The Final Thoughts

Although it has taken me six full months post the end of the summer to fully digest all that God provided me with, I have reached the end of my reflections. This summer has been sweet and satisfying, giving me everything I needed and preparing me for the next steps life has planned out for me.  It is humbling and beautiful to realize that God truly does fill us up in every little crevice where we are empty and thirsty. I love that things I didn’t think about were taken care of and even though there were some hectic, hold-your-breath moments, everything worked out how it was supposed to…like it always does.

                When I found out that I would be returning for the summer, but as a Center Director, the first thing I did was (well, scream but…) fall to my knees and prayed to God. Specifically, there were three things that I prayed for, and looking back, the answers to the prayers were more than I ever expected.

Prayer #1: My staff

                I prayed that God began preparing the hearts of the three souls who would have to be dealing with me all summer—that they would be patient, supportive, and open to grow and be led by Him. I asked that they have a genuine love for this ministry and that we would be a family rather than four staffers fulfilling our job requirements.

                God’s answer: He provided me the three best people with the most genuine hearts and spirits I could ever imagine. We were a family from the start, rooted in prayer and trust and a love for everything that is entailed in being on staff. Yes, we were goofy and different but we flowed together and I could not have imagined anything else to work as smoothly as we did. I have never laughed (or cried) as hard than when I was living life with them. I literally looked forward to staff meetings every night, knowing everything would be discussed and solved but then also the fun times we would share together. It warms my heart knowing that we’d rather spend time with each other—just the four of us, than going out to meet other friends. My staff grew me, challenged me, loved me, and made me the best CD my heart could handle for a summer and our love for each other and this place was evident enough that our volunteers could see it. I love you guys!!

Prayer #2: My families

                I prayed for those we’d be working for –that we’d find them and that they would trust us to welcome us into their lives for the summer. I prayed that we would be humble and love on them where they needed it and that they would feel safe with us and our volunteers. I prayed also for those we would not reach this summer, that they would feel God’s peace and assurance that their lives are not crippled by their circumstances and that there is a love that is more than enough for them with a promise of rescue on its way.

                God’s answer: Seventeen beautiful families who allowed us to enter into and become a part of their lives, as well as meeting us right where we were just the way we were. Hearts full of love, compassion, joy and peace even amidst circumstances many of us would be hindered by. He also provided ways of peace for those who could not get helped this summer, flooding them with an understanding and not a loss of hope. I am encouraged to this day by the families I became a part of and their imprints on my life and my character. I am a changed follower of God after their stories and lives and I’m thankful that our paths crossed this summer.

Prayer #3: My volunteers

                It was my deepest prayer that whoever the Lord sent this summer was hungry for service, growth, love and open to all that was to happen the week they were there. I prayed that their hearts would be prepared for the week and that God would do a mighty work not only in their lives, but allow them to see the impressions they were creating in this community. I prayed that they would be open, loving and supportive of me and my staff and that together, His Will would be done through us all.

                God’s answer: 501 amazing people, who, I can say with the utmost confidence, were meant to be here, were hungry to serve and were open to His movement in their lives. Never have I experienced the fruits of the Spirit more than in the lives of my volunteers. They were just what we needed and what our families needed every single week. I praise God for those lives who were surrendered to Him because of that week and for every God moment that was said and felt through their time of fellowship and service.

                There is a song that I listen to every single day that represents what I have learned and felt from this summer.  The lyrics read,

             “Father come reveal the love

              that You’ve freely given us.

Poured from Calvary like a flood,

we look to You.

Spirit move and shine your light.

Change our hearts and fill our lives

with the radiance of Christ,

we look to You.

For when You move,

our lives are changed.

We know a taste of Heaven here.

We’re crying out

              for more of You

Lord come and move.”

In Appalachia, it is literally like we know a taste of Heaven here. The love shared among everyone and the rawness of life, how we are stripped away and really examined at our core is something so beautiful. Although I’ve written blog after blog and could tell stories for weeks, no words can ever describe the miracles that happen at ASP. It is something sacred and transformational; a high that you get the second you leave, slowly fading away until you head back to those mountains the next year. I have been humbled and encouraged to live fully and to love deeply, to appreciate the sun and the storm, and to cherish every moment for the beauty that is often hidden will not be overlooked. I learned the meanings of family and deeply rooted friendships that are so sweet. I felt freedom like never before in late night chats, sweet sunrises, quiet laughs, dancing in the rain…and a confidence that this girl has long sought after—a confidence steeping in peace and assurance in Christ’s promises. Above all else, I know more from this summer that prayer is powerful and that the Lord’s Will is often times the exact opposite of what our plans may be.

