Beginning in the Middle
Finally!
Greetings, strangers in a strange country. We are back (we are so back).
It has been a very full week! We have much to discuss— come, come, sit!
Time Log Time! (I’m gonna jump around a bit)
Monday: Avalanche Peak & Codeo
The Grant team and some friends/coworkers ventured out to East Yellowstone to hike Avalanche Peak, a well-known hike with 2k ft elevation gain in 2 miles from trailhead to summit. I can confirm: my breathing issues on hikes were never asthma, just a lack of elevation adjustment, which I have now. Take that, Chisos Basin.
After summitting and enjoying lunch tucked away from blistering winds in a little alcove, all six of us made our way to Cody, WY, the home of the rodeo, for exactly that. There were a lot of Texans in the crowd. I guess I have to make more rodeos when I get home…
Tuesday & Thursday post-work, I attended both Bible studies, whereupon I met a genteel older fellow who told all of us college kids his story because he didn’t want us to feel intimidated by him (Tues), and attempted to make karaoke in the pub immediately after the Thursday one with Jayne, but the line was too long.
Saturday, a sweet friend from college came to Grant to say hi to me! We had dinner at the Lakehouse and compared pictures: them from their one week in town, me with my two-days-a-week-for-a-month branching out. Shout out to Maci and Sadie— love you gals <3
For most of the week after dinner, I attempted to work on writing my sermon for this Sunday. I say attempted because I went through four or five different topics or variations of topics for about four days. Nothing settled, nothing clicked, I kept getting sidetracked while writing (this is why I am not a liberal arts major: because I would lose the plot too much. I ramble).
On Friday, I invited a friend to my dorm room to body-double. She junk-journaled while I figured out what to speak on. She was a helpful sounding board, and I finally settled on my topic: the precise thing I needed to hear before coming here, and the same message I heard on my last Sunday at First McKinney.
Trusting God’s plan has always been difficult for me, because I feel as though I know what needs to happen for what I want to accomplish to become reality. This has been disproven time and time again, and yet I persist— through no conscious attempt, but it is a repeating pattern of mine. And He keeps subverting my expectations: I didn’t want to go to Texas State for college, and now I love it; I can’t imagine going anywhere else. And this summer, frankly, this ministry + grunt job gig I got is not how I imagined this summer going; I’d wanted a big-name science internship with the park service. But I know now that I have been placed here for many reasons— there’s never just one, after all. The people I’m getting to love; the professionals I’m getting to meet; the things I’m getting to see and experience— these will all affect my future, in ways both small and big.
I can confidently say that I’ve never been so excited to be here.
Today, we had our first services (morning and evening). Jayne, Janelle, and I have been pumped and ready to get this ball rolling for what feels like the penultimate moment. Reality is: we’ve been doing this ministry thing the whole time. We’re just holding the event now. Our support volunteers in the park and one of our support family members made the trip down to see us in the cold and mizzley morning, and a few friends/coworkers showed up for the sunny and breezy evening.
Prayer
We have begun! Continued prayers for confidence, reliance on the Lord, and the great preparedness and teamwork we’ve been practicing would be appreciated. It has been getting difficult to remain positive about work, as taxing as it is, so we would love your prayers for joy in the strain and diligence in sharing that joy when others are down. Similarly, peace as we continue to work and live in our mission field, preparing for the weeks ahead while remaining engaged in the present moment.
We’re so excited to continue this active work the Lord has brought us here to do. Thank you all for your encouragement and prayer!
Until next time. We have much still to do: we ride at dawn.
(Literally, we’re leaving before 7am.) More on that next week ;)