Monday, July 18, 2011

Have you figured out why you’re here yet?


Earlier this summer, I asked myself, ‘Why am I here?’, ‘Why has God brought me to Host with CSM?’. What made me apply, accept and pack my bags? It has taken me a while to be able to answer that question. This is also a question we asked of all our students: Why are you here? What made you decide to come this week?

God has brought each and every student and leader to CSM Toronto, at the right time, for the right reasons, even if they don’t know anything about it, yet. Something I usually say to my groups is, “God has brought you here for a reason, and your job is to figure out what that reason is. It might take a while for this reason to be clear. You might think that you have come to serve, to learn or to hang out with your friends. But God has something else in mind, He is going to take this opportunity to challenge you, to reveal Himself to you, to draw closer to you and transform you into being more like Christ, are you ready?” Am I ready?

One week this summer, I had one very quiet and shy young man is my group. His leader said, “It was a surprise he came at all but, I’m glad he did”. And so was I!

What made this young man join in, pay up and hit the open road, when he neither knew anyone in the group, nor the church’s purpose of the trip? My answer to this question is, GOD! God lead him to sign up and come because He had something amazing to show this young man. Was this young man ready for what God was going to do? Probably not, but each day he was challenged to face God and all His glory and goodness. After a week of teaching and serving he said to me, “I never thought about God in that way, but, now I see things very differently”. Seed planted, God moved and I got to participate in it and witness it! I saw the moment when someone comes face to face with God and can’t say ‘no’ to Him. And it happened on a short-term mission trip to Toronto.

In ministry, I get to watch God take a hold of peoples’ hearts and minds. The joy of hosting, for me, is opening God’s Word and letting him speak to his kids and this happens while serving with and journeying alongside students and their leaders toward the One True God we know in Christ! It is through this that God challenges me, reveals himself to me, draws closer to and transforms me. This is why I am here! And Yes I am ready!!

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth (2 Tim 2:15).

-Adele-Marie, CSM Toronto Summer 2011 City Host

1 comment:

August Thurmer said...

Isn't God wonderful in how he takes us and leads us to the place where He can use us for His glory. Thank you for your service to God! God bless you all! August Thurmer