Love in the Everyday Shabbiness

It's been a minute("a minute" is what my kids say when they mean a long time) since I last blogged.  I've struggled lately to know when to blog and what to blog about.  When I first moved to Keller Park, I wanted to share everything just as fast as it was happening.  Life in Keller Park was new and it brought with it an excitement that came from the fury of activity. Over time, it became more difficult to put my fingers on the keys of the keyboard to share what had been taking place in our ministry and in our neighborhood.  After lots of thought, I believe that the difficulty came because of one of two reasons:

1. The more I get to know the people in the KP, the more I respect and love them.  My neighbors, like yours, have incredible life stories and each have experiences that are unlike anyone else's.  As I get to know the people in my neighborhood, whether adults or children, it is clear that they alone are the owner of their stories.  I want to be so careful not to share someone else's story.  I value deeply their confidence and trust and I want to do nothing that will hinder that.  So...when I question whether or not the story is mine or theirs to share, I will error on the side of caution and not put my fingers to the keys.
2. The "flash in the pan" moments are few and far between. The newness and fury of eighteen months ago has turned into a more steady, everyday commitment to the people of Keller Park.  Someone once told me that the deepest moments in ministry don't always look good on a newsletter...I have found this to be true in my life and ministry.

A few weekends ago, I attended a Live simulcast of The Justice Conference that took place in Philadelphia, PA. One of the presenters, Gary Haugen, President of International Justice Mission (IJM), presented on the topic of LOVE.  He seemed to speak right to my #2.  He said things like this:

We must love in the everyday shabbiness.

We need a love that overcomes monotony, far from the public eye that the Lord sees and honors in secret.

Love that changes the world is long and laborious.

It will cost time and tedium to really make a difference. 

I'm really thankful that I was able to hear the words of Gary Haugen.  Because, in reality, most days in my life and ministry are not at all flashy. Each week looks much like the week before, the days come and go. There are times when things seem overly difficult and I wish I could find my rose-colored glasses so I could wear them for a few minutes. Gary reminded me that I just need to be faithful in the everyday shabbiness because it is the love that is long and laborious that will change the neighborhood of Keller Park.

Over the next several months, I would like to share with you some of the ways that God has shown Himself to me through our ministry in Keller Park.  They are mostly "everyday moments" that are headlines in my life.  I've also asked some of the students I work with to share with you as guest writers.  I'll let them share their stories.

Thanks for taking the time to read.

-carrie