It has been a month since I wrapped up my job at the Louisiana State Senate and three weeks since I have been allowed to resume driving. woohoo! As I was saddened to leave all the things I had established in Baton Rouge, I am confident that the things that begun there will continue to grow into even greater things.
Since being back in Lafayette, it has been a whirlwind. The first week in July I was blessed with the opportunity to go to NYC for a week. Amidst doing some great sightseeing, myself and a group of about 15 joined with YWAM NY and did Prayer Stations in the various burroughs of NYC. Each day was a new experience encountering new people all in different walks who were never disappointed by the peace that came from the power of prayer, not to mention help others by sharing their burden through the Spirit. It was mind boggling. One lady came to me with many heavy burdens that I cannot say I could necessarily relate to. When she asked why I offer prayer for people, I genuinely replied, "I feel blessed to give the gift of prayer to others because that gift was given to me when I couldn't find the strength to pray for myself." She asked for what a young girl like myself could have honestly needed prayer for and I briefly told her my story from earlier this year. It blew her away to hear the story and of how I overcame through the strength of the Lord. As meager as I thought my story to be, it felt like a heartwarming kiss from God that my story could allow this lady find me relatable, not to mention a case for hope. Hope was definitely the theme of this trip. I have realized that you cannot discredit yourself as the potential bearer of hope for someone. Never deprive someone of hope, it may be all they have. Whatever light you have, shine it!
In addition to the prayer stations, one day we mixed it up a bit and spent time relating to the locals in a community concentrated with Pakistani, Turkish, and Indian families. To commemorate my time there, I picked up some local garb. I love it and plan to incorporate it into my daily wear more often!
The NY trip wrapped up well and I have since been doing admin work for a local nutritionist/dietician as well as assisting my mom in her summer sewing camps. These next two weeks I will be taking some trips with friends to Dallas and Chicago.
In between that I continue to spend time with family and make preparations for school which is quickly approaching in August. I am getting evermore excited for school to begin. Orientation in June went well and I look forward to beginning my studies and moving into my dorm as I have been blessed with an incredible roommate, Mia, who God so graciously placed in my life about a year and a half ago surely knowing that our paths would both lead to Belhaven and be able to share the experience together.
Although my gap year is coming to a close, my growth is definitely not anywhere near closure and hopefully never will be. I look forward to using the skills and strengths I have sharpened over this last year to help me conquer all the paths that lie in my future.... Hopefully in the near future I might also sharpen my journaling skills so as to better keep up with this. Ha!
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