Unlocking the Creative

This summer I have opened up my home for 4 college girls to stay with me while they complete an internship.  The experience has been both a delight and a mirror. In to their conversations, I hear their dreams, ideals, passions, struggles, and their hope to impact the world. They are just beginning their journey and wondering about the next steps still to unfold. Their hearts are still tender- much more tender than I usually see in people my age.

Besides a place to live, fun lessons to learn, and opportunities to be grossed out by whatever my "princess warrior" cat brings in, I have contemplated about the one thing I can impart to them this summer and I've decided that it’s modeling a continued soft, tender heart throughout the journey of life.

I have been able to share with them of dreams that unfolded into nightmares...which then turned into platforms of opportunity. I have shared a commitment to cultivating a tender heart despite many opportunities to choose otherwise throughout my life. I was able to share with them a small group of neighbors- who even with the twists of life- are coming together for community and prayer and to fervently cry out for true change in the foundations of our neighborhood where pain and brokenness runs deep.

Having the students stay with me, reminds me of when I was their age and had my experience with a mission trip in South Africa.  During the first course of dinner (calamari!) one night, the husband of our host family shared the unlocking thought that had marked his life. He described how we always think we need to have MORE faith but the Word says we need faith only of a mustard seed. A tiny mustard seed grows and develops into the largest tree in the garden. Instead of asking the Lord for more faith, we need to ask Him to mature our faith. 

And as I am attempting to garden, I am captured by what must a seed do... It must surrender to the process of the soil, water, sun, and time. If it hardens, then it can never grow. My prayer is that these girls will see the matured fruit of a "life surrendered" and that will give them the strength when the water comes and the beating heat of the sun, that they will stand in the midst of the process and allow it to grow their mustard seed of faith into a tree.

Blessings,
Wendy