urbanpromisearkansas.org

This blog will probably be relocated to the website: urbanpromisearkansas.org...stay tuned! :-)

v i s i o n

To start an organization, you have to be a visionary. You have to see things that aren't there. This fact has planted little seeds of doubt in my mind: Am I a visionary? Do I have a vision? Has God given me a vision?

This weekend, God reminded me of the vision. Vision for what can be. And He lets me cheat. See, I get to see what is and imagine it for children, teens, people, families, etc...in Arkansas. And I can see it. Because my boss had a vision: A full life for kids in the city. A full life for me.

I went on the college trip this weekend with our 3rd-8th graders. I saw students who struggled but persevered in their essays in order to go on the trip. I loved meeting students from the other UrbanPromise after-school programs. I loved seeing my coworkers love them, discipline them, and point them to Truth. I loved seeing the children smile proudly as they got their "diploma." I loved seeing students act out Isaiah 40 as Tim reminded us that in hard times it's easy to think that God is ignoring us. That He's forgotten us.

In the skit, God returns and says, "yo, guys, what are you doing? Why are you getting ready to fight these guys? I will fight your battle for you." "God" then barely touches the enemies and they fall over.

I knew God was speaking to me. AND to every person in that room. Every staff person struggling. Every child going through a hard time. Every middle schooler wondering where God is.

Today, I saw the vision.

I remembered the vision.

God uses us. Mere mortals, sinners, people, humans - to remind each other that God has not forgotten us. God will fight our battles. God will give us strength to run the race.

That's the vision: To be a community in Christ of servant leaders and transformation, seeking a full life for all involved.

And I see it lived out day by day by day.

I see the good news of Jesus Christ every single day as I watch my brothers and sisters laying down their lives to point children to the Truth. to Hope. to Healing. To forgiveness. It's not a one time thing for them. It's a day in, day out, doing the hard stuff that comes along. And we do it together. And that is a vision that I'm excited to strive for.

Reminders from Oswald

"The tendency is to look for the marvelous in our experience; we mistake the sense of the heroic for being heroes. It is one thing to go through a crisis grandly, but another think to go through every day glorifying God when there is no witness, no limelight, no one paying the remotest attention to us. If we do not want medieval haloes, we want something that will make people say -- What a wonderful man of prayer he is! What a pious devoted woman she is! If you are rightly devoted to the Lord Jesus, you have reached the sublime height where no one ever thinks of noticing you, all this is noticed is that the power of God comes through you all the time.

...the aim is to manifest the glory of God in human life, to live the life hid with Christ in God in human conditions. Our human relationships are the actual conditions in which the ideal life of God is to be exhibited."

- Oswald Chambers

Do the Next Thing

After telling my students that I would be leaving

I was feeling pretty heavy-hearted.

I found one of my dear co-workers and she prayed with me.

One of her heroes is Elizabeth Elliott.

She told me what Elizabeth did after her husband was killed on the mission field.

She would just tell herself, "do the next thing."

So, now I hear God via Elizabeth through Lori speaking into my situation,

through the doubt

worries

unknown

sadness at leaving

"do the next thing."

"do the next thing."

So, that's where I am

doing the next thing,

trying to trust God,

as He invites me to do something beautiful with Him.

Saying Goodbye...

On Monday I told my students that I'd be leaving in May.

"Will you be back?"

Ofcourse, I said, I'll visit as much as I can.

"So you'll be back once a month"

* heartbreak *

No, not once a month.

"Can we pick some people to help you?"

No, I don't think we get to pick them.

"Will you be here on May 10th?"

No, I don't think so. Is that your birthday?

"Will you be here on Dec. 29th?" "What about October 14th?"

Every hand shot up. Everyone wanted to know if I'd be at Camp Freedom on their birthday.

No, I won't be. But you can always call me and I'll sing to you.

No one had a melt down. No one fell apart.

We all held hands and prayed together. I told them that I needed their prayers. They didn't let me down.

"Please keep Ms. Kristin safe as she travels."

"Please let people help Ms. Kristin."

One of my former students/current StreetLeader prayed, "Thank You, God, for Ms. Kristin and how she has loved me and made a difference in my life."

They cheered when I said that we could be excited that a neighborhood that didn't have an UrbanPromise summer camp would have one this summer.

Exploring the Call...

At the end of May I went home to

"explore the call."

Honestly, I was partially hoping I was wrong

That I hadn't heard God right

That this idea of leaving was just in my head

My boss told me to go home and scope things out.

I intended to set a dozen appointments with community workers.

I set one.

With the Chief of Police.

I told him about my vision to bring UrbanPromise to Central Arkansas.

He said, "well, let me show you around" and we hopped in his car.

He took me to one neighborhood and told me that it was the highest need area in North Little Rock.

The first people I met was a couple who had just moved in to spread the love of Christ.

I immediately felt the Holy Spirit nudging me, these are people I wanted you to meet.

One of my fears was leaving the UrbanPromise Wilmington family. They've always had my back. We do ministry TOGETHER. I didn't really trust that God would provide people to walk with me in Arkansas. But He already is.

My parents, friends, current supporters, and everyone I've met has totally encouraged me. God is making a way.

That's what this blog is about: giving Him glory for all of the things HE is doing along the way!

Wherever He leads...

I've been at UrbanPromise Wilmington, DE for eight years now.

When people asked how long I'd be here, I always said,

"I'll be here 'til God sends me somewhere else."

It was an easy answer, and I really did mean it.

However, part of me doubted

a. that He'd really send me somewhere else
b. that I'd actually know it

But, lo and behold. It happened.

In May, He told me to go.

Go.

That's all He said

but I knew.

I knew what He meant.

He meant go home.

Go home to Arkansas with the hope that you've found.