Step Into. July 28, 2017.
Plane tickets booked, guys. End date set: December 6. Light at the end of the tunnel, perhaps, or the harsh reality that there's only one piece of pizza before the box will be empty. Ever since we decided on going to Guatemala, we've avoided the question of "What are you going to do afterward?" with blanket answers like
"We're not sure."
"We're gonna see where God leads us."
"We'll see where our ministries are at when we get to that point."
And with the last piece of pizza in sight, the question echoes more loudly and more frequently. Frankly, we still don't have answers, and we feel that's the posture we need to have in order to listen well. Remember back when we got to Guatemala and we really didn't know where and how we were going to end up working or serving at all? That uncertainty sure helped us pray, and helped us listen.
We've certainly tossed around our fair share of ideas, hopes, dreams, and fears about it all. But as we start to think and pray more into this, you're welcome to pray in the same direction as us. So what are we praying for in this?
1) For Guatemala.
The people we love here need prayer for continued salvation and sanctification and provision and safety. They need the prayer more than we do, for real. We hope for their flourishing with or without us here. We eagerly hope to hear stories of their growth down the road, wherever we are.
2) For Clarity of Purpose.
It's easy to ask "What are you going to do?" or "What job are you going to have?" or "Where are you going to live?" Those have comfortable and more concrete answers. But ought we rather ask, "What is your purpose?" and then do something to live into that purpose? Rather than fall into a stencil in hope that I might take shape within that identity, ought we rather take my identity, my gifts, my convictions, my faith, the causes that pain me, and GO, letting the questions of what, where, and how fit within that purpose.
Our purpose is to follow Christ, to love others, to help others to experience Christ through relationships, and to learn from and with the poor and marginalized in their contexts and communities. Alaina's heart is pulled towards mothers, babies, victims of abuse, and elderly folks, giving loving care and education through nursing. AJ's heart jumps at opportunities to connect with people on the other side of the train tracks from his white middle-class male status, whatever that might mean. He wants to open doors with them into new ways of thinking, opportunities for work, for meaning, for community, and for walking with Christ. Colorful people, prisoners, ex-prisoners, poor neighborhoods, city and non-profit work that empowers, bridge opportunity vacuums and achievement gaps, build creative and purposeful business. Mostly everything.
3) For Helpful Voices.
We hope for someone, or some medium, to help to steer us. People mean a lot more to us than web sites or job postings. We ended up with TEAM because of a magazine, but we ended up in Guatemala because of talking with Kelsey and Justin and Jenny and God, who collectively steered us relationally to where God would have us.
So maybe you'll be that helpful voice, or maybe someone else who says, "You guys might fit here doing this." or "This place is looking for someone to do this." or "This community needs this." or "You guys need to stay in Guatemala because this, this and this." We take suggestions seriously, because you never know what God's trying to teach you.
4) For Open, Patient, and Still Ears.
We need to listen, and listen well. Listen The Lord is good to those who wait for him. Just be before the Lord and let him open the gate. Since we are his sheep, might we know the shepherd's voice and follow it. Might we know who and what to listen to, and be confident and at peace in the waiting rather than anxious about not knowing.
5) For Obedience over Preference.
We recognize, now more than ever, the incredible privilege we have to sit here at 26 and literally say, "Where in the world do we want to go, and what in the world do we want to do?" We're spoiled to both work in fields--nursing and urban communities--that are open around the USA, around the world, and in both secular (paying) and ministry/missionary contexts. When trying to filter down options, this leaves us rather...limitless. Which is great. But also overwhelming. And so the "filters" we can put on end up being just preferences, like "I want to live by water." or "I want to live close-ish to family." or "I want to work in a hospital setting." or "I want to live where the climate is nice, but not too hot, and not too cold in the winter." or "I want to live where the racial demographics are 10% Asian, 20% Latino, 40% black, and 30% white." Sure. These aren't bad in themselves, but guys, joy is not going to come through having our preferences met, but rather obeying God's will, living into His kingdom and His purpose. So, might we obey God's nudging to explore this place or that organization. And more so, wherever we land, might we obey God's nudging daily to live fully, to serve humbly, to love deeply, and to listen intently. The goal isn't to be self-actualized, but to be Christ-conscious and full of joy in doing God's will, whatever and wherever it be.