Ohana Means Family

Just as it was challenging to try and find the significant words to sum up the miraculous volunteers from this past summer, trying to comprehend the beautiful families we served is equally difficult. This summer, thanks to God’s provision, our volunteers efficient repair skills, and my staff member’s hearts, we were welcomed into seventeen different homes, allowing our humbled lives to be shared with each other’s stories. As always, I couldn’t have asked for better families my first summer (what easy people to work with for my first time around), but being in a higher position, the families the Lord blessed us with could not have been better for my growth this past summer. Both their lives and their living conditions brought along great moments of joy, encouragement, peace and created a bond that outlasts any construction project. To be fair, and to protect the privacy of each family, I will talk about each one (by codename) separately. So here’s to the reason volunteers come and our hearts are drawn to be servants of Christ! In order to not make this post a novel like it very well should be, I will be hitting the highlights I received from these families as well as what they taught me this summer.

101 Dalmatians

--Meeting the wife during an Evening Gathering, hearing their story and not knowing if we could give them their ramp, but trusting God would make it happen.

--Getting to notify the family that we would be building them a ramp.

--Not having the family present during most of the build because they were on a trip provided by Make a Wish for the father’s last wish with his battle with cancer.

--Getting to see them coming home, walk up the ramp without being out of breath and the smiles on their faces.

--Connecting with the extended family members and their sweet puppies.

--Praying with them after taking some final pictures and signing the papers.

--Having confidence that the Lord is sovereign and that miracles do happen.

And 1

--There’s enough joy and love to spill over into a second summer of work on their home.

--Always be ready for a pickup game of basketball…even if you are in your overalls.

--A tickle session on the bed is always well worth it.

--It’s bittersweet when every week, new best friends are formed when they know eventually they’ll have to say goodbye.

--You know you’re loved when they want the next project to be building bunk beds to house all their favorite staffers and volunteers instead of having living space in their home.

--It says a lot when the ones you are helping lay aside their lives to go help a wheelchair-bound friend.

--The power of family and forgiveness go hand in hand, speaking louder than any mistake or scuffle.

--Even if your day is full, if you see them standing outside you better not ever keep on driving—every conversation was worth it.

--Knowing when the summer is over and they realize their home is no longer in need of repairs—sweet yet sad knowing no new friends will be coming down that road in 15-passenger vans.

--No matter how much preparation you give yourself, the goodbyes at the end are never dry-eyed. I found new additions to my own family and rejoice that their hearts are on the Lord so that, if I never make it back to them, Heaven is where we’ll both be Home.

Black Bella

--Week by week, seeing them become everyone Momma and Papa.

--Seeing a true testament of what love really means, even with the troubles life throws at us.

--The perfect lemonade in a mason jar on a hot afternoon.

--Being able to sit on the porch with family (new and old) and enjoying all aspects of God.

--Getting prayed over and praying together with these amazing people.

--The simple joy of being able to take a shower without worry of falling in a tub or falling through the floor.

--Timeless stories from the husband in the family and his sweet laugh.

--Getting lost in Momma’s hugs.

--Knowing when you go, that you’d never just walk in and out…being ready to sit and chat for 30 (or 45) minutes every single time.

Headline

--Encouraged by the dedication they had for appointments, family, and fellowship.

--Seeing the smiles knowing that she could make it into her house easier with a ramp.

--Seeing the father stop and just stare at the cross at the top of the ramp—thanking God.

--Two boys who know more about sports than most kids their age, and seeing them make life changes this summer as results of our volunteers.

--Always a simple, gentle and welcoming smile and face when you arrive—always much needed.

 

 

Hot Rod

--One wild boy + an asphalt hill + one tricycle = repeated fun and entertainment with the craziest sound effects.

--Pulling up to see the same crazy little guy running out of the shed, pants at his ankles yelling, “Mamaw I pooped on the boards!”

--Endless thank you’s and love you’s.

--Hearing how the husband grew and opened up so much because of last summer, and being able to see him blossom that much more this past summer.

--Purple and white vinyl composite tile designs in both bathroom and kitchen.

--Kevin and Doug—being able to see these little guys as newborn pups to little cute bigger puppies (and secretly trying to hide Kevin in the front pocket of your overalls).

