The Simple Life | 2014 Marriage Of The Arts

Life in Florida has been great. Yes the sun is glorious and a lovely surprise in February. Yes the sand on the beach is like powder and the sunsets are out of the movies jaw dropping type of sunsets. Hey someone has to live this life, right?  haha

It has been hard at times for sure. Moving to a new state, saying bye once again to my family, being away from my fiancé, living in multiple houses with fellow staff I never really met prior to this and jumping into this unknown adventure of pioneering a discipleship school with not quite all the pieces into place. Hey someone has to live this life, right? Haha

In all seriousness, this is one of the hardest things I have stepped into, but at the same time an incredible privilege. One of the coolest things ever has to be hearing the joy in a students voice and seeing the awe in their eyes as they explain the first time God’s love truly reached their heart and wasn’t just an idea or theory in their head. Who I am to witness the Author Of The Universe melt walls that have been built up for years right before my eyes? He has seriously been pouring out His love on us. Lavishing his love.

See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!

1 john 3:1

I love how so often I set out to serve, pour into others and change the world, but walk away feeling more changed, more challenged and more poured into than I gave. Being a staff member in this DTS is no different. Our Father is so good to never leave us as we are and have grace on us to use us as we are. He has had so much grace on me to be in this leadership position.

If one thing has been repeated over and over this last month as speakers have come in and out it is that we are unconditionally loved by our Father. And from that place of knowing, not only with our heads, but with our hearts that we are loved beyond reason, we are compelled to love others. The simplicity of the gospel has been clearer than ever before to me. I want to serve and I try, but I often run out of my own strength. Very quickly I run out of my own patience. I just can’t seem to muster up enough compassion. My prayer has changed from Jesus give me more strength, more compassion, more patience, to Jesus give me more of you. I want to know more of your love for me! When we experience Jesus in such a close way we have no choice, but to want to invite others into that goodness. We are compelled by the love that we know to extend that same love to others, even when it doesn’t make sense.

It sounds so elementary, so basic and so as if I should have got this when I was in first grade, but I don't think I want to leave this place of simply asking to see more of His love. First grade was pretty awesome anyways. haha

One of my favorite illustrations comes from JD Greer. We often view the Gospel as a diving board into the pool of Christianity, when really the Gospel is the pool that we dive into. The pool that is endless.

There is always more.

And I am so pumped and thankful to be able to explore and dive into the more with an awesome staff team and students who amaze us daily. 

The photos are few, but enjoy. More to come soon.

 Time of staff training before students arrived.

 Florida Sun

 Matchy matchy staff team.

Opening evening of 2014 Marriage Of The Arts in Sarasota, Florida. 

There is always so much joy when friends visit and serve. 

Some of my favorite times in this DTS have been at the local prayer house.