expanse of sky, and trees, on top of trees, on top of trees. A God who can do that is powerful and awesome, and he is our God. One day, my mom and I decided to go and ride horses on the beach. During that 2 mile ride, we lost our keys (You can read the more in depth story time on the travel diary). While sitting in Ocean Shores, 2 and a half hours from Seattle, for 6 hours, I thought I would be having anxiety attacks. But, instead, my mom and I prayed and took action and waited patiently on the Lord. And God did it! He not only gave us peace, but he also gave us a way to our hotel that night. Praise the Lord!

My fourth and final invitation came in my working as a camp counselor for one week at a camp for kids in transitional homes. These kids come from rough backgrounds, often take care of their younger siblings when their parents are gone, and on that note, may not see their parents that often. So, our job as counselors was to be crazy and weird, but also take care of anything they needed. None of the girls had swimsuits, so we took care of that. We made their plates at meals. We made their beds. I even taught my camper how to swim.  They didn’t have to do anything. But, the most important part of the job was the weird part. My favorite song for years was “Undignified” by David Crowder Band, but I had never before understood what it truly meant to be undignified. Saying things like, “I like kind words in my happy bubble.” or “I’ll be your turtle.” Dancing like a complete mad woman to Pharaoh, Pharaoh and the Banana song. Things like sprinkling glitter on their heads before they go to sleep or having staring contests to see who throws the trash away. Those kids got everything we had. All of our energy, all of our love, all of our joy. In my fellow counselors, I saw them pour themselves out time and time again, only to come to the Lord and ask him to fill him again. I saw in them an undeniable love and joy that can only be found in the Lord.

God invites us to some pretty crazy things. Whether it be going to Nineveh, going to camp, going on vacation, or going on the cross, he can do amazing things! Where has God been inviting you? You don’t have to comment this one, but think about it. When you accept an invitation from God, you receive something you never could have foreseen coming.