--Knowing that service is a two-way street and those you help not only serve you but extend the love onto so many others.

--Shedding just as many tears when the goodbyes come, but rejoice in knowing their home is never in need of repair for a long time.

Meet the Parents

--Showing the same love God showed Christ, toward their daughter.

--Seeing the power of love, new sisters and friendship literally transform the daughter’s life.

--Contagious laughs.

--Knowing you’d be tackled with a hug upon arrival and departure from the worksite.

--Making new friends at the picnic and being able to see their joy infect those around them.

--Work hard, love harder.

Mrs. Doubtfire

--Realizing this sweet elderly gem is a true treasure in Mullens.

--Driving back from hardware and seeing her sitting on her new ramp.

--“Oh honey, I’d love to be married again, just so I could have someone to take me places”

--Hearing her sing, and letting it melt your heart.

--New-found confidence and assurance in a ramp.

--Crazy God moments of perfect timing + my staffer having an urge to run that morning + going to see her = a broken window and a bathroom save. Praise God for the hectic times in life.

--First meeting her as a sweet lady who was somewhat shy then seeing how she blossomed once attending her first picnic and how everyone, families and volunteers alike, were drawn to her by her contagious spirit.

My Little Pony

--Hope, perseverance, faith and love of family can literally move mountains.

--Definitely the best backyard view, perfect for just a few moments of reflection during a day of rounds.

--A sweet, young family with a story that both breaks your heart, yet spurs you to have faith.

--Precious reminders of life in the sweet innocence of their little babies.

--Quiet, gentle gratitude means more sometimes than abundance of thank you’s.

 

 

Parent Trap

--Sometimes the greatest blessings are not the ones you’re necessarily looking for, but the ones that seem to fall in your lap unexpectedly.

--There’s always something to be done, or things can go better, but be blessed and grateful with what is currently in front of you.

--Learning every different kind of plumbing combination, and still not fully understanding it.

--Appalachian weddings are beautiful, often overlooked, but sweet moments like the bride walking down the hill across the street in her dress to say hello.

--The few words spoken by this homeowner were powerful and simple, yet could pull at your heartstrings instantly.

Patch

--Family is literally everything.

--Nothing sweeter than a picnic with a guitar and some heart-felt music.

--When the mother of this family was able to make it to the picnic, amid life-exhausting illness…her heart and spirit truly got her there.

--Never having to again fear going to the restroom because you may fall through the floor.

--Knowing God’s love simply through a woman lying in her bed, son right beside her and seeing that smile makes everything you’ve done worth more than gold.

PO Box

--Unexpected encounters lead to great friendships.

--A family rooted in love reflects a community thriving off of hit—hospitality is unbelievable.

--Teaching new friends how to ride a four-wheeler or wade in a creek for the very first time (for some).

--The oddest color combination in order to make a family member happy.

--Home cooked lunches (more like feasts) out of appreciation for those serving them.

Rocky Top

--Subway morning order + surprise saying we’d love to check out the house = miracle in disguise.

--Knowing this was going to be an amazing journey with the family the second you pull up and all the kids come swarming to say hello.

--Teaching volunteers how to sign language pretty much everything and being as proud as a teenager to interact this way with the new friends.

--Showing off your muscles with your basement makeshift mini-gym.

--A gentle father teaching those about humility—talking and being most comfortable while crouching down because of endless hours in the coal mines.

--Signing “I Love You” before leaving and connecting both hands together.

--Being able to sit on the porch and play as a family without worrying about the structure falling down the side of the mountain.

--Subway conversations.

--Watching the second youngest of the family play the role of the mother and protector while Mom is at work.

--Turning up the van speakers for a dance party—loud enough for both deaf children to feel the bass and dance along just the same.

--Spending my last picnic exploring the woods with the two youngest kids, the sweet girl and the youngest deaf son, as we found sweet treasures in large mushrooms, odd shaped leaves and rocks. Literally lost in the silence of God’s creation and realizing that the beauty seen and felt is more powerful than beauty that is heard. What a perfect last picnic.

Sandlot

--Finding this house by accident on a day of Initial Home Visits, hearing from a neighbor man of a man who helps all but won’t accept it even though he needs it, realizing it’s the same person and falling in love with the family throughout the summer.

--Sitting around the fire pit at lunch time just talking and taking everything all in.

