Planes on planes on planes

I’m starting this blog for my travels & experience as a first time Summer Staffer with Group Workcamp. Presently, I’m on a plane to Denver that should be arriving within the next hour of me writing this. My first flight was out of Shenandoah airport in Staunton, VA and my parents and boyfriend, Max, came with me to see me off. We got there with plenty of time to check in (shockingly since I got less than 3 hours of sleep), and since it was such a small airport they were able to stay and hang out with me until it was time to board at 6:30AM. The time was approaching, but instead of being called to board we were told that the flight was delayed and we needed to come to the counter to reschedule. A shiver of panic went through me as my connecting flight to Denver was at Dulles International in D.C. and it was leaving the ground at 8:19AM. I was already tight for time without a delay. I think a glimmer of hope caught Max’s eye, he said several times “this is a sign from God that you shouldn’t leave.” As it turned out, while we waited in line the plane became ready and it was going to land in D.C. at 8…in reality it landed at 8:15. I did not make it to terminal D from B in 4 minutes. However, I was lucky enough to catch the next flight to Denver, that I’m currently on, which departed at 9:10AM. This was actually the best case scenario because I had just enough time to get off Plane #1, grab a muffin from Starbucks, and board Plane #2.

So. Here I am. Getting closer to my first destination of the summer. I suppose I’ll be finding out soon where my others will be. This four-hour flight has provided a bit of time to catch up on sleep, though the turbulence has been a little rough, I feel more rested now than I did waiting at Shenandoah. But, I’ve also done a bit of thinking and processing as I was drifting in and out of sleep. This summer is a huge loss. I’m losing 10 weeks that I could’ve spent bonding with my little sisters or babysitting the coolest kids that I nannied for last summer or bonding with my parents or dates and hangouts with the best guy around, Max. I’m losing a lot of quality time with some of the people I love so much it can’t even be quantified. But, as I’ve been told before, I think I’m continuing to better understand a little bit about how Jesus works. If you want to follow Him, you HAVE to lose something, and it’s okay to grieve what is lost. He asks us to take up our cross so that in order to gain life, we must lose it, because He has come to give us life, and life to the full. Jesus gave up His own life for us. Talk about incredible loss. Though there is much lost, there is so much more gained. I anticipate this principle will most certainly apply this summer. Yes, I have income to gain, but also new friends, experience, travels, and I’m sure plenty of lessons from Jesus himself. But, I believe my gains are not why I’ve chosen to do this job. It’s the gain for God’s kingdom. I want to better find ways that I can accept my position as God’s partner in ushering in his kingdom. There is much to be done on this earth before we meet Jesus again, and I am excited to take part in even a small bit of service right here on American soil. That’s how I view this. I am called to be a servant, a disciple. I want to answer that call. I hope this summer will reflect what answering the call might look like. I want to come home on August 2 a stronger, more faithful woman of God, seeking after my savior all the more.