Conflict. Resolve.

"We aren't going to know what God is doing every day. We aren't going to come in every day and have the perfect journal, or something awesome and amazing to share. We will never see the full effect, and God is going to continue teaching us about this trip months after it is over." -- Hailey

This is so true. Today we did the same thing as the past two days, and the next three days. We worked. We painted, we cut down trees, we sanded. We interacted with the little kids from the dump site and continued working with the youth from LOGOS. With routine, its sometimes hard to see anything beyond that routine. It is hard to see how by doing the same thing over and over again that it is bearing fruit. We woke this morning and had prayer at seven-thirty, as we do every morning. We were once again reminded to not let conflict between one another get in the way of what God is doing here. Conflict, conflict, conflict. It seems like that is all we ever talk about, that is al that is ever focused on. Today at lunch we had conflict between two people and one of them ended up leaving and going back to the Sanctuary. Here we go again is what I thought, but I didn't let it ruin my day. Working, and painting was great today as was interacting with the kids from the dump site and from LOGOS. Dan told us the other day that a lot of these kids from LOGOS still have a lot of hurt and a lot of pain in their life. That there are a lot of things that they struggle with, and we will never know how much being here working and hanging out with them will change them. Tirot, one of the girls from LOGOS that works with us everyday, was telling me today that if the guys don't joke around with you, tell you jokes, and pick with you it means they don't like you or really don't have an interest in getting to know you. This joking has happened every day in my daily interactions with them. We always joke with each other, pick on one another, and just have a good time. This was so encouraging to hear and just re-affirmed what Dan said.

Tonight our group went a little differently. We have met as a group every night, but it has been people sharing their testimony. We haven't really sat down as a group, reflected on where God was moving in our lives, what we were struggling with ect... So tonight was that night. It was really good to hear people voice their struggles, where they were seeing God in this trip, and how they could be encouraged. Thank you God again for showing me that its not just about my personal growth, that it isn't just about me. Melissa and Kevin both put into context what this conflict can be. "Without this conflict, we wouldn't see what people struggle with. We wouldn't see how people deal with it." God continues to show up through Melissa, and move in her. It is so awesome to see! "We can't control conflict. Conflict is going to happen. If we didn't have conflict, and we all got along perfectly it would all be fake! It is how we choose to deal with the conflict." Thank you God for Kevin and the amazing leader he is. Kevin stayed at the Sanctuary today because he was sick, and while he was here, he wrote about three pages of what he was thankful for. He read some of them to us. It was so, so encouraging. "I thank God for the relationship Chase, David, and Josh Riggs has made. I thank you for Melissa and the way she shared her story with the youth kids, and how that helped her work through her struggles. I thank you for Krystle and myself and to know that we aren't perfect leaders. I thank you for Chase and the way he interacts with these kids from LOGOS, and youth in general."

"See Chase, even though you may not see it, others do! I have a plan and purpose for YOU, and for everything!"
Thank you God!

I had a good talk tonight with Fanny. I don't think I have even begun to scratch the surface of who Fanny is, but I am learning new things daily about everyone here, even myself. It was a hard talk, but one that was definitely fruitful and beneficial. It was hard for me to hear some things, but it was something I definitely needed to hear and be challenged on. I don't feel like we are called to go through life with people constantly agreeing and affirming things in our life whether right or wrong. We need to be challenged, we need to call people out. We are the hands and the feet of God. It is more than just throwing money at an organization and saying here do with it what you want. Relational ministry is key. You must make a presence here, you must be involved in peoples lives. That is what we are doing here, no matter if we are here for two months or for two years. And its not just about being here either. It is about making an effort. I could be a presence here all I wanted, but if I never tried I would never get anywhere. I was really challenged tonight to get out and go do things. To go beyond just doing the normal routine every day. Consider the challenged taken.

--Discerning the Call
Chase Fallin