It’s been well over a month and a half since I last sat down to write for the blog. But! It’s been a month of adventure and progress and connection. Overall, a month of beauty.
I wrote my last blog post when I was out in California visiting friends and having support appointments. It was a lovely, yet heart wrenching visit to my college town. I say heart wrenching only because it was the last time I’ll be in California with all of my friends there. After this year many of the friends I did life with for five years will disperse across the States and the globe. This was a bittersweet realization, but made me all the more thankful for one last chance to visit.
After visiting Northern California and Portland, Oregon, I returned home for only a few days. Then I drove up to Minnesota for pre-field training with my organization.
I did not grow up in the denomination of my organization, so I enjoyed spending a week up at the headquarters learning about the organization’s culture and vision. I was one of about fifteen other new, short-term staff training that week.
One morning during training we got a history lesson about the org from one its long time members. This gentleman had served with the org both abroad and in the US for over 30 years. I enjoyed this part of training immensely. I have a passion for history, especially when it has to do with the movement of God across the world.
One of the points our lecturer made was this: We are standing on the shoulders of giants. We, the new staff, are standing upon the legacy and work of all the men and women who have gone before us. As he spoke he told us that the denomination was established with the intention of sending ministers across the globe. He shared stories of men and women who has responded to the call of God on their lives and gone out. He even shared a few stories about his experience overseas.
By simply just listening my heart was emboldened and encouraged. This denomination is one of hundreds that has been established with the sole purpose to see change come to the world through the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
As believers we are adopted into a family. Every family has a legacy and an inheritance. AND in every family there are some things that come in the inheritance that are good and perhaps not so good. In the history of the Church there are some things to be proud of and some things that people have done in the name of Christ to be wary of.
Ultimately the true legacy that we inherit as believers is one of redemption, reconciliation, and love. That was Jesus’ purpose and legacy. Now that is the legacy we get to step into and further. As believers we stand on the shoulders of spiritual giants.
By choosing to join the organization with which I’ll be working, I’m choosing to join a family. I have the privilege to take part, climb up, and stand on the shoulders of those who have gone before me.
I am excited. With the Lord, I have vision. Now I get to join in the vision that’s been pioneered before me and further it for those who come after me.