--FETCH with Spot…all day, every day.

--Laying in the yard just looking up in the sky, basking in the sun and talking with the homeowner.

--The surprising off-road adventure you take every time to get to the house.

--The homeowner’s speech during several picnics, making it obvious how much this organization means to him.

Sonic Bloom

--The instant feeling of needing to give this family a double room addition.

--Little painted fingernails on a beautiful babe with a beautiful smile.

--Seeing how this ministry provides not only repairs and relationship, but a support system for someone who’s kept a lot in for so long.

--Piggy back rides and tickle fights.

--Tires, tires, and more tires.

--Perfect conversations about life, love and the Lord.

--Starting out as strangers, leaving as sisters and best friends.

--Tears for days as we said goodbye, and those little precious hands wiping the tears from my cheeks.

--Seeing the perfect love of a mother and father toward their child and literally how love conquers all.

Sweet Caroline

--The confidence you get from someone trusting in you to take care of them.

--Living simply doesn’t take away from living fully.

--The love that binds us makes us stronger and gives us the strength to love more.

--Perseverance and prayer go a long way.

--An overflow of gratitude from a family with such big hearts.

 

Tetris

--When no one else ever finished a job that was promised, all hope could have been lost, yet she still waited for change to happen.

--Never underestimate the power of conversation and intentionality—literally both can open up the quietest of people.

--The truest, first-hand story of hope I have personally ever witnessed.

--A smile, although few and far between, light up the day.

--A kept promise and a transformed home creates an opportunity for some serious well-needed confidence and a continued hope for life overall.

 

Violet Baudelaire

--Never overlook the tiny details, like a set of handrails, because they may be the one thing to give someone that extra push to keep going.

--One step at a time. And even if there are a few stumbles, keep on going because sooner or later, the race we all call life will take us off in a full on sprint.

 

 

 

To the 501 Beautiful Souls (AKA My Volunteers)

Although I cannot simply speak highly enough about them, there is an extended part of my summer family that I must spend some time praising…my volunteers. One of the things that terrified me the most about returning for a second summer on staff was that my volunteers would simply not be as fantastic as they were my first summer. Granted, I have to say one of the areas the Lord has blessed me in is a quick yet genuine love for people. Anxiety aside, I was excited to have 501 people enter my life, not just to make new friends but to be enriched and encouraged by their hearts and their stories.

This summer we had several weeks of volunteers that come from just one church, filling up the entire center. I definitely was not used to that because my church, being so small, was always paired with at least one other church, but last summer I had success with solo churches so I was hopeful this summer could only get better. I know I have mentioned before that ASP is a relationship ministry with construction on the side, where our volunteers minister to our families on both of these  levels, but as a staffer it is my job to treat the volunteers like the volunteers treat our families. They come ready and willing to serve but also open and ready for Christ to enter their lives, revealing sweet truths and rerouting their hearts to be better servants and Christ-followers. I am lucky and blessed that I get to be used in the process.

It is only fair that I break every week up, highlighting sweet moments and how God grew me by using my volunteers in the process. I won’t call anyone out individually (hopefully if you are reading this you know who you are), but I am genuinely so grateful for every single soul that entered and served in Mullens this summer.

 

Week 1: A solo church, smaller in size but they made up for it in their love for one another, this ministry and their contagious spirits. After their departure, all my staff and I could do was just sit back and sigh the greatest sigh of relief…because this week was so easy and seamless! (Now, my Returner and I did give a good deal of warning to our First Years that such weeks sometimes come few and far between, but always when we needed them most). Yes, when I say perfect, I mean several hiccups that are fixed with time and repetition, but overall as a first week of really working together and putting all of our programming into practice, I could not have been more proud of how everything turned out. Through these volunteers, I also caught a glimpse of what I would later come to realize that it wasn’t unusual but rather instinctual…a deep and genuine love for our families. This church had immediate connections that were sweet and inspiring, also serving as a forewarning that the ending final goodbyes would be that much more difficult. This church enjoyed one another and it was evident they were selfless in their service.  My God Moment for the week was that I was just so extremely grateful for their patience with us as a staff and the grace that was poured onto us, whether it be from laughing at our staff dancing in the pouring rain minutes before our first square dancing, star spinning on Friday night, or the nurturing spirits that enveloped the little children that filled the work sites. This week, I gained new insights, new sisters, and lifelong friends that started off this amazing summer.

