It's Pray Time

In two weeks, I'm celebrating one year since I moved to Philly and started fresh in (somewhat) familiar territory. A lot's changed in a year. I've changed jobs, made some new friends and reconnected with others, thought about Spain constantly, my father died, got over my fear of talking on the phone, shot my first photography shoot, turned 25 (gulp) and read through most of the Old Testament. (I'm slow. Isaiah tripped me up.) 

But as the Lord continues to cram into my heart -- it's not about what I've done, or where my perfectionist mind pontificates I should be. It's about God being glorified through my life. And the Lord will guide me in His plan, which is so much better than I can ever hope to dream. So my job is to listen. Worship. Enjoy and seek to become more like Christ. How wonderful He is! 

Sometimes I grasp the truth of the previous paragraph and see it so clearly. A lot of times I get discouraged by all the junk.  I see the world in a macro lens, but God's changing my perspective to add a wide angle lens.

In less than a week, I'm finishing the internship with public relations firm. It's a good stopping point. I'll be job-hunting/freelancing again and looking at some opportunities to use Spanish in ministry. As I texted to some friends this afternoon, it's pray time.

And it's pray time for Spain too. Whether it's for those affected in a country with a staggering unemployment rate, a sluggish economy, the ongoing spiritual deficit or the needs of new workers. Just pray.

Speed Bump

I wouldn't be honest if I didn't admit that it's been a hard week. I've been challenged in a few sectors and convicted in others. As I posted on Facebook a few days ago, "All I need is Jesus. And copious cups of coffee." The presence of caffeine doesn't downplay the need for the former. The last few mornings I've awoken and thought about how scary my life would be if I didn't have the Lord.

And the Lord has been very gracious to me this week. In the midst of perceived difficulty, I've been ministered to by my brothers and sisters in Christ and reminded of truth. I am so blessed to have such godly people in my life.
I say perceived difficulty because I see the images from Japan and realize that my fleeting anxieties are not as grave as losing my home, family, or fear of the specter of radiation poisoning. But just as Christ has been gracious to me, I pray for grace for the Japanese. The devastation and the horror is great, but God is greater still.

The picture on this post is graffiti from South Street in Philadelphia. I was praying while wandering around South Philly, and looked up at just the right moment. Spain was written three separate times in a line, but I could only get the last two in the frame, and I took it on a low-quality camera-phone. Seeing just the words sprayed on the top of a building was enough to tug at my heart. I miss it so much, and I just want to return to work there. In God's timing...