Now let me tell you about one of my favorite weeks in Philly. Week three was amazing because I cohosted with Caitlin and our group was from Gracelife Church of Pineville in North Carolina. This week so easy especially compared to the challenges of last week. My biggest challenges of this week were all driving related. My confidence had been shaken from the previous week's driver so I had put a lot of pressure on myself which was silly because our theme was and abandon expectations. Sunday evening, our group arrived at the alternate housing site that Caitlin, Faith, and I got to test drive. It was the usual Sunday night-orientation, dinner, cultural orientation, and back to the housing site! This group was cracking me up from the second I saw them and I quickly formed bonds with many of them, even if they were small bonds like loving the same show (Grey's Anatomy) or the same band (One Direction)! After cultural orientation, we were headed back to the housing site. I ended up getting us a bit lost on our way back so it's safe to say that I was very anxious about the rest of the week. We made it back and we all headed to sleep very soon after!
Monday morning, I was determined to not screw up anything regarding driving, parking, directions, whatever. We got up, got ready to leave, and headed outside to get into the van...the only problem was that the van wasn't there. IT HAD BEEN TOWED. Imagine my distress when I realized that my students weren't just giving me crap like they liked to, they were dead serious when they were telling me it had been towed. Those kids did not let me live that down for the rest of the week. They actually convinced me the next day that the van had been towed again and it was ironic because I was actually filling out my incident report for the first towing. I was beyond ecstatic when I realized they were joking. I was giving the group instructions for something and one of the girls actually said "I'm sorry, can you repeat that? I couldn't hear you over our van getting towed." This group was really good at giving me a hard time and I didn't like it at first but I came to realize that they did that because they felt comfortable with me, because they liked me. That is one of the highest compliments you can get as a city host for CSM. When your group is comfortable with you, they will listen to what you have to say, they care. That was the first week that nobody fell asleep during the prayer tour and they all were very receptive of the information I gave them. This group confided in me and gave me the crazy awesome opportunity to pour Christ's love into them and show them the beautiful things He has, is, and continues to do in Philadelphia.
At worship night, I shared about how the leader in my group, Whitson, showed me so much mercy after I got the van towed, that he had said that it was okay because these crazy events are the ones that make the trip even more memorable. He then showed me so much grace as well by not only not being upset with me but he went above and beyond to pour into me all week. He taught me a lot that week about mercy and grace and it helped me so much in the journey to forgiving my challenging person from week two.
This week was beautiful in so many ways. I got to pour AND be poured into by this group. I can't even express how amazing it was to have such a redeeming week after my challenging one.
This group from a town on the border of North and South Carolina changed my life, my perspective on many things. I don't think they realized but not only did they impact me, but they impacted the kids they worked with all week in Bible club (a sidewalk Sunday school type thing), the homeless at the shelters they served at, and even Faith's group she hosted with whom Gracelife shared the housing site. It was amazing to see that happen.
Also, special shoutout to Faith's group from Damascus, Ohio. I loved getting to meet each of you and seeing how well you all took to doing Bible club and all the challenges you faced throughout the week. I also admired your guys' dedication to Dunkin' donuts. I have never seen anyone get Dunkin' so many times in one day!
Whenever I think of these two groups, this week, this is the verse I think of: "Then Jesus came to them and said, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.'" -Matthew 28:18-20. These groups spread His love and the Good News so well that it astounded me. I was both blown away and challenged by these groups to be more confident to share the gospel no matter where I am or what I am doing.
Humbly,
Saundra
Monday morning, I was determined to not screw up anything regarding driving, parking, directions, whatever. We got up, got ready to leave, and headed outside to get into the van...the only problem was that the van wasn't there. IT HAD BEEN TOWED. Imagine my distress when I realized that my students weren't just giving me crap like they liked to, they were dead serious when they were telling me it had been towed. Those kids did not let me live that down for the rest of the week. They actually convinced me the next day that the van had been towed again and it was ironic because I was actually filling out my incident report for the first towing. I was beyond ecstatic when I realized they were joking. I was giving the group instructions for something and one of the girls actually said "I'm sorry, can you repeat that? I couldn't hear you over our van getting towed." This group was really good at giving me a hard time and I didn't like it at first but I came to realize that they did that because they felt comfortable with me, because they liked me. That is one of the highest compliments you can get as a city host for CSM. When your group is comfortable with you, they will listen to what you have to say, they care. That was the first week that nobody fell asleep during the prayer tour and they all were very receptive of the information I gave them. This group confided in me and gave me the crazy awesome opportunity to pour Christ's love into them and show them the beautiful things He has, is, and continues to do in Philadelphia.
At worship night, I shared about how the leader in my group, Whitson, showed me so much mercy after I got the van towed, that he had said that it was okay because these crazy events are the ones that make the trip even more memorable. He then showed me so much grace as well by not only not being upset with me but he went above and beyond to pour into me all week. He taught me a lot that week about mercy and grace and it helped me so much in the journey to forgiving my challenging person from week two.
This week was beautiful in so many ways. I got to pour AND be poured into by this group. I can't even express how amazing it was to have such a redeeming week after my challenging one.
This group from a town on the border of North and South Carolina changed my life, my perspective on many things. I don't think they realized but not only did they impact me, but they impacted the kids they worked with all week in Bible club (a sidewalk Sunday school type thing), the homeless at the shelters they served at, and even Faith's group she hosted with whom Gracelife shared the housing site. It was amazing to see that happen.
Also, special shoutout to Faith's group from Damascus, Ohio. I loved getting to meet each of you and seeing how well you all took to doing Bible club and all the challenges you faced throughout the week. I also admired your guys' dedication to Dunkin' donuts. I have never seen anyone get Dunkin' so many times in one day!
Whenever I think of these two groups, this week, this is the verse I think of: "Then Jesus came to them and said, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.'" -Matthew 28:18-20. These groups spread His love and the Good News so well that it astounded me. I was both blown away and challenged by these groups to be more confident to share the gospel no matter where I am or what I am doing.
Humbly,
Saundra