On group "DT"

Discipleship, or "DT", is one of my favorite parts of being involved with Wesley.  In addition to being individually discipled twice a month, I'm also group-discipled twice a month with other beautiful, wise, and caring ladies who teach me so much about what it means to love the Lord and be comfortable in my own skin. I value their hearts and treasure their wisdom.  Here are some pictures of what my group discipleship looks like...

My group DT for this year.  Autumn (second from the left) disciples the three of us this year!  She is gentle, stunningly wise, and a talented fort-builder. It's so exciting to see all that the Lord has for us as this year unfolds!

My group DT from the 2011-2012 school year.  Literally, I have no words for the amazingness that this group was.  Jessica, in the middle, was my discipler for two years and I continue to glean truth and wisdom from her words and actions. These ladies are some of my dearest friends. 

On being tough

I work with the youth at Athens First UMC.  I love working with them for a lot of reasons: because they're funny, because they're kind, because I like to dress up, and because I like playing silly games.  But mostly, I love working with them because I love reminding them that they are brave, that they are tough, that they are loved, and that they are powerful.  And so whenever I have the opportunity, I tell them because I remember how strongly and greatly influenced I was by my youth leaders when I was younger.  I am constantly reminded of the ways in which their love and encouragement shaped my character, my confidence, and my faith.  I hope that I can have that kind of impact on even one of my students.  So while I have silly hair, silly facial expressions, like silly games and have silly dance moves-  there are a lot of meaningful things that I hope for these students: that they will grow deeply into Christ, that they will feel deeply loved, be powerful positive influences, and always, always, always remember that they are tougher than they think and braver than they know.

Shout out to my Orange Team from the Amazing Harvest Race-- how tough are we??

This also happened...

In honor of our Harvest Camping Retreat this weekend, AFUMC hosted it's first Hoedown Throwdown: consider it properly thrown. 

The few... the brave... those who dressed hillbilly in honor of the occasion!

 Anne and I- one of our leaders!

 Camo and overalls forever, y'all.

Being among the watchmen

In a lot of Christian teaching, there is a great deal of metaphoric language.  One such metaphor is the image of "breaking down walls" which has frequented sermons that I've listened to since I was a kid.  It just seems to be an easy way of expressing the Lord's desire to break strongholds in lives-- like pride, or anger, or depression, or grief.  These are emotions that can weigh heavy upon us and, at times, feel inescapable; like a wall built to prevent escape... not built to protect.

In the Old Testament (or, the Hebrew Testament), there are verses that reference the watchmen who are designated to guard the walls of protection.  These are very different walls than those that guard our strongholds.  And the watchmen wait diligently for morning to come.  In Psalm 130, David proclaims

I wait for the Lord more than watchmen wait for morning, 

more than watchmen wait for morning.

There are walls that are built for the purpose of protection.  And guardians who are also given to the protection of the wall and what it protects.  What I love most about this verse about the watchmen is that David equates the diligence of the watchmen to the way that his soul longs after the Lord.  Diligently, with patience, with alertness, and with the promise that morning comes each day.  This year at Wesley, one of our themes for the year is: rebuilding the walls and re-digging the wells.  We have taken a place on the wall... metaphorically, yes.  But also, quite literally.  

This is a picture of our staff praying outside of the building where we meet.  We have taken the place of the watchmen.  We are intercessors for what happens on the inside of this building ever Wednesday night.  We ask the Lord to protect this place; to make it a place of freedom, of safety, of joy.  As we guard the wall of protection, we simultaneously ask God to remove any walls that are preventing people from feeling loved, heard, and fought for by God. And that when those walls come down, people find safety behind the Lord. 

It is a true place of humility to be among the watchmen... to bear witness to joyful intercession, to see hearts broken out of love for those who have been broken by life's circumstances, and to diligently watch the wall.