Last summer, I tried to read "Kisses From Katie" by Katie Davis about 10 times and I could never finish it. I got so annoyed at how much she talked about how happy she was to do things that I knew there was no way she could be happy doing them (taking cold showers, being dirty all day, etc). But after a week in Boston and trying one more time to read it while I'm here, I finally get it.
It didn't take long to figure out I wasn't in the south and the Bible Belt anymore. As soon as we came out of the T, we saw one of the oldest churches in Boston that now flies rainbow flags and is known to be a "cultural center." For the first time in my life, I have seen Hillary bumper stickers, posters supporting gun control laws and going from smelling really nice cologne to weed all within 10 feet of each other. So yeah, we aren't in the Bible Belt anymore. It is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been and the people are actually very helpful. There are so many different people here and I have to walk by them everyday day knowing that 97% of them don't know Jesus. I love it here. I really do, but I have been so challenged here. More than any other place I've been before.
And I get what Katie means now when she says she is so happy to do these things. I've walked about 7-10 miles everyday in dresses and nice clothes and 80 degree weather. I've washed my clothes in the sink and they now smell worse than they did before. Boston also just must not be fond of air conditioning because it doesn't really exist. When people ask me what I'm doing here and I tell them research for possibly planting a church, they point to a church next door and ask why they need another church. I've cried a few times and I've been extremely tired and uncomfortable, but I really am so happy.
I am happy because God uses my humanness to show His glory. When I am tired and sweaty, He really shows out. He shows out when I am drenched in sweat and walk into the Library to tell Mrs. Mary hello and she has a huge smile on her face. He shows out when I just walked a mile up a hill and Jasmine told me that they would love for us to come pray for the people staying at the assisted living. He shows out when I get lost in one of the worst neighborhoods in Boston and my new friends and I get to share what we have been learning this week for an hour and 15 minutes instead of only 30 minutes. He really is here. Even if only a few people know Him, He really is working.
This morning I was reading in Acts 5 when the apostles literally are rejoicing for being beaten and threatened with their life because they were able to suffer in the name of Jesus. So bring on the sweat, the stinky clothes, the smart comments and allllllllll the heat. I am getting the share the name of Jesus and there is no greater joy.