 

Week 2: Our numbers grew a bit…from one church to three, all with completely different backgrounds and personalities. This is where the test of our preparations and efficiencies would be challenged. Surprisingly, even more grace was shown, and although we as a staff had our fair share of snags this week, everything was still so memorable. Our families continued to fall in love with this week’s volunteers, and there was just as much love given to them in return. It was a sweet week for me because of each church’s diversity, I was personally challenged to be intentional with all of them (easier said than done), but the results were overwhelming. The adults and the youth were alike in their constant encouragement that fueled my energy to keep at a high…even though I thought we had been in Mullens a lifetime; it was only Week 2/7. Major things also happened this week, like starting the removal and foundation laying of our double room addition…and my first of so many, many trips to the landfill (DUMP!!!). There were so many sweet moments this week that I find myself replaying over and over in my head, like a life-changing and heart-nurturing 11 P.M. conversation in the cafeteria, letting go and letting someone serve me ( A LOT easier said than done), pulling an all-nighter with volunteers before they left the next morning, lifting over fifty 80lb bags of concrete after realizing I thought I ordered way too many, and a slow drive up to our picnic site with a newfound friend, stopping often to see the deer cross the road. The friendships I made this week kept getting sweeter and everlasting, with meaningful conversations and late talks with new “best friends.” And as if that couldn’t get any more God-filled…one of our shyest homeowners opened up and was joking and laughing, all because the folks at her home showed intentionality and love that would evolve into something so beautiful.

 

Week 3: We kept close to the same numbers, but returned to a solo church…one that had been coming for quite some time and have had some members actually come onto staffing. I really got a lot out of their energy to get their assigned projects done that week, as well as spur each other on so that everyone would have a part in the contribution. I was extremely encouraged by how much the youth were given leadership roles and how, at every worksite, they were the obvious focal point of ministry. This passion from the youth was reflected in the Friday Night Share circle, getting to hear of all of our families being deeply affected by the relationships formed with the youth. I was so encouraged to see some of our older youth in the families we worked for, starting to open up more, talk about their faiths and begin to allow this ministry to help grow them. Another God moment of the week was the relationships formed with some of the older youth volunteers—hearing their stories and seeing how easily they were to welcome us as a staff into their lives. Friendships formed this week will last forever, and I’m so grateful for that.

 

Week 4: “And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light. And God saw that the light was good.” (Genesis 1:3-4a). Well this week, God allowed us to only utilize His natural light. Yes, we went back to the basics this week after a severe set of storms swept through the area and neighboring counties, taking out trees, some homes and power for (in our case) one day. Although that wasn’t as bad as in some places, it was the longest span of problem solving and improvisation of our entire lives haha.  To say that this little kink in the system was humbling would be an understatement. It was a perfect time in the middle of the summer to remember who is in control regardless of what earth throws at us—God. There were definite sweet moments, like the community members taking all of our food to a nearby school with working refrigerators off of a generator, and opening their facilities to us so that we could feed our volunteers after a squelching hot day. For those men and women I’ll be forever thankful. This week we also had some past-staffer friends come with their church so that was a sweet time, and for me personally, a HUGE learning experience I so desperately needed. I think for the middle of the summer, it was the perfect week for patience and the Lord definitely tested us all in that.

 

Week 5: This was by far my personally most challenging week, with keeping the energy high for my volunteers, but needless to say, they provided me with more than I could ever ask for and definitely more than what I gave them. I definitely experienced God through my volunteers and how they took care of each other, and across groups. The Spirit of the Lord was obviously in this place this week. Their motivation to not only continue to get as much done as they could in their time, but to love on these families was so encouraging for me to show up every day to a site and see it unfold. There were a lot of mentors to me this week, and conversations that I will forever cherish—this time, being mostly from the adult volunteers. It was refreshing to have 20+ different parent-figures this week, filling me with love, encouragement, and challenges to grow. Highlights from this week would have to be some of the new families getting a later project start falling in love with their volunteers, intense amounts of plumbing repair knowledge, having the wiring completed on our room addition, and the sweet picnic interactions between our volunteers and all of our families---one big ASP family.

