The Passion that Keeps Me Going

           Every Wednesday this school year I have been going to this organization called Spero Project. Which is this thing where OBU college students drive to the City to a refugee complex and play with and minister to the many different kids and families that live there. Yesterday was our last one this year and all I can say is how tremendous of a blessing it has been to me. I could be in tears just writing this right now.

            The beginning of the school year I just randomly heard about this organization and decided to give it shot. But the first experience of my attempt to go was not so “attractive”. This is because the co-chair got a call from the main Spero leaders and they said the complex was having problems and that we could not come. It was alarming that this would happen the first week but for some reason I was so intrigued with the idea of ministering to refugees and felt like God was tugging on my heart to go.

            So, I went the next week. And let me tell you I was sold for the rest of the year from those two very short hours. I was so ecstatic when coming back from Spero Project, I’m pretty sure I couldn’t sleep that night!(I know, I get way to excited about everything!) I just knew this was the perfect organization for me throughout college since I have such a love for cross-cultural ministry and kids.

            And if you know me, I am one those people when I get excited about something I tend to tell EVERYBODY! So, that is exactly what I did, I told every friend I have made in college throughout this year. And lets just say, Spero Project grew A LOT this year. J

But the main point of why I am telling you about my Spero experience is because, I felt like God used that organization to save me. Throughout this whole year I have had a combination of bad test grades, unexpected gossip about me, loss of relationships, stress of academics (just some of the hardships a typical college student can go through) and every time I went to Spero, God reminded me why I was enduring those tough times in college. Despite the fact that every single time I got back from Spero I was covered in mud, dirt, blisters, and occasionally nail polish, I was always refreshed when I got to see those kids. God used them to keep my passion going when I felt like it was on the verge of running dry.

So, people will say, “It is great that you would sacrifice your time like that, you are blessing those kids.”

And all I want to do is turn to them and say “No, you got it wrong; they are blessing me.”

I will miss them so dearly this summer but can’t wait to see what God reveals to me through them next year.

So, since we are on the topic of my passion, I want to now talk about my upcoming trip to India this summer; It is 12 days away!!! I am going to be working with women saved form sex-trafficking and listening to their stories and ministering to them. It is going to be tough tough work, but all I can say is I am willing to travel across the world and live below my means because talking to those women and doing cross-cultural ministry is my passion. Because I know that I will be blessed so much more by those women than vice versa.

And, praise the Lord I have all the money raised! So, now it is just spiritually preparing myself while getting excited for the adventure that is to come.

I also will be journaling over there, so be expecting a blog post after June 3rd when I get back. I am thinking it will be a pretty good one too!

So, now let me ask you this.

What is your passion and what are you doing to keep it alive?

Thanks for reading!

Karlie

P.S. Pray for me while I am India, PLEASE!!