Always Growing

This is the beautiful view from the dash as my family drove to Asheville this past weekend.  It is when the mountains come in to view for the first time.  I love Durham, but man it was nice to be back in WNC for the weekend.  We made the trip so that I could preach at Skyland UMC, the church I grew up at, about my testimony and my feel of a calling into ministry.  The weekend was full of good food, downtown exploring, arboretum running, and even better fellowship.

The first stop of our trip was downtown for lunch at Doc Chey's Noodle House (my mom's pick which was DELICIOUS) before checking in to our hotel.  We then spent the afternoon walking around and stopping by some of our old favorite stores.  Several times my parents would ask me what I wanted to do next, and I just responded that I didn't care, I was just happy to be in Asheville.

On Saturday we ventured out to the NC Arboretum for a run on one of my family's old favorite routes up and over Hard Times Road.  This also meant I got to see my old high school cross country coach at their summer practice - cool to catch up and think about how much I have transformed as a runner since my high school days.  It is amazing what some motivation and consistent training can do for your love of the sport.  Running just for personal enjoyment helped me turn my 6 hour marathon in to a 3.5 hour marathon...

After a hot and sweaty morning run my parents and I met up with the Fitzpatricks for lunch at 12 Bones (the president and first lady have eaten here more than once, so you know it must be good....).  It was so so wonderful to see my second family and absolutely best friend for as long as I can remember!  It was particularly special to see them because they will be moving to Greensboro later this week, so we were able to help them celebrate their final weekend in Asheville.

My how we have grown over the years...

After that we had a chill afternoon hanging out downtown so I could think about my sermon for Sunday morning.  My parents kept asking if I had planned everything out and written something down because I have never been one to just "wing it."  Pretty much any other time I have talked in church I write out a script of what I want to say and follow it verbatim.  But in reflecting the weeks leading up to the weekend, I had decided that I didn't want to write something out because I wanted my sermon to be more from the heart.  I guess you could say it was lightly-planned spontaneity...

My pastor Keith had initially brought up the possibility of preaching one morning at Skyland when I contacted him about wanting to start the candidacy process for ordination in the Methodist church.  It just so happened that the week that worked out was synonymously CCC Sunday and the Fitzpatrick's last Sunday at Skyland. That made the whole experience that much more special.

I ended up preaching on foundations, reflecting on the role Skyland UMC and Carolina Cross Connection had played in my journey of faith.  Skyland brought me up in love and taught me so much; sitting in those pews, scripture came alive to me for the first times as I heard sermons about the mice, Frederick and Timothy, traveling through biblical lands.  It is also the church where I was confirmed and made the decision to officially declare my membership, committing to give of my time, my gifts, and my service.  CCC is where I first experienced a relational God, getting to know Him as a Father and Friend, not just a high-in-the-sky ruler or disciplinarian.  I tasted the freedom of having an undignified and unashamed faith.  Years down the line, I returned to Loy White for my first summer on staff where I learned how hard it was for me to accept love from others.  But, like it or not, my walls were broken down by my staff and by God as I experienced love and grace like never before.  Fast forward another year and I was back at Loy White for my second summer on staff.  That summer was probably the lowest point of my faith/life and the biggest challenges to my capacity for grace and forgiveness.  I was forced to confront face-to-face just how much life and joy disordered eating had stolen from me.  I came to realize that I had become a shell and shadow of the person God created and desired me to be.  To say this realization was hard would be a huge understatement.  But the good news is that God met me right there in that heart-breaking realization with love, grace, and forgiveness.  He met me in the faces of my parents as they patiently helped me wrestle through how to move forward.  He also met me in everyday encounters as He softly reminded me of who and whose I was.  He re-opened my eyes to the unique and beautiful heart He had created in me, and the abundant life He desires for all of us.

My parents, cheerleaders, and best friends

These are small pieces of my foundation of faith and the journey that has brought me to where I am.  They are a part of where I have been and will play an important role in where I am going.  Foundations are absolutely imperative, but the best part is that they don't stay that way.  We don't run around building foundations and then just move on; we keep building.  God keeps building - He has laid the firm and sure groundwork, and continues to create something out of us that is reflective of His glory.  We are without flaw because we are not finished yet, and that is SO awesome!

In preaching at Skyland UMC, I was reminded of just how much I have grown in the past several years.  I never would have dreamed that I would speak for more than 5 minutes in church, nevertheless a full 15-20 minute sermon.  So good thing God has much bigger plans than I do; good thing He is charge of my yesterday, today, and tomorrow.  It amazes me to reflect on how God has turned my life upside-down and right-side-up time and time again.  Jesus is the one who transforms us and transforms this world - let our eyes be always open to how He is bringing restoration and revival.  The Lord is alive and at work; let us be awake to how He is moving so that we may respond by actively participating in bringing the Kingdom of Heaven here!