 

Week 6: Another solo church for the summer, and I couldn’t be more blessed with what they brought to Mullens this week. It is to the point in the summer when we are all exhausted but there is still so much to be done. These volunteers were so caring and united with one another—I got so much encouragement just in watching their interactions with one another and our families. I loved seeing how, by the end of the week, every picture I looked through that was taken by this crew, told a perfect little story of every God moment that happened. Some of my favorite moments from this week included our intense dodgeball tournament, last-second yet so powerful conversations Friday night, sweet reflections at the picnic with our youth volunteers and the kids we worked for, and our share circle. Yes, I usually get somewhat emotional during these things but the God moments shared by all of our volunteers just made my heart burst. Some of the sweetest stories of dance parties, ASL I love you signs, funny faces from our youngest family member, and even a change in God moments to one based on the emotional trainwrecks my staff and I had—so many tears. I was so thankful for this group of passionate, kind-hearted folks that knew exactly what to do and what we needed to head into the last week of the summer.

 

Week 7: Whoa…what a way to wrap up the end to one of the best summers ever. My heart is humbled and overflowing with joy when I think about this week. This was the week  when not only did all of our projects end but when it was time to face reality—the reality of saying goodbye to each family member and to the place we called home for nearly ten weeks. One statement that sums up this week pretty accurately is this: GOD IS HERE!!! I am literally beaming from ear to hear just realizing how divine this week was, and it was all because of our Lord and His hand in this ministry. Of course, there were the moments I held my breath, not knowing if the weather would hold out or materials would last…or to be honest, if everything would get completed…but deep down I just knew it would (well, it had to haha). There were so many sweet times that happened this week that can all be accredited to these volunteers. Unlike anything I had ever dealt with as a staffer before, these amazing people came to Mullens last summer—found home here—and returned, knowing some familiar faces. This alone presented a little challenge because we as a staff needed to make this week just as special as week one and yet different enough from their year here before. The energy and optimism they shared with us kept our spirits strong as we were tired by this point. They loved everything about ASP—and this love POURED all over this county. Some proud moments for me that make me even more so thankful to God for them include constant flexibility with projects and materials, inspiring conversations at every meal, God-filled singing that bounced off the walls during EG, a much-needed and intentional moment throughout Wednesday night, tear-and-truth-filled conversation on the stone wall with a newfound sister in Christ, lying next to the creek outback in silence, border patrol dance and singalong parties, smoothies, Kountry Kitchen dining, and a 4 hour Friday Night Share Circle that will never be forgotten. Although there were so many more moments, both on a staff (plus SIT) level, one will never ever leave my memory. On Wednesday morning of that week, right before I left for my day off, Jake and I roamed the halls for wakeup…two guitars and two morning-cracking voices jamming out to “Wagon Wheel” at the top of our lungs to wake our volunteers up. Well on Saturday morning, after staying up into the wee hours of the morning in fellowship with my new brothers and sisters, my staff and I were sweetly sleeping in (after telling the volunteers to get us before leaving)…and all of a sudden the door swings open and almost all of the youth came into our room, guitars in hand, singing the best version of “Wagon Wheel” I had ever heard. We all just laid there taking in such a beautiful moment—I’m tearing up just thinking about it. I couldn’t imagine any better way to end the summer than that moment. It was perfect, and just what we needed to get us through the rest of the summer.

 

Overall highlights that I realized, thanks to my awesome 2012 volunteers:

1) Late (and I mean extremely late) night conversations that budded into amazing friendships are always worth it.
2) Even if you think you are good at math and calculating the amount of materials, volunteers most often times use more than you think…and if you ordered too much they are always there to help you move one monstrous pile to another location only a few feet away.
3) Accept the service of another person, especially when they offer to go to the dump with you.
4) Dance in the rain when EVERYONE is watching…it gives you more of an opportunity to make a carefree, foolish mess of yourself.
5) Seven weeks of the same square dance makes you look like a champ, but yet you still sweat and laugh just as much.
6) Evening Gatherings on Friday nights never need a time limit, whether it is 30 minutes or 4 hours.
7) Warm Fuzzies never get old, and are best read even weeks after you received them from the volunteers.
8) Remember…no matter what kink may throw off the plans, everything always works out.
9) Vulnerability is expected for you to show to the volunteers.
10) Volunteers are EXTREMELY good and quick at working puzzles and eating Dairy Queen, but when it’s all said and done, no one sings Wagon Wheel better than volunteers and staffers with a few guitars on a Wednesday night!

