This summer I had the amazing gift of praising God in new places, new ways, and with new people. Under trees, in a church where the only the music was the congregation’s voice, in Fellowship halls, in rustic cabins in the woods, and around campfires—I had the privilege of worshipping with people who look nothing like me and some who don’t even speak the same language as I do. I learned so much more about God through all of these new experiences than I ever thought possible. The most amazing thing I discovered about the gift of diversity is how much God is revealed through it. Everything that is different shows me some different aspect of His character, some beautiful soft or loud aspects of Himself that I may not have seen if I stayed where I was comfortable.
I served at a camp called Barefoot this summer, their mission is racial reconciliation and diversity, and one of the most amazing things I learned was based on this summer’s theme, To BeLonged For (see Isaiah 43:1). The theme centers around the fact that we belong to God, and also that He longs for us as human beings. One morning during worship, our speaker said something that has echoed in my spirit ever since: “Not only do we belong to God, we belong to each other.” That blows my mind because it means that when we care for and show love to each other we care for and show love to God as well. We’re connected. It made me want to learn more about my family in Christ. Where do they live? What languages do they speak? How do they view God? What are the insights I am missing that they already have? How can we be keys that unlock the hearts of the people around us? Suddenly the world doesn’t seem intimidating. Big, yes, but nothing to be afraid of. Instead, there’s a whole wide world of people to love, a whole wide world full of brand new insights and ideas and creativity and ways to love God.
In the next few entries, I am going to talk about the gifts of the whole wide world that God has shown me this summer. People—which is really relationship, place, and how profound an effect it can have on our understanding of who God is—and the now, the importance of being right where you are while you are there. I look forward to sharing what I have learned so far and to see how God uses it to bless both you and me.
Jesus Girl 