The Lord Turned My Sandals into Jordans

First I need to give a shout out to Praiz.  I listen to his CD, as some of you may know, over and over and over and over.  One of the songs on his CD is called On Jordan's Stormy Banks,and a few songs later there is a song called On Jordan's Stormy Banks, part II.  On Jordan's Stormy Banks is a hymn that was written in the late 1700's.  I think but am not sure, that Praiz put some artistic rendition stuff in there, especially in part II, but I don't in any part own any rights to this music, I am just talking about how it has impacted my first week as a missionary.

On Jordan's stormy banks I stand/ and cast a wishful eye, is the first line of the song, and that is how I felt when moving to 433 Russel, home of the Cal Aggie Christian Association, which serves students at UCDavis.  I was standing on a sort of metaphorical river bank, just looking at what place the Lord had prepared for me.  Jesus is already present on the University of Davis campus, so what do I need to do to allow ministry to happen through me, that is the question that I was wishfully trying to answer.

After my first week here, I realized that the Lord had turned my sandal into Jordans.  (which is a line that you can find in On Jordan's Stormy Banks, part II.)  My sandals that I had brought from Missouri with all my love. wisdom, and passion for the gospel, have been turned into infinitely cooler shoes (personally I prefer Nike or Adidas) when I put them with the "sandals" that everyone else has brought here too.

What I offer to the table is important, and with what the other people that work here offer, we are amazing.  I am excited to let Jesus work through us and see how this school year goes.

Did this really happen?

This is my first post from my new place!  For the past 3 weeks I have been training in New York City with the General Board of Global Ministries.  Then my Dad and I drove half way across the country in 2.5 days. Yesterday we arrived in Davis, California.

This morning I took my Dad to the airport in Sacramento and then drove back to Davis and to the CA House.  Today I met a lot of people who do a lot of things to make the CA House work.  After I met lots of people and had lunch with a cool coworker, I met a few more people and then went to unpack my room and set it up.

I did just like they told me to at training, I unpacked and claimed the space as my own by putting up pictures and setting out my nutcrackers. I plan to hang my Sporting Kansas City scarf like a banner in a few days.  After I did as much unpacking as I could, I laid down on my bed and fell asleep.

When I woke up from my mini nap I thought, "Did this really happen?"  I had to think through everything that had happened in the past few weeks.  I have been to training, and I have been commissioned as a Missionary for the United Methodist Church, I traveled from coast to coast, I met my co-workers, and I moved in.

I really like it here, I like this town, this state, the CA House, and all the people that go with it.  

I Command My Hands

Training is a lot to process.  A lot of concepts, mostly not new, but still a lot to think about.  So I really haven't been keeping up with posting as often as I should have, but bear (bare?) with me, I will start posting more regularly after I get to my placement and get settled.

In the midst of learning about being a missionary, and hearing call stories, I had written a date down incorrectly.  I had signed up for a date to do the morning devotional, and then written in my planner that I would be doing it a day later than I had signed up for.  

Today was the day I was supposed to lead.  Five minutes before I was supposed to lead, I was told that today was my day.  So with no preparation time at all, I was told to just go for it.  I sang I Command My Hands To Praise the Lord, had a volunteer pray, and we read John Chapter 7, aloud together and then we prayed.  

Everything worked out really well. I know that in the midst of this season of a jam packed head, I know that the Holy Spirit is with me.  I haven't been able to keep in touch with everyone in the way that I would like to, but I want you all to know that I am just fine as I journey with Christ through this amazing time.   Oh, and the poem is still coming.