 

A note to my volunteers:
THANK YOU. I hope each one of you reading this understands that it is January and I still remember…all of your staff still remembers you, your faces, and the memories we shared in that friendly town. Thank you for challenging me to be better, supporting me in my growth, and feeding my soul with exactly what the Lord had in mind for me this summer. I hope you all got something out of your week in Mullens, and that you know you impacted me in ways that can’t fully ever be expressed. You all, each and every one of you, with what you bring and what you share, are why I love what I do and have done the past two summers. YOU are the hands and feet of Christ. YOU keep this ministry alive and I cannot begin to tell you what it means to me to see and hear the lives of our families transformed because of YOUR hearts and YOUR willingness to serve. May God be with you and move through you always and hopefully you all will come back to ASP to serve again. Amen for YOU!  --All my love, Your CD

Square Yourself!

     So there we were. Katie, Mary, Jake, and Mollie. We looked picture perfect…and to be biased again, we were. The best ASP family I could have asked for, and I was lucky enough to get to spend every day with them, relishing on every little moment that this organization has to offer. By God’s grace alone, Philippians 4:6-7 flooded my heart with some awesome truth: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding will guard your heart and your mind in Christ Jesus.” Everything just felt right. I was confident in my family and had no doubt that we were all going to grow because of each other. If I had the time, I could spend hours sharing about all the crazy, funny, precious, and inspiring moments we shared together…so choosing just a handful is a little harder than I thought.

     If I could confidently say anything, it is that I had a God-filled staff that kept me even more in love with this ministry than before. Every meal was a family meal…a family meal beginning with a prayer. That alone spoke volumes to me, growing up in a home where prayer before meals was absent. We were genuine. We were real. We had love that moved mountains, and when all else got in the way, we put it aside and had each other. Looking back, the 17 homes we got to work on, every family member we met and over 500 volunteers we got to see be transformed through ASP cannot be accredited to just one of us…it was all four of us. We worked together, and we did it well. I thanked God for every moment that could have brought tension or that I was afraid to handle, but instead it went smoothly and took care of itself.  That being said, we were a family and we had our little riffs but when I look back at the overall picture, they hold no significance except for the fact that it made us stronger.

     It’s funny how certain memories stay with you, especially ones that make you laugh (or cry) just as hard as if it was just happening. I can tell you a lot of these moments happened this summer, and I continue to find comfort and peace in reliving them , now that I’m hours away from my summer home. The fact that I can’t look at a Monster energy drink (or any drink in a can) and not have a sudden uAtrge to shotgun  it, or hear “Wagon Wheel” and want to cry because I don’t have anyone to jam out down the halls waking up volunteers with our 7am voices. There are lines from movies, lyrics from songs and just silly things said during staff meetings or during our times together that will instantly bring a smile to my face, and sometimes I catch myself laughing out loud and not realize it until I see others staring at me, wondering what my problem is.  There were the moments that I found myself stepping back and watching the sweetness of the moment, like deep conversations on the roof or in our vehicles, watching my staff grow as they interacted with volunteers and knowing that they don’t need me to re-explain things to them and that they have everything under control. Trust. That is one thing I had from the get-go with my staff, but I found that it continued to grow as we all grew closer.

     At the end of the day, I’m the proudest Mama Bear that ever was. It is bittersweet when I take time to relish on all of our memories, but I wouldn’t trade even one second of our time together. To my staff, I want to thank you for your love and constant patience. For putting up with me when I clearly had no idea what I was doing. For seeing when I was taking on too much or was stressed, and doing all you could to take care of me and make me smile. For the random hug attacks or baby doll pranks. For the encouraging notes and sweet treats that caught me when I needed a little reminder. For the staff meetings that went too late because we wanted to spend all the time we could together. For our experiments, explorations, and energy bursts. For the tears shared and the laughter that filled the halls of Mullens Middle School. For being everything I could have ever wanted and MORE in a staff. Y’all were the best, a serious answer to prayer, and I cannot imagine spending the summer with any other combination of people. I have grown in ways that I could’ve never imagined because of you three and I know that ASP 2012 wouldn’t mean as much to me if I didn’t spend it with y’all. Remember…square yourselves.

Our first picture as a family.

 

 

Meet the Mullens M.O.B

 

Oh how cute we were!

First attempt of many at shotgunning Blue Monsters before squaredancing.

 

Happy beginning of Week 7!

 

(above): My little babies Mollie and Jake

(below): Me and my Minion, Mary <3

Laughing the morning we said goodbye to our Week 7 crew (it was bittersweet).

 

The last picture as a family (with a few extras).