It's fall!

Fall in Pittsford!

It is BEAUTIFUL here! And I've been able to start running again! Which in itself is a miracle, considering I couldn't walk 6 months ago. Such a gift, and something I absolutely do not take for granted. I took a cycling class at the Y last week, and although I am still not able to finish the whole class, I was amazed as I sat there and thought about how just 6 months ago I was in PT 2-3 times a week. And that I struggled to even complete one full rotation with the pedals. And now I can do 30 minutes straight. Funny how the Lord works. How he literally will strip us of all things comfortable (for me…that includes running and exercise), to bring us closer to Him. Now I can't complete a run without praying continually. I am blessed beyond belief.

Ministry

SHS Field Hockey!

   The Lord is reminding me of my role in all of this. My purpose is to do the will of God. To love him and love people. To share the gospel, the truth that I have come to know and rely on. It is not my purpose to change hearts. So I am clinging to that. This semester, team Pittsford consists of myself and Pat, who is currently enrolled in college 40 minutes away. Needless to say, his time is limited. On top of that, kids in Pittsford are incredibly busy! Every minute of their day is scheduled. It's unreal. My heart breaks for them. Ridiculous amounts of AP classes, sports practices/games daily, SAT prep, college apps, jobs. It's hard to find any free time that kids have. It's been freeing to approach the Lord about this, and to realize that my role is to be faithful. To be obedient to what the Lord has asked of me, to show up in the lives of these kids, and to love and to speak truth. So that's what I'm doing. Showing up. All over the place. Soccer, field hockey, starbucks, running through the village, going to the farm markets, Chipotle, volleyball games. Being visible and available. Loving and speaking truth. And praying big. Asking big things of the Lord. And waiting for Him to keep moving.

Prayer Requests

• That God would protect ministry in Pittsford and all of Rochester
• That kids would meet Christ in the midst of crazy busy lives
• For opportunities to meet & get to know kids, to serve the school & the community
• For support - I am still raising money to be on staff this year! Please pray for financial support to come in!
• If you are interested in supporting me financially, please click here, and search for my name in a 'Young Life Staff Person's Ministry'!
• For LEADERS! Pittsford, and our whole area, is in desperate need of leaders. This is what we're up against:
• Pittsford: 2 high schools - total kids: 2,400 & 2 leaders
• Schools with YL: Fairport, Victor, Penfield, Webster (2 HS's), Irondequoit (2 HS's), HFL     (Not to mention 3+ HS's without YL right now on the east side, plus more in the city)
• Total kids: over 15,000 High school students, Total leaders: 22
• Please join us in praying for leaders to be raised up! There are far too many high school kids who need to have someone speaking truth into their lives!



Rochester East Leadership at the Greater NorthEast
Leadership Weekend at Saranac 2 weeks ago
*Praying that many of these people will be called to lead
with us in Rochester this year!



Team Pittsford (Pat & I)

Catching up!

It has been a while since I updated this blog, life just flies by sometimes! I can't believe it's October already. I have a lot to update about ministry & life. I'll do a quick overview and add in some pictures! (Those are the best part anyways, right?!)


Assignment:
Here are some highlights:

My incredible summer staff girls!

• The summer staff - they were incredible! I got to spend the month with 50 college aged volunteers, and let me tell you, I was so blessed by them. My specific job, summer staff coordinator, allowed me essentially to be a Young Life leader for a month…which works out great, because that's what I LOVE! I got to know these girls and guys who desperately want to know and serve Jesus. In them I saw lives be transformed, Christ-centered relationships be built, callings be heard, a unique community of servants be formed, leaders be raised up. It was awesome.

The Saranac August 2012 Assignment team!



Evan & I

• The guide house - I got to live in a building with about 8 other families and it was the BEST! As a team, we all woke up every morning to have Bible Study together at 7:30. It was such a blessing to live in such a loving community, to be constantly around people who love the Lord, and to serve with them. I learned such valuable things just simply from watching couples care for each other, be parents, lead ministry. In addition to that, my summer staff co-coordinator was awesome, and I truly enjoyed leading with him and getting to know his family. So, so great. 

• Evan, my boyfriend, works at camp and we got to serve alongside each other for a whole month! It was a privilege and a joy to lead people together and to pull off all sorts of events for campers. To get to live and work in the same community was such a gift. The Lord really blessed us by having us both be at Saranac in August!

 Overall, it was such a gift from the Lord! It was truly a privilege. 

Transition back to Pittsford!

     I'm back in Pittsford! If I'm totally honest, it was a tough transition back, in particular the first 2 weeks. I was exhausted in every sense of the term…physically (very little sleep happened on assignment!), emotionally (it's hard to move from a community of close friends to a place that is still very much new, in particular with relationships), spiritually. However, I'm very grateful because the Lord truly brought me to me knees in that time, and I was able to re-evaluate and re-commit myself to the call the Lord has currently placed on my life. It is not easy, but I am confident that I am supposed to be in Pittsford. So here I am. And the Lord has been SO gracious in that! I am learning how to balance life, how to ask for help, how to communicate, and how to cling to Jesus. I am also learning that I am not alone in this, despite the times when I choose to believe otherwise. "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous; do not be terrified, do not be discouraged. For the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." I am not alone.

I have chosen to follow & live my life for Jesus and He has completely taken me up on that. He's led me away from everything that is comfortable, and for that I am grateful, because I am getting the opportunity to know Him in deeper ways than ever before.