Pure Joy in the Father

I have officially started my seasonal position with CSM (www.csm.org)! It's been awhile since I've done anything close to feeling productive since I came back from Korea in August, but now it starts up again. This job entails living in intentional community with the other co-workers of mine for this spring, so with training and diving into a new community, it has kept me so busy this past week. Last week was filled with learning different facts about Chicago like Chicago public housing, to stats about homelessness, and gang violence for my job, and I loved it. I've loved diving into and getting to know all aspects that this job will entail, and it excites me even more.

This past weekend, so Friday late night all the way till Monday late afternoon, I had the opportunity to observe and apply the training that we got during the week as a mission group from Zeeland, MI came for the Presidents' Day weekend to serve in Chicago. It wasn't my personal group, but we shadowed our co-workers to get experience before our first group this upcoming weekend. We learned facts about the city that I never knew, serving at different ministries and got to attend Jesus People USA for church, a Christian commune that started from the Jesus Movement. Also, getting to know the mission group, which consisted of young elementary girls to grandparents, was also such a joy and blessing. I can't wait to meet groups from all over the U.S. and walk with them as they learn of God's heart for Chicago.

Let's just say I'm just really at peace with where I am right now. Even past the busyness of training and always hosting different teams without many breaks, it's such a pure joy to be doing what you love! God has shifted my heart and mind to focus on Chicago, and I'm learning more everyday that He cares for me. There's no need for me to panic and take control of my life, but to surrender everything into His hands because God's got my back!