My Words of Gratitude

It’s funny how quickly time passes. Days pass like minutes, quickly and without hesitation. I wrote four blogs while I lived in Gainesville. It’s funny how that works. I write my way out of most situations, yet when it comes to this past season I couldn’t find the right words. I searched and sat. I prayed and longed to find the right grouping of words, yet I never did find them. I couldn’t ever articulate what The Father was doing or just how thankful I was for each and every person who has supported me. Words and metaphors and pictures simply didn’t do it justice. This has been a crazy two years, hasn’t it?

 

 

Here I am back in my hometown. It’s now the end of May. I have graduated from my discipleship program and moved out of my sweet Hallmark movie house in Gainesville, GA. My things are in boxes. Clothes between suitcases and laundry hampers. Tossed and disheveled in every corner of my room. Yet, as I take a step back that’s how I feel emotionally too. Kind of.  Kind of everywhere. Shoved and thrown and kind of wrinkled up in a hamper. Transitions always seem to do that to me. You’d think by now I’d be used to it, jokes on me. I’m not.

 

Perspective always comes with time, I’m learning. So weeks later as I take a step back from this season, just maybe, I might be able to find words. Maybe I shut my eyes and refused to type because I knew once I wrote this it would be over. Once I finally wrote my words, I knew I would be closing the door on the best season of my life. Tears well in the corner of my eyes as I begin to entertain the thought. It’s over. This season has ended and it’s been good. Beautiful. Worth every sacrifice.

 

 

And now I’m here to tell you about it, to thank you.

 

I started CGA without any substantial knowledge of what I was getting myself into. I started as a world race alumni without much of a direction. All I knew was I had a passion for the oppressed, the broken, the hurting and abused. I started afraid my roommates would suck. Yet as soon as I walked across the threshold of The Grove, I knew I was home. I was invited to take a seat at the table. Through that process, I learned what it took to fight to stay there. To fight for my time with The Father. To find my prayer closet. I had no idea a small, somewhat new discipleship program with a random group of nerds could change my life. Here I sit laughing at the fact I am surprised, God knew. He always did. I am not kidding when I say to you CGA has been the biggest blessing of my life. The best year I have lived. The most beautiful and sacrificial season.

My days were filled with classes that taught on self-awareness and scripture – continually solidifying leadership tools. I learned it isn’t a title or position to clamor for. Leadership is humility. It’s standing in the back applauding the ones you’ve lead as they stand in the spotlight. Longing and interceding on their behalf that they would simply encounter The Father. Praying that they too would know it’s worth it. Learn that Papa is always worth the sacrifice. Always.

 

I recently had the honor of co-leading a group of my peers, my pals to North Africa. Y’all. When I say it was an honor, I am not kidding you. I learned and experienced more during my time there than I ever expected. Mornings were filled with hours upon hours interceding for the lost, grieving with The Father for His children. Our afternoons were filled walking the streets, meeting people and making disciples. Seemingly simple yet incredibly impactful.

 

 

 

Graduation was beautiful. Filled with tears under twinkle lights. I got to celebrate with the ones I love most about just how far we’ve come. We got to mourn the ending of a really good thing, but rejoice because with The Lord we go from glory to glory.

 

It’s incredibly hard to close this chapter, my time with Adventures in Missions. Truly, the most rewarding two years of my life has been spent hand in hand with these people. They are the ones unafraid to dream. The ones covered in grace and determination to see His Kingdom come. The ones living with hearts open to whatever Papa has. The ones willing to worship in the dead of night and ugliest of storms simply because they know He is the beauty in the water hitting their face and the mud between their toes. The ones willing to adventure, to do the impossible. Thank you for teaching me how to dream. Thank you for showing me more of The Father than I thought possible. Thank you for dancing with me. Mourning with me. Celebrating with me. Seeing in me what I couldn’t see. Thank you for letting me borrow some hope and faith and grace (Ben Able).Y’all, I am honored all of our stories intertwined. What a beautiful, chaotic mess of ride. I am blessed and honored. I’m crying right now my heart is so heavy it’s over.

 

Friends. Family. Supporters. Roommates (who I love and aren’t weird like I thought you would be): This has been such a journey, and it’s only the beginning. Thanks for simply being. For interceding. For fighting. For loving deeply and without question. I adore you all and more thankful for you than you’ll ever know.

 

So, I guess this is it. For now.

 

 

Papa has some beautiful long term things on the horizon for the two of us, I’ll be posting a video soon. Keep an eye out for that gem.  I love you all so much. – MC