Over the course of the last 4 years I would catch myself daydreaming about the life I would one day live in Colorado. I've planned out the trails I would walk my dog down, the coffee shops I would go to when I wanted to read, the friends I would make and the food I would eat. When I had trouble falling asleep I would mentally plan a layout for my house; I planned everything from where all the furniture would go to what I would see when I looked out each window. Yesterday, as my coworkers and I were climbing up the side of a mountain, my sweet new friend Brittany said, "We live in Colorado, how cool is that?" I then proceeded to proclaim over the Continental Divide, "I LIVE IN COLORADO!!" This is an absolute dream; a dream I've been dreaming since I was eight years old. My soul is SO happy and SO content.
I have learned more than I ever thought possible about the city of Denver over the last week and a half. Early mornings and late evenings of training and preparing for this summer have been a lot of work, but there is something indescribable about getting paid to live in a city you love, while serving a God who knew I would eventually end up here. His plan for my life was perfected during the first 6 days and He has so divinely orchestrated every single one of my steps and that gives my heart a new kind of joy.
Part of our training has included visiting a large number of the ministry sites we will be taking our groups to while they are here on their mission trips. We have gotten to serve our homeless friends, we've gotten to fellowship with our homeless friends, we've gotten to work in a thrift shop that hires refugees, we've gotten to go door to door with burritos and prayers at motels throughout Denver.
I've seen a lot of brokenness, a lot of healing, a lot of joy and a lot of sadness over the last week and a half, but you know what - the Lord makes NO mistakes. I have been dwelling in Psalms 139 for a good 3 months now. I read it a good two to three times a day because those verses describe exactly who I am in the image of Christ. I am nothing less than what those verses say and neither are ANY of the people I've met here in Denver. The Bible is a book written for everyone, and there are no exceptions to that.
My new friend Devin, that I met at the BAC, who is 20 years old moved to Denver from San Antonio to live with his mom, but for different reasons his mom and him don't talk anymore so I have no idea where he is living now. However, there is not a doubt in my mind that The Lord is holding Devin in the palm of his hand.
Steve, a vender for the Voice (a homeless newspaper written by the homeless for the homeless), is the most brilliant person I have ever met. We all decided if he were to cut his hair a little bit and take off his hat he could be a professor. Really though, he was BRILLIANT.
Saybien (I am probably spelling his name wrong) is our sweet homeless friend from Alaska. We've spent a lot of time getting to know him because he hangs out at the church across the street from our house. We've bought him Burger King, talked with him, prayed with him and let him cry to us. His two favorite verses are, "Jesus wept" and "What you do for the least of these, you do for me" and he will let you know it every single time you sit down to talk with him.
Psalm 139:15 says I was created in a secret place, and that I was woven together in the depths of the Earth. My friends Devin, Steve and Saybien were also created in a secret place, and they too were woven together in the depths of the Earth. I am a joy to the Lord and my new friends are a joy to the Lord. I am no more and no less of a person than Devin, Steve and Saybien in the eyes of the Lord. Thank goodness for that!!
Just because I want to brag on this cool city I get to call home for the next 2 months I'm going to, very quickly, share some of other REALLY cool things I've seen in the last 11 days:
Purple door coffee: They hire homeless runaways and serve the BEST vanilla lattes.
Hanging out with day laborers: These are the people who stand out in all kinds of weather hoping someone will come pick them up and take them to work. We got to serve them coffee and pastries while they waited for work.
Mean Streets: A group of people go out every Monday and Tuesday to love on the people living in Motels off of Colfax.
S.A.M.E. Cafe: You can pay what you think they meal is worth or you can clean tables, sweep the sidewalk or other work for your lunch. They served some of the best pesto chicken pizza I've ever tasted!
This is the sweet life. I get to love on people every single day, for the Lord's glory. All I have to do is look west and I'll see mountains. I am working along side some of the most beautiful souls. God reigns over all and I am secure under His hand of protection.
The city of Denver is blessed by this place.
12,000 feet up in the sky.
- Heather, CSM Denver Summer 2013 City Host
Learn how YOU can serve with CSM in Denver!
No comments:
Post a Comment