I’ve come to realize that maintaining a blog while on the road is not my forte. Ergo, a lot has happened since my last post. I’ve traveled across 3 states, spoken in front of multiple 1000′s of people, inspired youth in their prime years of growth, worked in intense community with 3 beautiful souls, been inspired by countless supporters, stayed in the homes of the most welcoming families, braved looming tornadoes on long drives through TN, learned (still learning) how to love my teammates well, raised over 100,000 as a team and 1.6 million as an organization, seen our founders on Oprah, hosted a national event, and drank one heck of a lot of coffee.
I love my life.
No, it is not perfect, and yes, that is a cliche saying. I’m sitting in bed exhaused. My feet are aching. My nose is stuffed up. And I can’t even find the energy to get up and use the restroom. But those things pale in comparison when regarded next to what it is for which I am working. Our society teaches us to work hard so that we can get more money, buy a bigger house, and have a car for the weekends. Apparently that is what will make us “happy.” I assure you, tangible objects have never brought me greater joy than that which I have found in the service to another. These things that we are told to want will rust and possibly blow away in the tornado that is passing through Memphis right now. They are futile and meaningless.
The things I have found to be of pure, raw substance are the individuals. The thing that holds the most fulfilling power are those people we come across in our lives who we are given an opportunity to serve. Whether it is my teammate Jessica, who simply needs a hug sometimes; or Shelby, who was a quiet 13 year old until we talked to her and she opened up; or Evelyn, who is traveling in a brand new culture and place and doesn’t know what to order at a restaurant; or Lauren, who is courageously leading the 25 Event in Nashville and has too much for three people (let alone one) to juggle on her plate; or the student who just walks by your table and smiles at you because they are too shy to come up and admit how happy they are that you came to their school; or the child I will never meet whose life was saved by a radio broadcast warning him that the LRA was in the bush next to their village.
That is why I am here and why I am finding so much joy in the work the Lord has allowed me to be a part of.
“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:29-31
