Grasping this year's theme of "The Upside Down Kingdom" - Britney

               Today was my favorite day of the mission trip by far.  Last night and this morning I had some concerns because we only had one more day of service and I hadn’t really felt the Holy Spirit’s presence while I was serving.  I didn’t really fully understand what God wanted me to get out of this trip and I was extremely frustrated; I wanted the answer to just reveal itself.  I know by now that it’s not that black-and-white.  Although I’m still a little unsure, today helped me understand a little bit more about what God wants me to take away from this trip.

               In preparation for this trip, we were told to expect God to work in unexpected ways.  Being told this was a little hard to grasp because I didn’t have a specific thing to look for.  I was hoping that there would be one thing that happened and I could say, “That’s it. That’s what God wants me to take from this trip,” and that just wasn’t the case.

               Instead of seeing the Holy Spirit in one, particular, ground-breaking event, I’ve seen Him in small events that are so meaningful, but so overlooked.  I saw God in Tim when, instead of panicking when our car was broken into on Monday, remained calm and said how it could have been worse, rather than saying it was bad.  I saw God in the graciousness of the people we served at Bay Area Rescue Mission on Tuesday.  I saw God in the vibrant sprit of the seniors we did Zumba with yesterday.  I saw God in His creations of the scenery from the top of Inspiration Point, the Golden Gate Bridge, and Twin Peaks.  Most of all, I saw God today at our work site.  I went with a site leader to drop off some cardboard at a recycling plant.  While we were waiting, I started to talk with her about the work we were doing this week.  She shared in the beginning with me that she did not believe in God, but after talking with her, she said she was considering going back to church.  Right then, I felt that the Holy Spirit was working through me.  Although I did not inspire crowds of people, I know that I made a difference for this one person, and that makes it worthwhile to me.

               This thought has reflected strongly to the theme of this year, “The Upside Down Kingdom”.  This theme has stood out to me a lot and I have not been able to tell why, but I think I’m starting to grasp it.  The Holy Spirit could just as easily reveal himself in ways that are grand and capture the attention of millions, even billions of His children, and yet He has shown Himself to me in the smallest, yet most meaningful ways.  Every mission trip I’ve been on has made me look at things a little different, and this has made me appreciate the things that are often overlooked.

               Please pray that we can continue to spread God’s love to those in San Francisco aside from our service sites, and for a safe trip home.