Day three of orientation week is now complete. God has already shown and reminded me of all He can do. He never ceases to amaze me. I am so very thankful for each and every day that He blesses me with. Since the start of orientation week we (Urban Experience) have been taking in a lot with new surroundings, new neighbors, a new community, and most of all new opportunities to be obedient to God’s call in our lives to be here in Shelby Park and to do His work. I would be lying if I sat here and told you that it has not been overwhelming at times. It absolutely has been, but it has been overwhelming in a good way. Over the past few days I have been in awe over the things God is already doing here in Louisville, KY. It is a sweet reminder that He does not need us, but that He chooses to use us.
“All things are done according to God’s plan and decision; and God chose us to be His own people in union with Christ because of his own purpose, based on what He had decided from the very beginning.” -Ephesians 1:11
God didn’t call the Urban Experience team here to “change the world,” He’s doing that already, God called us here to be obedient to Him.Today, specifically, as a group we visited two ministry options: Jeff Street Homeless Shelter and Scarlet Hope. Jeff Street is a facility that is open during the first half of the day to men and the second half of the day to women. Here the people of Louisville can shower, use the restroom, wash their clothes, and store their belongings for free. Jeff Street also acts as a transition house for some. (To find out more please visit:Jeffersonstreet.org ). Scarlet Hope is a ministry that had dared to do the “unthinkable.” Scarlet Hope is a Christ-centered ministry that labors within several strip clubs here in Louisville. That’s right. They physically go into the strip clubs and serve and show the love of Christ to women who are in the industry. This may sound radical to some of you reading this, but the reality is this ministry has stepped out in faith and been obedient to the Lord’s calling to love all people and to share the Gospel with each and every person. (To Find out more please visit: scarlethope.org ). Visiting both facilities and hearing the transformations God has made in the lives of generations of people is just plain amazing! It is very humbling to sit and reflect on my own life and the past I have, though it may not entail a life of stripping for money or selling drugs to get by or losing my job and being evicted or whatever it is….God is sovern (SP) over all. Regardless of what we do, God’s will, will be done.
Although our day was extremely packed and busy it wasn’t over….at least not for me and some of the other Urban Experience team members. Sojourn has begun to hold neighborhood potlucks each Wednesday at the St. Vincent building. I saw this as an opportunity to get to really engage with the neighbors and fellow church members for the first time outside of having someone have planned it for me. 416 (the house I live in) decided we would attend the potluck and bring a few delicious side dishes. We brought some pigs-in-a-blanket and mac-n-cheese, but most importantly we brought ourselves. I don’t say this to sound self-righteous by any means. By simply going to the potluck and bringing a few simple dishes we were able to commune with people we may not have gotten the opportunity to had we stayed on the front porch of our house. God is good all the time.
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