Eyes Open.

When you're on a job site, it's easy to keep your eye on the work that needs to be done. 

Sometimes, however, something catches your eye just at the right time, and distracts you from the work. 

On Wednesday, it was Calvin. 

Calvin stopped to ask where we were from so I spent a little time learning more about Calvin and his story. 

Calvin stayed in NOLA during Katrina. He said the water in that area rose 7 feet. He saw things that I can't imagine recovering from.  He saw death. He saw destruction. He and his neighbors lost it all. 

But you know what he didn't lose? 

His faith. 

Calvin is a man of God, and in every part of the conversation he weaved scripture. He was a walking representation of Matthew 6:19-21

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Calvin shared that his neighborhood, the 7th Ward, is riddled with evil. This week alone 2 people were killed right by our job site and 2 others were attacked and beaten. 

Calvin, has experienced this violence, first hand. His daughter was shot in the head and killed. His son was robbed and murdered on his birthday. 

If I was Calvin, I would be scared and angry, and filled with hate...but he wasn't. 

He said, " Dani, Jesus teaches us to forgive. His final words were Father forgive them for they know not what they do.  So I forgive, them because I know that it is not them, it's the evil they are filled with."

WOW...

Suddenly, all of those little things I can't get over seem ridiculous. Jesus teaches us to love in crazy ways. 

I'm so blessed I ran into Calvin. I'll be unpacking this conversation for a LONG time. 

Community.

Tuesday was the first day on the worksite and an opportunity to begin building community with new folks. 

The day started out with cloud cover and a nice breeze. However, we turned the corner at lunch and it was blazing, lava, hot. Between the heat and the sand, I thought for a minute I was getting a hot sugar scrub at a spa - minus the spa and the sugar. 

 

The day ended in the rafters marking blocking for the drywall. Nothing says community like commiserating over hard work and sweat!

We ended the night at a new place called the Republic. It was so good to see the Cefalus and Spuddy and the family!  Our FABC family joined us as well and helped us with the annual 2nd Line. 

Heather is coming to Cincinnati in October! Can't wait!

I even got a chance to introduce Spuddy to my college roommates. They face timed me while they were having dinner. So fun to get to see them all!

I am truly blessed by my community and I'm looking forward to adding a few more to it!

Gearing up.

Today started off with Rob Seddon teaching about the Parable of the Talents: Matthew 25:14-30. 

He talked about how important it is that we recognize the gifts that God had given us to help us fully experience what God has for us on this trip. 

It was a great message to help set the tone for the week. So I started reflecting on my talents, as well as helping Jakey Baby recognize his talents. One of the gifts that God has given me is the gift of encouragement. The goal for this week is NOT to bury those talents but to use them to multiply the kingdom 100 fold. 

During the bus trip, I noticed that as our tour guide, Nita, talked briefly about the first Jazz Fest after NOLA, she got choked up. When we got off of the bus to learn about New Orleans cemetaries, I felt a prompting to ask her to share her story from the storm. It's been 9 years since Katrina and we have gotten away from understanding the devastation (long and short term) that folks down here experienced. 

*photo by Craig Reesey taken 2013

Feeling a little awkward, I approached her and asked if she would mind sharing her story with our team. I explained that we have been coming down for so long that most of the visible devastation is gone and our new folks probably don't fully understand the impact this storm has had on the people of New Orleans. 

She immediately agreed to share her story.  She then followed up with a statement that left me speechless. She welled up with tears and said, New Orleans wouldn't be the same, without dedicated people like you all who care enough to come down and help year after year. 

Her story was amazing. She was actually out of town when the storm hit. She immediately began trying to get back to New Orleans to help. She said she had no power for 2 1/2 months. During that time she explained that she learned a lot about humanity. That in crisis, we band together.

Isn't that just how God wired us to be? We are designed to be in community to lean in when things get rough and celebrate like crazy in the good times? 

Today, I was obedient. I followed a prompting from the Spirit, that in my head felt nosy or pushy. To Nita, it was the most important think I could have asked. She was honored in telling her story, she wanted us to know how important it is to be in community. We can't go it alone.  God took an incredible moment to speak to us through the everyday normal guy. 

I wrote Nita a note of encouragement and gave it to her after our tour.  Glad to have an opportunity to use my talent. 

No Eye has Seen...part 1

Before I get this blog thing going, I'm just going to say - I'm blogging mostly from my phone. So give me a little grace if the thoughts are choppy. This is my journal for the trip, it's not going to be perfect, but it is going to capture some important stuff. At least important to me :)

REWIND: 

My first GO New Orleans trip was in 2009, just 4 years after Katrina devastated the city.  I had no idea what to expect, but that's really how God works, isn't it?

Even if I had gone in with expectations, He would have crushed them, just by his sheer majesty. 

My sister, Kim, and my brother-in-law, Kyle, decided to send me on this trip with a card to open each day.  Every day, God beautifully crafted an experience that perfectly matched the message in each card. 

During this trip, I had been asked to teach on Wednesday evening. I stressed about what to talk about the entire week. Until Wednesday morning, when I opened my card from Kyle. The verse in that card came from 1 Corinthians 2:9 

However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived” — the things God has prepared for those who love him. 

