The Traintrack to Changchun

Today started at 4 am. Last night was our last night in Beijing with all the other 40 CTF’ers. Today we all depart for our various locations to do the work of the harvest. We won’t be all together again until the Thailand Conference in February. What an exciting day! Although, to be honest I am not quite as excited at this hour of the morning as I would be at a comfortable 9 am. Anyways, the weekend has been so full! Friday night a group of us went to dinner with the President, Tim Davis, of our organization. I thought it was very impressive and encouraging to be able to have personal time getting to know him and his wife, Lynn. Following dinner, we went to the headquarters called the “MAC”. When we got there the team leaders had planned a very special commissioning service. We spent time listening to the vision we work under, and in praise at the feet of the Father. Each team stood and we laid hands on them as we spent time sending them off to their location. As a part of service for the body, it is expected to encounter warfare. We fought against this at the feet of Him whose crowned. We will only find protection and sustainability for this year at that one place. I was emotional as I realized why I was created. I have been created to share the Hope I have found. Wherever I am placed, it is my duty to live in a way that glorifies Him and promotes the unconditional love He has for the nations.

This sat both heavy and light on my heart. Heavy because of the realization that I was in a way, going into battle with these brothers and sisters I was laying hands on. We would be scattered around Asia seeking to bring light into darkness- with many locations being more of a battle than others. What an amazing and awestruck work to be apart of. It blows my mind that I was created to be apart of such a beautiful tapestry. It sat light on my heart because there is so much freedom in understanding what your purpose is in the world. I have never felt more freedom than I do now. I have freedom because I have taken a step of trust and put myself under His wings. “No place I’d rather be but here in your arms” is the line of a song that often floats across my mind.

 The night continued with high emotions. Our team leaders spent time literally washing each of our feet. I was utterly humbled by this act of service. My team leader, Val, had been sick just a few days earlier with a terrible migraine and here she was choosing to love me by washing my feet. Humility, embarrassment, and unworthiness washed over me as I saw her wash my feet. A woman who a month ago I had not met, chooses to love me as Her Father has loved her. I can’t quite explain how much this act affected me- but I hope to serve others in the same way she has demonstrated to me how to love and serve. After the emotions of the night, we celebrated finishing the month long training with big pieces of cake!! Guess what I got?? CHOCOLATE of course!! Ah it was delicious!! Saturday and Sunday the rest of the program’s employees arrived! There are over 400 of us in total in China alone! It was amazing to hear some of the stories and the detailed knitting within the big work of the tapestry. The Body is beautiful on the international scene. I have been waiting my whole life to see the world in this way- through the loving eyes of a Father who is Savior to the nations. I am continually reminded of His goodness in bringing me here. So then, that brings us to today!

We had a 6 hour train ride this morning carrying my 10 teammates and I along with 6 of the “super” CTFers. And because there is always something exciting/bizarre happening in China, here is a fun story! Megan and I were talking on the train in our seats when the guy across the aisle and up a row was turning around and smiling at us. He was quite a bit older than us and I attempted to ignore it. I began getting uncomfortable with his stares and I tried harder to continue in our conversation and ignore him. All of a sudden I was hit with two hard little cherry-type things. Because I wasn’t expecting it, they hit me and fell to the ground. I was in complete shock! What the heck?! He hid after he threw the food at us. I picked the stuff up and held them in my hands as I just laughed with Megan! China will never stop surprising us with it’s behavior but I’m becoming use to something crazy happening to me everyday. It makes me wonder if I’ll ever adjust back to ordinary and often times boring American society.

The thought of my heart today as I say hello to Changchun is found in Britt Nicole’s song “Set the World on Fire”. Look it up! Encouraging words a friend shared with me shaping my work here this year: “but we were gentle among you like a mother caring for her little children. We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of Him but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us. Surely you remember, brothers, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order to not be a burden to anyone while we preached to you. You are witnesses, and so is He, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believed. For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of Him, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.”