"Disgruntled" doesn't even begin to describe how I feel about staying in Bellevue all summer. Last summer was the summer of God-Driven Adventures in California. The summer before that was The Summer of World Travel. This summer is The Summer of...staying. Disgruntled, upset, perturbed, crabby--all decent descriptors for how I feel about The Summer of Staying. It's true what they say--the travel bug bites you and all you want is to go. Nebraska seems a bit unsuitable to follow Italy and California, especially considering I've been here for the past 18 years of my life. Nothing gets me down quite like monotony. But, like always, in every downer/bummer/drag of a situation, God has a lesson to teach and excitement to offer.
When God gave me The Summer of Staying, He gave me The Summer of Spending Lots of Time with Mom. He gave me The Summer of Seeing My Brother Become a Real Life Adult. He gave me The Summer of Nebraska Sunsets and The Summer of Visiting Old Friends. He gave me The Summer of Learning to be Alone and Okay With it.
Most importantly, God gave me The Summer of Him.
Last summer, The Summer of God-Driven Adventures, gave me the opportunity to go to an incredible new place with incredible new people and work with Cru (Campus Crusade for Christ) to spread the Gospel. Long story short, it changed me and the way I interact with God and with people. This past school year was difficult and seemingly never-ending and I needed that California Cru experience again. I needed to meet new people and do great things for The Lord. I felt as if the only way to experience God like that again, I'd need to go the distance. Silly me, thinking that leaving Nebraska was the only way God was going to use me this summer.
God gave me The Summer of Staying and with that comes The Summer of High School Ministry!
While my junior high students at Journey Christian Church remained the most exciting ministry I've been a part of, I had begun to feel God pulling my heart in the direction of high school ministry as well. Being that I am Morgan, I ignored it to the best of my abilities. I didn't do any sort of seeking out for a high school ministry nor did I bring it up to a single person, and--being that God is a persistent God--He did all the work for me and neatly placed this opportunity in my lap with a bow on top. I can not stress enough the microscopic amount of work I put into this. I just happened to be uninterested in every global missions seminar at a conference and wandered into the "other opportunities" session, where the speaker happened to be an intern for Cru High. "Happened" is a word used loosely, because God doesn't happen upon anything. I know how intentional it was that I came across Cru High and how calculated it was for me to feel so comfortable with my fellow interns within minutes of meeting them. I know that the apprehension I normally feel in regards to interacting with high school students has disappeared because God had a very purposeful summer in mind for me.
I'm excited to work with high school students and know them on a spiritual level. I'm grateful that I was exceptionally wrong about what this summer was going to look like. I am thankful that I get a whole summer with my family and with fellow missionaries looking to love God and love people. Hannah Montana was right--it truly is the best of both worlds.
The Summer of Staying won't be so dreadful after all.
Peace, love, & a sunny summer,
Morgan
