Community Fellows Reflections: Gabi
It’s crazy to think
that we are already a quarter of the way through the Fellows Program. It has
gone so fast, yet so much has happened.
The first time we came to look at the apartment that we now live in, a little boy was playing baseball outside and we introduced ourselves and played a little bit with him. This simple interaction with him made it clear for all of us that this was the place we wanted to live in. We had no idea how many more kids lived here, but, in my mind, I thought, if one kid is willing to be outside and play with some folks he just met, I can’t imagine the relationships we could have with others who live here.
There are so many kids that live in the immediate apartments around us, and for me, that is the greatest thing ever. I love coming home after work to the girls belting out Frozen songs and running around outside through puddles after a much needed rain. I’ve received many gymnastics lessons and have seen that little girls are much more agile than I am! Simply running around, tickling and playing games with all these kids is truly a blessing. I can’t imagine life here without them.
One of the sweetest parts about this year so far has been the community that we have been accepted into and the incredible opportunity we have had to continue to grow in the already established relationships of families around us. It is truly becoming more and more like home. I’m so thankful for the chances Jesus is giving me to do normal, daily life activities with the people that I live with, and, inevitably, being able to listen to their stories and share Jesus’ love and truth with them.
There truly is no greater way to experience and extend God’s love than to simply be with him and people. However, this “be”-ing is extremely difficult at times for me when there seems to be so much going on between work, school, church activities, etc. I am trying to learn how to live in Jesus’ rhythm of life, not my own fast-paced rhythm that often results in a discordant, exhausted life.
I would so appreciate your prayers for my sensitivity to Jesus as I go about living life with my neighbors, roommates, classmates, coworkers and anyone else Jesus gives me the chance to spend time with. I hope to slow down and let Jesus lead me instead of trying to blaze the trail myself. God is so good and gracious, and I have experienced the realities of that in many, many ways these last few months. I trust that he will continue to work in our lives and the community he’s placed us in for His glory.
The first time we came to look at the apartment that we now live in, a little boy was playing baseball outside and we introduced ourselves and played a little bit with him. This simple interaction with him made it clear for all of us that this was the place we wanted to live in. We had no idea how many more kids lived here, but, in my mind, I thought, if one kid is willing to be outside and play with some folks he just met, I can’t imagine the relationships we could have with others who live here.
There are so many kids that live in the immediate apartments around us, and for me, that is the greatest thing ever. I love coming home after work to the girls belting out Frozen songs and running around outside through puddles after a much needed rain. I’ve received many gymnastics lessons and have seen that little girls are much more agile than I am! Simply running around, tickling and playing games with all these kids is truly a blessing. I can’t imagine life here without them.
One of the sweetest parts about this year so far has been the community that we have been accepted into and the incredible opportunity we have had to continue to grow in the already established relationships of families around us. It is truly becoming more and more like home. I’m so thankful for the chances Jesus is giving me to do normal, daily life activities with the people that I live with, and, inevitably, being able to listen to their stories and share Jesus’ love and truth with them.
There truly is no greater way to experience and extend God’s love than to simply be with him and people. However, this “be”-ing is extremely difficult at times for me when there seems to be so much going on between work, school, church activities, etc. I am trying to learn how to live in Jesus’ rhythm of life, not my own fast-paced rhythm that often results in a discordant, exhausted life.
I would so appreciate your prayers for my sensitivity to Jesus as I go about living life with my neighbors, roommates, classmates, coworkers and anyone else Jesus gives me the chance to spend time with. I hope to slow down and let Jesus lead me instead of trying to blaze the trail myself. God is so good and gracious, and I have experienced the realities of that in many, many ways these last few months. I trust that he will continue to work in our lives and the community he’s placed us in for His glory.