There were points during this week that I felt like I was drowning. I got a very unexpected migraine in the middle of the week which threw everything off which caused me to miss two of my classes which I didn't intend on skipping until I go home in a month. This morning, I woke up at 7:48 for my 7:35 class.
But in the midst of all of that.. I'm learning how to live again! No.. waking up late and having migraines is not my idea of fun. But other things that happened this week are bringing me back to life.
I had my first musical practice last night. It felt so good again to be back in the saddle, doing what I do best. I was singing all the high notes, and people were kind of freaking out about it. It's so normal for me that I don't really think about it anymore. There is a song that Tour Choir is doing that has a quartet section in it, and because we lost a bunch of people, Mr. Weaver wanted it to actually be 4 people instead of a group of people. He called us all down there, and told us that the people with the most classical voices would be singing the quartet. And out of 6 sopranos, he picked me. :) Mr. Weaver hasn't really ever acknowledged my voice.. so this was a big deal for me!
I also found out that about 7 people nominated me for Secretary of Harvesters :) So.. you're looking at the new secretary! Yippee!
Tour Choir tours this Sunday.. which I'm excited about, and not at the same time. The 5 hour rehearsal tonight is not what I'm excited about, for sure. But I was asked to be on the PR team for Tour Choir.. which to me is a big honor. I get to represent the mission students at Johnson through Tour Choir :)
I'm sure that other wonderful things have happened recently, but I need to get cookin on my homework :)
Someone, somewhere once said that there comes a time when you have to choose between turning the page and closing the book.
For a while now I've been so concentrated on staying the same, not changing and not accepting the fact that my friends are changing that I've been stuck in this awkward limbo. My friendships at home are changing. I'm getting closer to more people, and people I didn't think I'd be close to. And my friendships at school? Well.. it seems that I'l be doing life at Johnson for the first time without Audra or Joel really. Neither of them will be in choir. So this very familiar comfortable feeling that I've had for the better part of two years will suddenly be over.
I know that the New Year usually gets people into the goal-making mood.. but I think it's time I actually set some instead of wishing that I had.
-I want to do things for myself. I want to audition for the musical (and maybe try for the lead) because I want to!
-Forget being scared. I'm sick of being held back by fear.
-I think I should go on rives by myself. With the windows down-despite the temperature.
I just want to be happy. I don't want to be sad that my life seems to be taking unwanted turns. I want to love my life and love living it.
I'm remembering my summer. I'm remembering the freedom that God granted me through the healing I found. This week I have been shaken by the realization that I am not living out my freedom. I am being swallowed by the things of this earth and until this week, I didn't know I was sinking.
I'm singing a song for our Christmas services "Be Born In Me" by Francesca Battistelli. It goes through Mary's feelings of being completely inadequate, but knowing that she was chosen for this. the bridge goes as follows:
"I am not brave.
I'll never be.
The only thing my heart can offer is a vacancy.
I'm just a girl.
Nothing more, but I am willing.
I am Yours."
Who am I to think that my God, born of a virgin, cannot restore my freedom and help me regain my freedom? I have been so foolish. I have come to this conclusion so many times in my life. "I can't live life this way anymore". And it works for awhile, then I lose sight of my Creator and slump back into what I was
I have been chosen. I am royalty. I have destiny. I have been set free. I'm going to shape history.
I can't do that while staying stuck in my crap. Things need to change.
I do hope they do. Otherwise? Well, otherwise I'll die a sinner stuck in a cycle of sin that I could have gotten out of. I don't want to die feeling as though I have failed. I can't die that way. I could die tomorrow. My last moment could be as I'm typing this. And I'm choosing to continually live my life stuck in sin?
I know I'm a fallen being that lives in a sinful world.. but I can choose not to sin. I might need help (and probably will need help), but I need to go on this journey.
Sometimes, I wonder what is next in my life.
I sit and think about what's been unfolding in front of me lately, and part of me isn't surprised, but the other part of me is astonished. One of my best friends at school is leaving. She won't be there anymore and I will left without her to try to do this whole thing on my own. On the other hand, an amazing person has walked into my life and has proven to me that people do honestly care, and will do anything to prove that. In another land, I have this prospect of a date.. It's confusing, I know. But I may be going on my first date ever.. but I just don't know what's going on with that.
In other news, I got my license today! Yipppeeee! :D
I'm thinking about whether or not to audition for next semester's production, "Hello, Dolly!". We'll see how it goes.
The last time I posted anything, I was in another country. I was involved in ministry everyday and was being forced to assimilate to a group of people that I didn't really want to meld with. Looking back on my internship, I know that I learned so much. I know I was being stretched and challenged everyday.. I'm just not too sure that I loved it. Actually, I know I didn't. In some ways, it was like living in Hell everyday. I didn't want to open up, I didn't want to be transparent, I didn't want to be in ministry.
Now? Now I'm a much happier individual. This summer changed me, for sure. But I think it changed me in ways that no one is really going to notice. There were things in my life that I thought I could never change. This summer proved me wrong. I have been more involved in things since being back at school. I quickly became the creative idea pumper-outer for our on campus missions emphasis group. I'm SO excited to see what God has in store for us as a community.
I really would like to make more.. but I have a Spanish exam I should probably pretend to study for. :)
This past week we did our first prostitute ministry. I was really excited to finally be going in to the red light district to minister to those that are so close to my heart. We made cards with encouraging verses in Spanish to give to the women we met and we also got flowers to give them so they knew they were beautiful and that someone loved them. The first place we walked into was a night club. The music was blaring and it was dimly lit with black lights everywhere. There was a dancer on stage and two waiting to go on. The Pastor we were with (who has become very close to all of our hearts), mentioned that I go talk to the dancers waiting to go on. I, along with another teammate, walked past all the men staring at us like we were crazy since we were white females in a night club. When we reached the two girls, who were at max 18, we both became frigid. Neither of us knew what to do. I barely speak any Spanish and my teammate knew some, but we both found ourselves without words. We ended up praying for them and left after some painfully long moments of awkwardness.
We left the night club and I was left with feelings of disappointment, anger and sadness. I think part of me expected to go in to that night club and win the girls to Jesus (as ridiculous as that may sound). I was plagued with emotions that didn’t make any sense to me. I was so frustrated that God would bring me to a place where I don’t speak the language and place me in an incredibly dark situation and at the same time attempt to call out greatness in me. My attitude only got worse as the time went on. When we arrived back at our van, we were telling one of our ministry contacts about the places we went. Excitedly she told us that we were the first group ever to be allowed in the night club. She told us that they had been praying for a long time about that place, and we just walked right in.
After a day, I was still overcome with my emotions, but I was able to come to peace with the fact that we were there for a reason. By the grace of God we were accepted into that night club without question, hesitation or without having to pay.
So many times on this trip I have been confronted with a situation that I was not comfortable with. But I know that God is providing and is paving ways even when I don’t see it.