Thanks for praying alongside of us in these coming months. The end may be in sight, but there's still a lot of pizza to be had between now and then, if you catch my drift. Strength in Christ, much love to all,
-AJ and Alaina
thewestys.weebly.com
guatemala.team.org
"We're not sure."
"We're gonna see where God leads us."
"We'll see where our ministries are at when we get to that point."
And with the last piece of pizza in sight, the question echoes more loudly and more frequently. Frankly, we still don't have answers, and we feel that's the posture we need to have in order to listen well. Remember back when we got to Guatemala and we really didn't know where and how we were going to end up working or serving at all? That uncertainty sure helped us pray, and helped us listen.
We've certainly tossed around our fair share of ideas, hopes, dreams, and fears about it all. But as we start to think and pray more into this, you're welcome to pray in the same direction as us. So what are we praying for in this?
1) For Guatemala.
The people we love here need prayer for continued salvation and sanctification and provision and safety. They need the prayer more than we do, for real. We hope for their flourishing with or without us here. We eagerly hope to hear stories of their growth down the road, wherever we are.
2) For Clarity of Purpose.
It's easy to ask "What are you going to do?" or "What job are you going to have?" or "Where are you going to live?" Those have comfortable and more concrete answers. But ought we rather ask, "What is your purpose?" and then do something to live into that purpose? Rather than fall into a stencil in hope that I might take shape within that identity, ought we rather take my identity, my gifts, my convictions, my faith, the causes that pain me, and GO, letting the questions of what, where, and how fit within that purpose.
Our purpose is to follow Christ, to love others, to help others to experience Christ through relationships, and to learn from and with the poor and marginalized in their contexts and communities. Alaina's heart is pulled towards mothers, babies, victims of abuse, and elderly folks, giving loving care and education through nursing. AJ's heart jumps at opportunities to connect with people on the other side of the train tracks from his white middle-class male status, whatever that might mean. He wants to open doors with them into new ways of thinking, opportunities for work, for meaning, for community, and for walking with Christ. Colorful people, prisoners, ex-prisoners, poor neighborhoods, city and non-profit work that empowers, bridge opportunity vacuums and achievement gaps, build creative and purposeful business. Mostly everything.
3) For Helpful Voices.
We hope for someone, or some medium, to help to steer us. People mean a lot more to us than web sites or job postings. We ended up with TEAM because of a magazine, but we ended up in Guatemala because of talking with Kelsey and Justin and Jenny and God, who collectively steered us relationally to where God would have us.
So maybe you'll be that helpful voice, or maybe someone else who says, "You guys might fit here doing this." or "This place is looking for someone to do this." or "This community needs this." or "You guys need to stay in Guatemala because this, this and this." We take suggestions seriously, because you never know what God's trying to teach you.
4) For Open, Patient, and Still Ears.
We need to listen, and listen well. Listen The Lord is good to those who wait for him. Just be before the Lord and let him open the gate. Since we are his sheep, might we know the shepherd's voice and follow it. Might we know who and what to listen to, and be confident and at peace in the waiting rather than anxious about not knowing.
5) For Obedience over Preference.
We recognize, now more than ever, the incredible privilege we have to sit here at 26 and literally say, "Where in the world do we want to go, and what in the world do we want to do?" We're spoiled to both work in fields--nursing and urban communities--that are open around the USA, around the world, and in both secular (paying) and ministry/missionary contexts. When trying to filter down options, this leaves us rather...limitless. Which is great. But also overwhelming. And so the "filters" we can put on end up being just preferences, like "I want to live by water." or "I want to live close-ish to family." or "I want to work in a hospital setting." or "I want to live where the climate is nice, but not too hot, and not too cold in the winter." or "I want to live where the racial demographics are 10% Asian, 20% Latino, 40% black, and 30% white." Sure. These aren't bad in themselves, but guys, joy is not going to come through having our preferences met, but rather obeying God's will, living into His kingdom and His purpose. So, might we obey God's nudging to explore this place or that organization. And more so, wherever we land, might we obey God's nudging daily to live fully, to serve humbly, to love deeply, and to listen intently. The goal isn't to be self-actualized, but to be Christ-conscious and full of joy in doing God's will, whatever and wherever it be.
Thanks for praying alongside of us in these coming months. The end may be in sight, but there's still a lot of pizza to be had between now and then, if you catch my drift. Strength in Christ, much love to all,
-AJ and Alaina
thewestys.weebly.com
guatemala.team.org