Well it certainly has been a while since I've written in this, and A LOT has changed. In some ways it seriously feels like I never left Portland, but then I think about how different things would be (or I guess how the same they would have stayed) if I had never left Portland. I'm still processing, through a lot of private dialogue and journaling between Jesus and me, what has changed in me since moving to San Diego and back, but regardless of specifics, I have a deep conviction and peace about the fact that it was absolutely necessary for the direction of my life.
It was just a little over a year ago that I started this blog, with the intention of telling you about my crazy journey to becoming a full time missionary in Nicaragua, and now here I sit, on NW 23rd street in Portland on a GORGEOUS sunny morning. I never would have believed a year ago that I could be content, let alone ecstatic, about being in Portland still one year later, but I can honestly tell you I am.
As always, life has been insane as of late. I'm pretty sure I'm just going to coin that the new normal for me and stop always describing my life as insane, from now on I'll just say life is normal. I love that normal. I complain, I get tired, sick, stressed out...but if that wasn't the case I would be completely bored. So I guess it's the lesser of two evils. Except even as I type that last sentence I realize it's not an evil at all, it's my ideal situation :) And God obviously knows that.
To briefly recap even just the last month: Wrapped things up in San Diego, mom arrived to pack her car along with mine with all my stuff (yes my entire life fits in two cars, and yes most of that is clothes), spent a couple days touring San Diego and started a road trip north, cut my road trip short and drove over night from L.A. to Portland to be here to meet Liz's gorgeous and amazing twin girls, haven't caught up on sleep since then, started a new job that has taken over my life and my heart in the greatest of ways (even though so far I've worked 7 days a week), and have been splitting my life between Vancouver and West Linn.
Almost directly between West Linn and Vancouver there lies a community named St. John's where Roosevelt High school resides. This is the true residence of my life, heart and passion. I could list all of the incredible things that we do there, like running the clothes closet, starting a food pantry, supporting sports teams and activities, reviving a community to bring life back into a place that does not deserve to be forgotten; but the true work lies in what the Holy Spirit is doing there. Building relationships with these students over having them come in for a granola bar is only something that God can ordain, and He is! Three weeks into the job and just yesterday I consoled two different students who came in crying and sharing with me life stories that I could only imagine. Soon I will need to devote an entire blog, or maybe the rest from now on, to the incredible things happening out there at that school of 700 students, but for now all I can say is my heart has never been more connected to a ministry; community; family; really a purpose than it is to Roosevelt.
The whole title of this blog (can I wear jewelry in Nicaragua) was a reflection on the dilemma of how I could mesh two very dominate sides to my personality that I believe God equipped me with. That's what my ministry and job is at Roosevelt! It's the best of both world's. I feel more myself than ever before and yet step into a different world and mission field everyday. This job is proof that the ideas and plans God has for us are BEYOND anything I could ever dream. One year ago my heart was set on what I thought was the calling on my life, little did I know that all I needed to do was drive up I-5 half an hour and I would find my heart's home. It only took me leaving Portland for 10 months to realize and be content with that. I can not wait to see the miracles that happen in this community. There are NO WORDS to describe how humbled and privileged I feel to be allowed to be a part of this for however long God sees fit. And there are no words to describe how happy I am to be back :)
