Could I do it?

     I am one of those people that tend to stay inside of my comfort zone most days; I don't like the idea of the unknown. It is easy for me to say yes and do the things that I have always done because I know that I can have some degree of success. This past year I have been trying to step outside of that zone in all areas of my life. I've spent time praying that God would allow me to use my gifts to serve Him and others and kept listening for His whispers. A few months ago at church, Pastor Ryan gave us three options to serve. The first option was to select an envelope that had a way to serve others in the community around us. Option number two was to go on a mission trip to Kentucky, and option three was to travel to serve in Haiti. I knew that I could handle option number one with no problem, and Kevin, Jadynn and I each grabbed an envelope. My task was to bake a dessert for a neighbor, Jadynn had to invite someone to attend church with her, and Kevin had to pay for someone's childcare for a date night. As we were walking past the table to sign up for the Kentucky trip, I felt compelled to add my name to the list. I knew that I could convince Jadynn to serve with me in Kentucky. Serving together is something that we have done over the years; the only problem would be if that was a week that she had to work. I received an email with more details for the trip, and I decided to sign us up for week one. A few weeks later, Jadynn received her work schedule for the summer, and she had to work the week of the trip. My first thought was to take my name off the list, too. As these thoughts were going through my mind, I could feel God's prompting to push these thoughts aside and trust Him. I prayed about it for a few days and decided that I would still go. This was something that was going to push me out of my comfort zone and trust that God know what He was going. We had our meeting for the trip,and I learned that I would be the only female going on the trip. This wasn't something that I expected, but I had grown up with brothers and knew that I could survive.

      The day of our departure arrived, and I was filled with jitters. I do not like going anywhere by myself, so traveling to a new state with 4 people I really didn't know and spending a week with them and other strangers had me on edge. Once again, I could hear God whispering that He would take care of me. When we arrived Sunday night, we met the other group and learned the rules and expectations for the week. They also went over the tentative itinerary with us. After this, they asked for three volunteers from each group. I hesitated at first and then volunteered; I knew this was the first of many things I would be doing this week that would push me out of my comfort zone. We had to work together to lower the stick to the ground at the same time. Our prize for volunteering was breakfast duty Monday morning at 6:00 AM.

Day One: 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          For me, it started with a 5:45 wake up to be in the kitchen by 6:00 to make breakfast. This was a struggle because I didn't sleep well, and I was used to sleeping until about 8:00. I knew that it was going to be a long day, and I needed to make the most of it. Breakfast duty went by in a flash, and it was time for morning worship and quiet time. I loved quiet time because I spent it outside on the deck with time in God's word. This gave me the mindset that I would need for the day. 

After quiet time ended, we learned of our "missions" for the day. Our group was tasked with removing stickers from walls and windows, cleaning walls, priming and painting walls, and painting bunks at a building that will eventually become a homeless shelter in the community. I loved the idea that my hands and work had the possibility of benefiting so many individuals in the future. When we walked in, I was taken aback by the bright green walls because I knew it was going to take a lot of work to get them covered up. We started peeling stickers, cleaning walls, and painting bunks. By the end of the day, we could see a little bit of progress. Thankfully we had the rest of the week to finish our project. 

Monday evening we participated in a family game night at a local park in one of the housing developments. This was one of my favorite events because I was able to play games with children that lived there. I got to play basketball, push them on the swings, play tag, climb on the jungle gym, and listen to their giggles. They simply loved the idea of having someone to play with them and give them their undivided attention. I loved listening to them talk because they had a true Kentucky accent. After game night ended, we returned to the church and had evening worship. Although I was extremely exhausted, my heart was full. I was thankful that I trusted in God's prompting and said yes to the trip to Kentucky.


Day Two:

   
    Our morning was a repeat of day one except I did not get stuck with breakfast duty. That meant that my alarm did not go off until 6:45 AM. For lunch that day, we had the privilege of eating at Miss Ann's house. She has lived in the same house her entire life. When we listened to her stories of growing up in Maytown, you could hear the love for her town in each word. She spoke of her struggles and triumphs and how God provided for her along the way. This was an experience that I will never forget.

That evening we had a free evening, and we were able to explore a little bit of Prestonburg. We ventured out and found some trails to hike. While we were hiking, we were able to see a fawn that engaged in a staring contest with us. Eventually it lost and decided to take off into the woods. As we were hiking, I loved the scenic view of the mountains and taking in all of the beauty that God has created. Some times I get caught up in the day to day, and I miss out on the beauty that surrounds me.



Day Three: 

      


Wednesday was our day off from working at the homeless shelter, and we were able to start our day by walking with some of the residents at a nearby nursing home. I loved hearing their stories and simply spending time with them. Spending time with others and listening to their stories is something that I truly enjoy. After we finished at the nursing home, we ventured to a state park for a few years. There was a beautiful lake that I was able to spend time in a kayak. I had never been kayaking before, so I almost let my fear hold me back. As I stated before, I struggle with trying new things. If my fear would've won, I would've missed out on experiencing more of God's creations. My journey in the kayak started off a little rocky, but I eventually figured out to steer properly. We ended our day with a cookout at a local park, and I even got to play a little beach volleyball.

Day Four:

 We spent our morning weeding around the fence at the church. This is something that makes me a little nervous because I never know if I am pulling weeds or flowers. I kept asking for guidance from others in our group to make sure I was doing the right thing. After weeding, we went back to the park and spent more time playing with the kids and sharing the story of Joshua and the battle of Jericho. They loved making the trumpets that were used as props in the play. Spending time with children reminds me that laughter and joy can be contagious! We ended our evening in a reclaimed mine for our evening devotional and worship time. The view was breath taking as the sun was going down and the moon was going up. We are truly surrounded by beauty each and every day that we miss because of the hustle and bustle of life. This trip reminded me that I need to take time each day to bask in the awe of nature.

Day Five:

 This was our final day to complete our project. Luckily all of the primer we applied on Tuesday covered up the lime green walls, so we just had to apply the gray paint. With four of us painting, we were able to get on one coat before lunch. We had to pleasure of having lunch with Miss Levida! She was full of love and appreciation for us joining her. Spending time on her porch, eating lunch, and sharing stories was a perfect way to spend lunch. After lunch, we went back to the homeless shelter and applied the last layer of paint. Before leaving, we cleaned up our mess and returned the bunks to their proper places. I am so exited for the possibilities that this building possesses for the community, and I am thankful for the small part that I played in getting it ready. We ended our evening at local event called Front Porch Pickin'. It is put every Friday night through the Mountain Arts Center. It is an open stage for anyone that wants to sing or play. You simply get in line, and when it's your turn you perform your song.

This week in the mountains of Kentucky helped me step out of my comfort zone in so many ways. I was able to spend more time with God and engage in meaningful conversations about Him and my faith without being judged or questioned. These discussions helped me realize some things that I need to work on and the importance of engaging in discussions and activities that make me put my trust in God. Serving that community and people of Prestonburg left an impact on my heart; I can only hope that I made an impact there, too. The memories I made this week will be something I will hold close to my heart. I am thankful that I trusted God's prompting because I was able to serve, grow, and develop relationships that will continue. The biggest lesson I learned was that in order to grow I have to step out of my comfort zone and trust that God will take care of me. Here is a Youtube video that was created with other pictures from the week.