working for the weekend..

DAY FOURTEEN! (Saturday)

On Saturday, we went out and did outreach at a local mall. Praise the Lord I finally got to see some evangelism in action today! I went with Margaret (one of my roommates) and Lisa and got denied several times before doing Soularium and the KGP with Linda, Tiffany, and Donna. Tiffany was a Christian, but Linda and Donna were searching and curious to hear about Christianity. They did not accept Jesus but I could tell they moved spiritually over the course of our conversation closer to Him. It was intriguing to sit back and watch over a conversation that had visible signs of movement.

After outreach, I went back to the hotel and had a two or so hours-long conversation about life and some heart issues with one of my roommates. Because maybe we all have had some lacking relationships in our lives, I feel like in this summer project environment there is a potential to have a blooming and healthy friendship with every person on project but especially with my roommates and Cru co-workers. I do feel free to share most things with them without judgment or disdain casted upon me, and I see myself opening up.

Saturday night some of our group spontaneously watched Tangled on my laptop in the Magnolia room, making a blanket and snuggle pile of pillows and popcorn and physical and emotional closeness. There was also serendipitously a purple and gold wedding outside that night that was putting up floating love lanterns into the sky (PS with the wind they are not as beautiful as in the movie, haha).

DAY FIFTEEN! (Today)

Today is Sunday, and I cannot believe the weekend flew by so quickly. We went to Cathedral again today, but today's service was much different. It was not as intimidating and wow, did glimpses of the glory of God take over my thoughts in that place. I felt comfortable in the dialogues and the prayers and the worship. The only part that was particularly difficult for me to overcome was watching at the time people came to the front of the church to be prayed over. I saw people of all walks of life approach together and request guidance and that God's Spirit would enter and guide them. But the most difficult part of watching this experience was seeing families- fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, sisters and brothers- walking up together to experience the Lord together. At that point I began to hold back sorrowful tears, but even in that moment God still gave me hope to having that one day, even if I am not sure who I will be approaching the front with.

After church, we went to this amazing experience in Charleston called Second Sunday where they shut the traffic down on King Street and allow people to set up booths and outdoor dining areas. There were so many people and live musicians and dogs roaming the streets and enjoying Charleston together, and it seemed to be more alluring with every step and every intriguing detail of this holiday on the last day of the Spoleto Art Festival.

So, as I look out into the abyss that is my next week of working at McDonald's and seeing where the Lord takes me in Charleston, I feel so much of God's peace and Spirit in me. I feel His love pouring out of me and somehow into some of the people around me, and I feel the same process in those around me. It is such a beautiful thing.

(May the peace of God be with you.)