My New Adventure

This very moment I find myself at Kidder Creek Camp just outside of Etna, CA (that would be "way northern California" as I lovingly refer to it). I made an adventurous solo road trip last Thursday (May 20th) and, 11-ish hours later, found myself in the middle of nowhere surrounded by trees and horses. Surprisingly, I really enjoyed the drive. I think I really needed time to decompress and process what I was about to do. I've been thinking so much about taking this leap of faith, and it was strange to actually start LIVING this adventure. I spent the day catching up with lovely friends (including Holly Wagner and old school Godchicks sermons!).

I arrived at camp around 7pm and was whisked away to Craig's Thursday night Bible study. It's a group of young parents (and their many precious little ones) who meet on Thursday nights at one of their houses. I felt so welcomed and at home. The days that followed are kind of a blur now. Craig and I spent the day together on Friday, during which he gave me a tour of "the valley" (the Scott Valley--quite different from the San Fernando Valley). He took me to a mountain summit in a snow storm, and then out to dinner at the cutest little brewery in downtown Etna. Over the next few days the other staff leadership arrived and we began our training. It has been a lot to take in all at once, but these people are wonderfully genuine and interesting and so much fun. We eat together and laugh and tell our life stories and dream about the summer together.

I'm not going to lie, I have felt extremely overwhelmed and even sad during many moments during this time. It is hard to acknowledge that I am so far away from life as I know it. I am so far from the people who know me. I am thankful for this time because I am confident that I am being stretched in amazing ways, but it is truly an act of daily surrender to lean in to this new challenge. My position requires a great deal from me as far as leadership is concerned. I have been entrusted with a lot, and it is really exciting. In light of that, I am determined to live in complete surrender so that His greater power can work through me this summer. I am so uniquely positioned to do this job, and I love it!

I cannot wait to see what these next few months hold!



more soon.
xo

I'd rather be a Mexican.

On April 24, 2010, Mark Falcon asked Kirsten Moss to MARRY him. Surprise surprise, she said YES.
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An epic day in the history of my world. My little Kirstie met a man and she is getting married. I am so happy for these loveliest of lovely couples. I believe in marriage. I believe in the power of God to hold two people together through anything. I am so excited for these two!

Here are a few other pics from Mexico...






Every year Mexico seems to surprise all of us. It's one of those things that you can't really anticipate or prepare yourself for, God just shows up somehow. I am always blown away when I look back at Mexico pictures because there is just something magical about it. It is almost like escaping time and having an exclusive encounter with the Divine. Every year unique, yet never void of the Spirit that knits together all of humanity.
The other day I heard someone refer to their trip to Mexico as "helping the less fortunate people of Mexico." This shocked me a little because I certainly do not think of these trips like that. We need to let God use us to meet people's physical needs, absolutely, but I think it's silly to think that these people would be happier if they had all the things we have. I'm not sure if you've looked around lately, but I don't think that flushing toilets and fancy new cars really make people all that happy.
I am glad the people of Mexico are not like us. I am glad they have a slow pace of life and let their dogs, cats, and horses run free. I'm glad they have taco stands and throw huge fiestas to celebrate absolutely everything. Obviously there is injustice and many improvements these people could benefit from, but thinking we need to help them be like us doesn't really seem to be that productive. We need to partner with God to repair creation instead of thinking that our riches are going to "save" these people from their poverty.
Mexico trips always illuminate for me how BIG our God is and how rich you are when you are aware of His LOVE. I am so thankful He has allowed me to experience other places and other people...I never want to be someone who thinks a person NEEDS luxury in order to survive. I want to get my hands dirty with the desperation that draws people to their knees --dirty with the filth of broken people who need the grace of God to make it through another day. This requires relentless abandon to the purposes of the Almighty, and a willingness to fearlessly engage the sadness in the world.

Who are the "less fortunate" people my friend was talking about? Most likely it is the people who can't admit how much they need other people. The people who build mountains of luxury for themselves while they Botox their troubles away. I think I'd rather be a Mexican.