The Vision-Casting Part

I went to Seattle to visit my sister. That was the plan from the beginning. But, in the interim between booking my ticket and actually getting to Seattle, a few key things happened. Well, one really key thing happened, which was the result of lots of other little key things happening, but really all you need to know is the one really key thing. (Are you curious yet?) Okay, okay, the one really key thing is that I decided I will not continue on staff with the Navigators after this school year. I really feel like God is leading me to move into a new phase of life and ministry. In particular, I'm moving toward getting a full-time job in the workplace (doing what? I don't know yet.), most likely in another city (where? I don't know yet.), with the intent of living in community (with whom? I don't know yet.) and intentionally reaching out to the people around me (how? I don't know yet.). So, ummm..., I don't know yet what that means.

How does this connect with Seattle and vision-casting, you ask? Well, I'm glad you asked. The Navigators are starting up a new program for people just like me - people who don't know yet. They're calling it City Life, and their motto is "Break New Ground - Embrace Life - Ride the Adventure - Together!" Located in six cities across the US, there are Navigator staff who are committed to coming alongside young 20-somethings as they get a job and transition into the work world. The six cities are: Denver, Detroit, Chicago, Minneapolis, Washington DC, and...Seattle. So, on Friday morning, while my sister was in her practicum for school, I was meeting with the Nav staff who are heading up City Life in Seattle. Vision-casting time. It was sweet to hear their heart for helping people in my life stage, and their desire to see the Kingdom of God advancing through my generation.

After meeting with them, I was a little over-loaded, and so I decided to spend some time with God. I've been reading in 1 John (quite possibly my new favorite book of the Bible - the jury's still out on that, but it's really, really good), so I opened to where I last read and picked up in chapter 3, verse 1.

"How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should

be called children of God! And that is what we are!"

As I reflected on this verse, and on all I'd just heard, I journaled these thoughts:

"I'm continuing to realize more and more how really crazy this whole thing is. Me - non-adventurous, non-risk-taking, non-pioneering, little old me - I am the one who is thinking of moving to a new city and getting a new job. It's all a little overwhelming.

"Here's the thing, though: I am the child of a God who has lavished His love on me. In comparison to that, nothing else really matters to me. Or at least, nothing else needs to overwhelm me. I don't need to be paralyzed by fear, or cower in inaction. Because God has lavished His love on me, I can handle this transition. I can do all things by His strength - even move to a new city, make new friends, and start a new job. I don't have to be totally overwhelmed by that. Because of His love for me, I am not consumed. Because of His love for me, I might be hard-pressed, but not crushed. It's not that this transition won't be hard - I'm pretty much guaranteed that it will be hard - but I don't have to be overcome by that. The thing I am overcome by: the power of the love of God.

"How great is the love the Father has lavished on me!"

It is great. So great, that a blog post can't convey the strength it gives me in the midst of fear (and there's a lot of fear). So, I'm not going to try.

I don't know if I will move to Seattle. I don't know if I will be a part of City Life. I really just don't know yet. "Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, 'The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.'"

Relationship-building and (more) God-seeking to come.