Orientation & Contemplation

When I hear the word adventure, my immediate thought is not “Oh, me! I’ll go!”
It’s more like “Ask everyone else on the planet first, and if you come back to me than I’ll consider it.”
I don’t consider myself much of a go-getter or a risk taker. I don’t operate by wanderlust.
I wrote in my journal once that “I could be happy in a cardboard box…all I want is to be serving Jesus and loving people.” Sometimes I wish He would let me live in a box. If life were lived in the box, I would never pack up and go across the continent on someone else’s money. I wouldn’t give up my comfort to help others. I wouldn’t be here now.
I thank the Lord that He called me out of the box and into His adventure.

When I arrived here, I wasn’t prepared for how different it would be from what I’m used to.
To give you a picture: I moved from the East to the West Coast, from Canada to the US, and from a small farm town to the huge and beautiful city of Seattle. Throw in the mix saying goodbye to everyone I knew, living with thirty new people, choosing what internship I will have for the next eight months, and trying to understand city life.
I was overwhelmed. I still am at times.
I got here and realized how weak and broken I am. Insecurities resurfaced and I found myself feeling like I was strangely misplaced. Why would God bring me here and place me among people that I don’t understand? Of all the people to do this type of thing, I am the least likely.

Even though it’s overwhelming, challenging, and confusing, it is also beautiful.

I live in Capitol Hill in a mansion with 30 other beautiful souls who are passionate about the Lord and serving others. I get to explore a new city and learn new things, and I get to serve my Jesus!
The wonderful thing is that as a Serve Seattle family we are adjusting together. I have four roomates, all of which are charming, sweet and funny. The Lord has blessed me so much!

The first two weeks of our program were Orientation, filled with lots of learning and adjusting, and it has been helpful but also really fun! Then last week Our internships started. I am Administrative Assistant at Hope Place, the women’s and children’s shelter. Hope Place is where I volunteered for three weeks when I came to Seattle the first time, back in March with Capernwray Harbour.
I intern three days a week, Tuesday-Thursday, and on Mondays and Fridays we have classes and training. Although my title is “Admin Assistant” I will really be doing whatever Hope Place needs me to do. Including working at the front desk, supervising the Learning & Education Center, sorting clothing donations, and working on various projects. I am also sitting in on some of the women’s classes in their recovery program, as well as their corporate time of devotion and prayer. It is highly relational, and I do find it exhausting but incredibly fulfilling at the same time.
I am excited to learn and grow as I get the chance to serve Seattle’s women and children. I really love these women. On Tuesday I went back for the first time since March, and immediatley I was filled with so much love and happiness to be there. Most of the women who were in the program when I was there have graduated or moved on, but there were a few who were still there and it was sweet getting to talk with them again. I am looking forward to being right in the mix with them soon.
Please pray for me and the rest of the Serve Seattle Family as we begin our internships. We all need the strength and peace of the Lord as we begin serving in new ways. Please pray that people will come to Jesus. Pray that they will be healed and renewed and made whole. Please pray, I can’t stress how important it is!!
I am hoping to continue to update you, but just so you know,  I don’t really enjoy “travel blogging”- I am probably not going to post beautiful pictures and interesting stories of the places I’ve been and the things I’ve seen. It just doesn’t come natural to me, and if this blog is anything I want it to be authentic. What you will hear are the internal things- what God is impressing on my heart- and let me assure you, there is plenty of that worth writing about!

Please continue to pray, and I would love to stay in contact with each of you!

-R

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