Hands & Feet

Some time has past since my last and first (ha) blog...and it's no mystery as to why that is so. Two words: nursing school. I have been quite busy with school and clinicals in the hospital.  I'm looking forward to summer.  Very excited for sun, wild berries, adventures, sandals, and not knowing what day the week it is.  I'll be interning at a YL camp this summer.  I am so pumped.  It is such a privilege and a blessing.  I'm in a state of awe at God's faithfulness, he never ceases to amaze me.  Since my last post a lot has happened and is happening.  I also feel I'm on the brink of some really cool opportunities and discoveries. The song "Wait" by Alexi Murdoch kind of sums it up: 

"Feel I'm on the verge of some great truth

Were I'm finally in my place

But I'm thumbling still for proof

And it's cluttering my space

Casting shadows on my face

I know I have a strength to move ahead"

 Maybe I will dive into that in more depth later, but for now I just want to keep it short and sweet. 

Today myself and a couple other people from YL went down to the Dream Center in LA. The Dream Center is a church with all sorts of innovative and tangible programs that put the gospel into action.  (Great segway to the picture below) haha  

 

Today we helped with a program called Adopt-A-Block. Basically they load buses with food, supplies, and volunteers and send them to neighborhoods all over LA every weekend. Our group today went to one of the many project neighborhoods in downtown.

 We were able to give out food, pick up trash, play with kids, talk with people of the neighborhood, invite them to church, and pray with them. It was a very cool day. Meeting, playing, laughing, and hanging with kids today was so refreshing. They are so precious. A lot of them ran to the bus as it pulled up, or ran outside once they saw us outside their door. There is authentic unfiltered untainted joy, innocence, and life in children.  When we were picking up trash a group of little boys came up and started to help us.  It was so darn cute.

One little girl today came up to me and without a word, grabbed my hand, looked up, threw her hands around my neck, and my gave me a hug.  That melted my heart in the spot.  Going to leave, she asked if I could take her home. I wish I could have. I got just a little taste today of what this little girl has to stand up against, and it left a bitter taste in my mouth. Her resilience and beauty in the midst of violence, poverty, and disparity was incredible.  Like bright strokes of paint upon a dark canvas, she has a light.  

That certain sparkle in her eye touches me deeply.  It's that certain something every child has that brings blessings into this world like nothing else can.  My deepest hope for her and every other child is that they hold tight to that sparkle and light of life which this world tends to suffocate, yet needs so desperately.

 The grim reality is that what I saw and experienced today is heaven in comparison to circumstances kids know all around the world.  Today fanned the flame God ignited in my heart for world missions.  I am basically counting down the days until I am done with school so I can go and use it for Him.  Life in God is so rich and full.  I wish everyone knew this joy and freedom.

It is a privilege to serve and be his hands and feet. It's incredible that God can use these hands and feet that sin against him for his glory. This week I came across this verse in 1 John that says: "No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought in full expression in us."- 4:12. Serving with that on my heart was really humbling. God is love, and through our love HE can be brought to full expression in us.  Crazy cool right?  :)
Enjoying the present, and excited for the future!
His,
LoLo