The Power of Encouragement

Yesterday a friend said I could barrow her bike while I'm here. After not riding a bike for 4 weeks, I started off with a short ride up the road to where the pavement ends. I'm guessing it's about 1/4 of a mile, and there's not much of a hill, so it's not bad, but I could feel the burn in my thighs.

Earlier today I was going to go on another short ride, when I came across a friend who was ridding her bike. Why not ride bike together?

There are some good reasons not to join her:
1) She's really hard core
2) She was on her way back from a long bike ride, and not even tired
3) She was on her way to her house
4) Her house is 1/2 mile up the mountain
5) I haven't biked in 4 weeks
6) My legs still hurt from yesterday's little bike ride
7) I have biked that far up-hill at our camp. It was hard, but that hill was no where near as steep
8) Why on earth would I want to bike 1/2 mile UP the mountain???

Why would I even try? Because someone believed in me.
I would not have even attempted it, if someone hadn't believed in me. And I never would have made it on my own, because I try to go too fast and then get too worn-out to make it all the way. Biking with someone who does this all the time, I learned about endurance - going slow and steady...all the way.

I still can't believe I actually did that...amazing! The nice thing is, it was on down-hill coming back.

Value

Every person has value. No one is more or less valuable than anyone else. You can’t do anything to increase or decrease your value. It’s not based on what you do, but rather who you are. Your value exists simply because the Father made you and He loves you.

This past week the topic for lectures has been about working with students from “difficult backgrounds.” We’ve been learning about addictive behaviors, dysfunctional families, and the issues that creates in the children and the “roles” they play. We’re supposed to be learning about how to help others, but no family is perfect, so we’re learning about our own issues as well. A few days ago I realized I don’t see myself as the Father sees me. Specifically, I don’t know my own value.

When I was a child my older sister was sick and my younger sister was a baby. Mom and Dad are busy, so be invisible. I wasn’t so good at that when I was really young, but by the time I was a teenager I had perfected my invisibility superpower. I’m pretty sure if you asked the people who were in my Jr High group, they probably don’t even remember that I was there. Part way through my freshmen year of college I got a hair cut. Suddenly people were speaking to me, saying, “you got your hair cut, it looks good.” It was surprising to realize: I exist.

Lately, I see the need for what I know in my head to change the way I see myself. In the past couple weeks (being in Montana for staff training) the Father has been showing me my value, through the people around me and the fact they want to be my friend.

One of the international students kept saying “I want to hear your story”. I figured that was his culture’s way of saying you care. Then day 4 in Montana, while I was studying, he sat down across from me and said, “tell me your story.” So we talked about our families, home countries, what we are doing in life now. – People want to know who I am…weird...

The 2nd week of staff training one of the girls asked if I wanted to go for Ice Cream. I’ve hung out with groups of people, when “everyone” goes to the lake or shopping. I’m not usually specifically invited by someone to go someplace, only if a group is going. So the two of us went to Dairy Queen, ate really good ice cream, talked about our families, life, etc and just got to know each other. – People want to spend time with me…why?

In the past week, a few people have just randomly said to me, “I’m really glad you are here.” I’m glad I am here too, because I am learning so much. I don’t think that’s what they mean. I think they are actually glad I am here. Weird…

I still don’t really see my value, but I’m starting to realize that I do have value and other people see it…

Staff Training in Montana

I never planned on walking along the highway picking up cigarette butts and other trash. I wasn't dressed for it. Cute shirt, black capri's and dress sandals seemed like the right outfit for a Tuesday night church service. I was expecting good music and a message. It seemed unconventional enough for them to meet on Tuesday evening rather than Sunday. I guess I shouldn't have been surprised they also did community service projects. This week they didn't even have a "real" service. We split into groups and some cleaned up the beach, others cleaned around the church building and others walked along the highway and picked up trash. After about 45 minutes we met back at the building, had grape juice and crackers and remembered the Father's sacrifice for us. That was the whole church service. 


The first week here in Montana has been busy, but fun. I have always been very task oriented, and want to finish all the homework before having fun. But I spent 3 years as an anti-social college student, and since then I have realized that all the homework doesn't need to be done today, and it's good to spend time with people too. The staff training program has about 30 students. Most of us are from the US, but some are from Africa, Brazil, Cambodia, India, Australia, Ukraine and of course Canada. I have enjoyed making new friends and learning about other countries.

In our free time, it's fun to go to the lake to do homework and of course swim – the water is really cold, but refreshing, since the temperature here has been in the 90s everyday. I have started trying to exercise every day, which is a great excuse to do the 1 mile walk to the dock and then go swimming. 

I'm learning lots too. We have class all morning Mon-Fri (even on July 4th!), and 1 afternoon each week and a couple evenings a week too. Some of the evening sessions are optional, but I am planning on going, because it all so good and might as well learn as much as I can while I'm here.

Last week's optional session was on how to plan and do staff training for a D-School. That is very relevant, because after the 6 weeks here in Montana, I will return to Idaho in time for the staff training and prep for our D-school. I know it will be my "final exam" as everyone will be asking "what did you learn about this at the staff training?"

After the 2 weeks of staff training, I'll really get to apply what I've been learning here because that's when our D-school starts. I feel like I have only just begun to learn what I need to know to be a leader, but I'm already excited about staffing the school and being able to invest in the lives of other young adults, see them grow in their relationship with the Father, and then go to India.

I don't know what we'll be learning in the next 5 weeks, but already they have already taught us the most important thing about being a leader, which is to set an example that is worth following, by being a learner, and follower of the Father. So the main priority in life is my personal relationship with Him, and out of that will come everything else – like what to do when it's my turn to lead a meeting, etc.

The Car

"Delilah" has once again lived up to her name. By that I mean, she's been unfaithful. The clutch is messed up...again. So the guys ordered a new part and will have the car in working order by the end of the week. It's Josiah's car, but he is in India and letting me use the car to go to Montana for staff training.


I was thinking, and it's hard to trust a car named Delilah, especially since she is named that based on her previous untrustworthy behavior. But think about this, if you told a lie once, and everyone started calling you a lair, that would only reinforce the negative behavior, right? So the solution is to change the name.


I've been thinking about what to re-name the car. I should probably stick with a girl's name, because I don't think Josiah would appreciate if I made his car a boy. I decided to stick with unusual Bible names, and not change the car's character, so I picked Rahab.

You see, Rahab and Delilah were a lot a like, in a bad way. They had similar personalities and questionable "occupations." The main difference between them was Delilah deceived Samson, and as a result he was captured by the enemies and had his eyes gauged out (not cool). Rahab, on the other hand, feared the Father and risked her life to protect His people (Joshua and the spies). As a result the Father spared her life. Who would you rather spend 8 hours with on a long drive to Montana? I pick Rahab...