The message I taught was pretty good...not bad for a rookie. 

However, the lasting impact that this verse has had on my life was far greater. 

FAST FORWARD:

I'm now on the bus headed to New Orleans with my nephew in tow. 

I'm so excited to experience this trip with him...in fact, I can hardly stand it!  

So, last night my colleague, Paige, sent a text with a verse for encouragement. 

Guess what it was? Yup, 1 Corinthians 2:9. Then my sister sent a text this morning with the same verse for encouragement...I think you can see where this is going. 

I believe that when something from God is really important - something that He doesn't want you to miss - He says it multiple times. 

Buckle up buttercup, and hold on. It's about to get interesting!

Last day....morning

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

Man...I'm beat!!! On the way to the job site for the last time. We work a half day today and then off to FABC for a time of celebration and community with our partners. 

Each day, we share learnings with the entire group...sometimes they are funny things that happen on the job site, sometimes they are a little more serious. Today, I feel like God was speaking to me through one in particular. It said:

Being physically exhausted and mentally rested is 100X better than being physically rested and mentally exhausted. 

This is SO true. It was so good to get re-rooted in this idea.  Now how do I replicate this at home!! 

Today, pray that God uses my weakness to do amazing things and that only God will be able to receive the glory!!! 

More to come!

Hard to keep up this week...

This blogging thing is hard! 

I'm trying to be present here on the trip and process through things on my blog, but being present is winning!!!

Here are a few shots from our worksite. 

NOLA is still very devastated, but the native New Orleaneans have such incredible hope! We have a lot to learn from them. 

I promise we are staying hydrated on the site each day! It's been beautiful, with a great breeze each day! I think God is happy we are here ;). 

This is the beginning of the front porch Becky and I are building. The next three pics show our progress.

It's so strong...Josh can even stand on it!!! We don't need no stinkin' ladders!!!

This was the home stretch for the spindles!

As I was reflecting on building this thing...mostly because there is some awesomeness about building things from scratch...I couldn't help but think that this will be a vehicle for community.  People sitting on this front porch sharing stories, laughter, tears. People doing life together.  Pretty cool. 

So, it's Thursday, we are all getting REALLY tired. We have been working our faces off (and eating our faces off). Now is when the injuries can happen. PLEASE pray for safety for our crew! That we might experience a fresh burst of energy that will take us on through Friday so that we might finish strong!

My mom sent this to me this morning:

I will praise the Lord, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, (Psalm 16:7-9 NIV)

It's just a great reminder to abide in God...even while I'm sleeping! My strength comes from him!

Alright! Time to get my boots on! We are almost to the site! 

Good Morning New Orleans...

What a great morning! It started off with an appropriate text from my sister. 

Today take a little time to read Proverbs 31: 10-31. God wants us to be strong women in our family, to do the work needed for our husbands, children and God. You remind me of this. Roll up your sleeves today, work for The Lord.  Take time and rest to be filled up.  Your rest may come on the job site, letting Him build into you.  Feet forward, palms up, hands open... Be ready to receive.  Others watching you receive will see and learn the love of our Lord!  Love you!     Kim

Man, is this is a GREAT reminder!!! Receive...this is such a great word! 

I looked that word up today and here's what I found: 

1 : to come into possession of :acquire <receive a gift> 2 a : to act as a or container for <the cisternreceives water from the roof> b : to through the mind or senses <receivenew ideas> 3 a : to permit to enter :admit b : welcome, greet c : to react to in a specified manner 4 : to accept as authoritative, true, or accurate : believe 5 a : to support the weight or pressure of : bear b :to take (a mark or ) from the weight of something <some clay receivesclear impressions> c : acquire,experience <received his early schooling at home> d : to suffer the hurt or injury of <received a broken nose>

As I reflect on this entire definition...I'm excited about how this word could play out. 

Acquire: What does God want me to possess? Humility that God is bigger than me? Freedom from performance? 

Contain: This one is my favorite idea! I want to soak up this experience! Being present for whatever is in store this week and soak it ALL up!!! And then be able to pour out the sweet goodness on others. when I return!  I want this trip to fill my bucket!

Mind and Senses: What new and creative gifts will God provide on this trip? How will God inspire me through community and relationships?

Admit/Welcome/Greet: Feet forward, sleeves rolled up, and palms open. Welcoming God into this experience and ready for new growth!!!

Believe: What new truths does God want to show me? Am I accepting him as the true authority? 

Bear: Is there a burden that I currently bear that I need to give to God? (Maybe a little pride...rejection...performance?)

Experience: I really love this one...I want to truly represent this. I want to be like clay. I want this trip to leave a life changing impression on me. 

Suffer: My continuous prayer...break my heart with the things that make your heart break. May I never become calloused or desensitized to the hurt that is happening in and around me from broken relationships. 

Ok...so I think I have my mind in the game. I'm ready to receive and be present for the sweet gifts that God wants to give me! 

If you are wondering what to pray for, I've bolded some big ideas above under each definition. You can pray around those ideas. And pray that God shows up in big ways today (not just for me, but for everyone that I come in contact with!).