Starbucks

It's been too long since I've been here writing a new post - I apologize for my lack of updates. Do be comforted in the fact that this lapse of posts has not been out of laziness, but purely out of busyness - the fruitful sort as far as I know. It's been a very eventful past few weeks, good to say the least. I have finished off my work with Small Group leading until January, and Teen Church will have our last day tomorrow until the new year as well. These ministries end here for a month as a type of mini-sabbatical for both the leaders and those who come and participate. I was surprised by this different way of doing things because I would usually see this time of year as being a prime-time for ministry work. I have no arguments at this point though, and I am looking forward to recharging the physical, emotional and spiritual batteries which I feel are beginning to run low.
In the last week I've had many meetings with various people, some from Small Groups concerning accountability and Spiritual Growth, others with non-Christians with tough questions and harsh histories. Starbucks is becoming my second Church office, and I'm letting it happen without complaints. I can think of two of the people I've met there this past week who I originally acquainted myself with during an hour of street evangelism, one of whom is coming to Church this Sunday with me because of a new extreme level of interest in Christianity. The other, is a young man who is unbelievably learned in Theology and Christianity as a whole, but is struggling through many difficulties in life and pain and is now seeking answers from God. It was amazing to sit down with him for a couple hours over coffee and share life and struggles, and I hope to continue to bump into him and share God's love as best I can as he seriously journeys this. Above all else if you could pray for these two people and for my connection with them - I know God is working in them, and perhaps, to my great excitement and joy, through me.
In all of these new experiences for me I am still working through a lot of new points of view concerning God and Church, as well as culture and living in community. Which has been fun. It's the little things that really let you know you're in a different country, like when you're out to buy deodorant and they just don't have any stick form, only weird liquid things. Or when you go to sit down for dinner at 5p.m. and it's already been dark for half an hour. Or when you go to cook a can of beans only to discover all the pots are left dirty. Or when you go to a ministry called Healing on the Streets and you expect to be helping out with covering graffiti or picking up garbage and you end up witnessing people being healed by God, of things like Cancer or broken bones. My life here as been far from dull, and my mind even during times set aside to be still has had difficulty doing so, when there's so much to try or learn, or to read or listen to. On a personal level please pray that I would be able to cope with all that is happening around me and in me and that in it all I'd find times of peace with God.