Hey everyone!
God has brought me some interesting places in my life recently. I have sort of just been following him around. He started brewing a heart for Grand Rapids, MI in me in October. He told me to come, so... long story short, I just arrived here a few days ago! I first stayed at an intentional community called Jesus People USA in Chicago, IL. People live there and reach out the their community. It's been going on since the 70s with the Christian hippies. It was a huge culture shock for me and an incredible example of giving up everything to follow Christ. I really encourage you to learn more about it and would love to tell you more if you ask! Here's the website:
www.jpusa.orgHere's a video with a reflection of my first day there:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZH4tDyEvg0After that, I took the train to Grand Rapids, MI. I'm staying with an amazing family. They are passionate followers of Christ... young Christian hippies and are also VEGETARIANS! It's so perfect. Jen is a photographer who does documentary photography for really great things. One of her recent projects is taking pictures throughout adoptions. She takes pictures of the birth mom, the baby, the process, the adopting family with the new baby, etc. and compiles it together in an album to give to both the birth and adoptive moms. It's a really great ministry giving each a connection to the other and hopefully some peace in the process. She is also working on documentary photography for the poverty here in Grand Rapids to explain where it comes from and why it is here. Her husband, Rich, is a social worker for homeless and disabled adults. They have three daughters: Lily, Rose and Daisy (And they are all under 4!). That's a picture of them above to the left (minus Daisy, of course, because she is a very recent addition)! I'm sleeping on their couch right now.
I had an interview today at an adult foster home for female adults with mental disabilities as a live-in staff member. The interview went well, but I am not feeling a whole lot of peace about it for various reasons. Jen, Rich, and Amy (Amy is their best friend. She is incredible and I'm actually moving over to their house tonight... which won't be a huge change since they all practically live together anyway!) have been praying that I won't get the job and will have to live with them! Ha. I think they might have something there. They have a God-given dream of starting a community much like Jesus People USA or The Simple Way (in Philadelphia that Shane Claiborne started... who they are pretty good friends with). I am just being flexible with what God is doing because I have learned that I get a good divine slap in the face any time I make plans of my own. This isn't about me. But I do feel like God placed me here with these people for a very good reason and I am drawn to be an aide in this dream of theirs. I have had no choice but to trust God since I left everything at home. It's wonderful. I am discovering really what it means that it is almost impossible for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God and that people (including myself) really can't have any idea what that means unless they give up everything (including familiarity and direction). We don't realize how much God can provide for us. We don't need ANYTHING. As long as we are following Him, He will give us everything we need. Just the other day, I knew I couldn't afford to buy food on the train and I was going to have to miss dinner. But someone at JPUSA (keep in mind, these people have NO money) caught me as I was walking out the door and handed me a bag of food that was all the perfect amount of everything I needed nutrition-wise saying, "Take this, it's cheaper than buying food on the train."
So don't worry about what you will eat or drink. God will provide. And he loves to do it at the last second. It's his way of ripping you out of your own control and self-created security into his loving arms and will. Believe me, it's a much better place to be.
