I got to spend eight incredible days on the corner of Garfield and La Salle, (in Chicago, IL) and although this is the forth time being there/on this trip, I can definitely tell you that God did something new and taught my heart something impactful. I am so blessed to be apart of this trip, and before i go any further, I need to say "Thank You" to Pastor Cal for faithfully taking us for 23 years!
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Chicago is not just a city on the map; it is not just a city filled with people flooding each day with work being done and food being eaten; it is a empty city that is searching for something, and although it is within the United States, the brokenness is no less-the poverty Spiritually is no less. They are God's creation just like anywhere else, and it is our job to go and reach these people.
God is so faithful; not only did he do physical healing, such as a lady who's ears were opened for the first time and she could hear, or a lady who had terminal cancer and students who prayed for her felt the tumors in her back shrink and watched her face light up as she excitedly proclaimed that she no longer was in pain! (Boom!!!! Praise God!)
-->But God did so much inner healing as well! It is fun going as a leader on this trip (please understand; it is INCREDIBLE going as a student too; just read me out) because you get to see how Spiritually they grow throughout the week. When they first arrive (especially first timers) you don't have to look into their eyes to see their fear. They are stepping out of their comfort zone; reality of the broken things they see in movies is setting in. They are the minority. They have been prepared to know that the next 8 days are going to be hard, unsafe, and they are expecting to leave heartbroken. Stepping into that, words cannot describe it. I can say from experience.
Students are often times street witnessing for the first time; learning how to lay hands on people and pray for them out-loud and tell them about Jesus--They are stepping out in faith and believing that Jesus will heal the person(s) they are praying for. It's an incredible sight to watch. As one girl proclaimed during testimony time, the Lord gave her such a joy after praying for someone out-loud at a night rally that she went and prayed for 4 more people. She totally broke that chain of fear. It was beautiful to watch her face glow as she told all of us about it! And she wasn't the only person who broke out of her shell, but many people did. God's boldness that He gives us is so powerful.
-God is so faithful in protecting us, for one night we were at the church eating supper/getting ready to go to our evening rally when it started down pouring. (Mind you; our rallies were outside) We ended up being delayed by a 1/2 hour because of it. When arrived to the evening rally (1/2 hour late) it was learned that 1/2 hour before there was cross-fire and someone ended up being killed. If we wouldn't have been delayed that 1/2 hour, we could have easily been in that cross-fire. Can you say that God protected us?
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This trip is also great for hearing God's voice. The Lord taught me so much on this trip about the importance of it, and the power and impact behind it.
The first day, on Sunday, we went to the church service at the church we were staying at. Since the service didn't start until 11:30, we were sent out into the neighborhoods around the church to tell people/invite them to the church service we were about to have. As I was walking with my group, God spoke to me and said, "Laura. I know you've been here before, but I think in all the excitement you've forgotten how beautiful my people are. Look around, I'm going to show you and open your eyes to what I mean."
---Let's just say that God did. Both during that time before church and during church, the Lord took off my lens and I saw such beauty around me; I saw God's creation searching, empty; not knowing what they are searching for; I could feel the brokenness that they were experiencing. I just felt like they couldn't see how much they are really worth; how beautiful that God sees them.
The next day, God reminded me of a song that the band "Gungor" wrote with the lyrics
"You make beautiful things out of the dust. You make beautiful things out of us."
**Note: The South side of Chicago does not have much grass/not very green. Much of the city (in the inner city) is concrete that is very old and cracked, and there is A LOT of broken glass and because of that there is dust everywhere.**
So this city is very dusty, and yet he made such a beautiful body of people. God is going to raise/is raising this city out of the dust. What God explained to me through these lyrics is that inner city Chicago is rough; it is broken, and not a very safe place to live. Yet, God made such beautiful people and they live there. --> God's heart is so deeply burning to see His people whom He created to know Him. We are on this trip for a reason; we are there to tell people about His love; to be the body of Christ that moves forward and reaches these people too. Jesus loves these people too. Jesus's light shines in the dark; the inner city of Chicago.
But all of this does NOT stop there. On Thursday, I was at morning prayer and the person leading prayer said that she got a word and it went something like this. "I was praying this morning and God told me straight up: "Kayla, this city is not dead. Do you see the cracks in the concrete? Do you see the grass that is growing between the cracks? Those cracks represent me shining through and proving that this city is not sealed off and doomed. I broke the ground loose, and life (the grass) is coming out between the cracks. I am the life to this city. I am the grass that is growing. Kayla, there is hope for this city. I'm not finished yet. I love these people.""
The grass grows between the cracks and beautiful things are made out of the dust.
God was definitely speaking to me and teaching me so much through all of this. Not only what is relevant to the content, but to listen to His voice and trust that God will confirm what His will is.
-He has been confirming all week. He has been healing. He has been moving.
He has been making beautiful things out of the dust.
The way that God re-broke my heart for the inner city of Chicago; seeing them through Jesus's mirror and loving on them and having even more of a burning desire to witness and pray for people; To see them be united with their Dad and feeling the Love that God created and the relief that they feel because they no longer need to be reliant on a broken, cheapened Earthly love that disappoints and fails.
=Yet again, Jesus didn't stop there.
God asked me for the first 12 days of being home to stay off facebook/twitter. He did so much during those 12 days, and I'm so glad that I listened to His voice because it was TOTALLY worth it. He taught me something new/continual to all of this.
I was thinking one day about how beautiful the people are and how much I miss them, and I was thinking about a sermon and how the speaker talked about that it is time: To stop looking into Satan's mirror and how we need to smash it. And then Jesus started explaining that (and this should be obvious, although I've never thought about it in this way) that there is no level of beauty. He doesn't set two people side-by-side and compare them and say "Well, you are beautiful but (turning to person number two saying) you are more beautiful/valuable because of "____." There is no level of beauty/self worth. God created you in His image; you are beautiful to Him.That's it. He doesn't compare and contrast. He has one level of beauty/self worth. And EVERYONE is equally on that level. His love is the same way. Both Unconditional.
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After going on this trip a forth time, yet again my heart has been re-broke and redefined. Just like that His mercies are new every morning, His teaching is new each trip. What He has in store for us is different each time, and I am so beyond thankful. I pray that now that I'm home, I will do the same as I walk on campus and at work/my surroundings. Just like Chicago, our towns that we all came home to are God's creation, and we should treat our homes no different. It is our job/we are called to live in our locations to do God's work.
-The heart of God did not close His doors when the trip became over.
--Our cities are not dead; God is not done. He loves His people.
---The only thing about the missions trip that ended was the trip.
Jesus, I pray that will see each person (no matter where I am) the same. Beautiful and Loved by You.
That I will not compare them or judge them. God I pray that I will look at each person as Your child. I pray for the people of Chicago, that You would reveal to them their worth/beauty.Take off their lens as You have taken off mine. I pray that I will never loose sight of You and what You've taught me.
Love, Your beautiful daughter.
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Here's a link to the song Beautiful Things by The Gungor Band.
It's good; I recommend it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OR7VOKQ0xJY
