The Wild, Wild West

It’s been a while... over a month in fact. A month filled with long road trips (619 miles, one way, according to MapQuest), annual allergy battles, sun-up to well-past-sun-down days, SNOW!, basketball games, hamburgers, etc. On the surface, it had the makings of a very run-of-the-mill March, but it seems I am ever learning that in a life with God, no moment, day, month or year is ever run-of-the-mill.

By now, I’m well trained in the notion of having “no expectations,” so I left for Oklahoma with very few. I did expect to have a great time. Expectation exceeded! I did expect God to teach me something new. Expectation ALWAYS surpassed. And, I did (tentatively) expect God to give me some direction about where/how I’m supposed to be serving Him in this new season. He did, but more on that later! Within my first 48 hours “on the job” I’d attended a high school Area Championship basketball game and helped “herd” sheep in preparation for lambing. Combine sports and farming with ministry and I’m a happy girl.

What's better than a newborn lamb? Four newborn lambs!

In an interesting “From the Field to the Fork” twist, (don’t worry, we weren’t eating baby lambs) I also got to try my hand as a short-order cook. A big chunk of my days were spent helping out at The Rock Community Center, where lots of Red Rock locals come everyday to grab a burger and fries, or a grilled chicken sandwich, or -most everyone's favorite- cheese tots! My dad and I have not-so-jokingly dreamed for years about one day opening a 50's Diner, so I was extraordinarily excited for my first delve into the world of food service! 

"The Rock" is so much more than a restaurant, though. It's a place where customers, or even folks who just come by to hang out, know that they are guaranteed just a little bit of love. Whether a man stops by needing a couple of canned goods to get him through the next few days, a lady drops in to sift through the clothes racks, or a kid comes in after school to spend some time in the game room, everyone is assured that they matter. They are important. They are worthy of love. 

For me, this aspect of ministry became an ultimate lesson in servitude. I'm human. So even in the short span of a month, there were days when my excitement over taking orders, cleaning dirty tables, stocking shelves, refereeing in the game room or, worst-of-all, washing dishes was definitely less than Christian. But every seemingly tedious or menial task should be done with a much greater goal in mind - displaying the love of Christ. 

That lesson definitely carried over into time spent at Otoe Baptist Church, and particularly in the Wednesday night youth program! I love children, and God has given me a passion for leadership development in teens that He's been honing for several years, so the opportunity to work with this crew was one I could easily get pumped up for! Still, 90 kids with less than 10 adults around to guide them can sometimes seem a little daunting. So why do it?

• For the bear hug and giant smile from a shy little girl who gets individual attention!
• For the middle school boy who learns to trust the power of prayer over his life-threatening illness!
• For the high schooler who begins to understands that worship doesn't have to be rigid or ritualistic, but that using her talents for sports, writing, or art are all ways of worshipping God.
• For the parent who likes the change they see in their child, and curiously seeks to know more!   

Imagine this tiny sanctuary filled to the brim with kids of all ages, singing, dancing and worshiping The King! 

It was after one of these Wednesday night services that I felt God nudging me. Three van loads had headed out to take kids home, and I was hauling off the night's trash (you'd be blown away by how much garbage accumulates in just one night!) when out of nowhere my eyes pooled with tears. Overcome with a sense of belonging and a desire unlike any I've ever experienced, I knew God was confirming what I had suspected for a while.

Because I'm somewhat afraid of commitment, I kept praying for a few more weeks (even after I'd returned to Kentucky,) imploring God to double, triple and quadruple confirm His calling on my life. Despite my ridiculousness, He obliged. Through songs, sermons, conversations and a million other mediums, He made it clear:

Oklahoma is exactly where I'm supposed to be.

If God hadn't drawn me to Oklahoma, the sunsets might have.

That said, I'm in full on preparation mode, once again. On May 27, I'll be making a permanent move to Oklahoma, where I'll take part in the ongoing ministries of Camp Crossway, The Rock Community Center and Otoe Baptist Church. I can't wait! And, I'm also a teensy bit nervous. There are a million questions still unanswered. Exactly what will I be doing? How long will this last? What car am I going to drive? How does this fit into a retirement plan? Etc. Fortunately, I know that I don't have to have everything figured out, because I know The God who does! To this point, His plans have been pretty spectacular!

Stay tuned for updates, and by all means, keep those prayers coming! I sincerely appreciate every one!