Sunday, August 19, 2012

Built Together In Him

It's hard to believe that Karl and I have been home from Belfast for almost three weeks now.  Since returning home we have had multiple reunions of family and friends in various locations!  We got to see all of my family at my sister's wedding in Denver, Karl's family at a family reunion in Ft. Collins and in Guernsey this past weekend, and so many friends and church family members in Laramie last week.  We have five days left to spend with family and friends before we head south to Tucson, where we will be embarking on another year of service through the YAV program.

I have a lot of mixed emotions and feelings about what is going on in our life right now.  I am completely thrilled by the opportunities we had last year and the opportunities that are lying in front of us on the road that God paved for us, but I am also feeling very anxious about the change and transitions we will soon be facing.  When we arrive in Tucson, Karl and I will be moving into a seven bedroom house which we will be sharing with 8 other young adults in Tucson - a chance for great friendships, Christian intentionality, collaborating living styles, and learning to love each other as Christ has shown us.
 
The intentional community aspect of our next year of service will be stretching and challenging, but coupling that with the work at our placements, the year should be a fruitful experience.  I will be working with Habitat for Humanity Tucson, and Karl will be with an organization called CHRPA.  At Habitat I will have a chance to use some of my engineering education while continuing to explore a vocation which allows me to share my faith in Christ.  I will be spending a quarter of my time working with Habitat engineers and the remainder of my time working on the Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative which is exploring how to further improve the quality of life for members of the communities Habitat serves.  Karl will be trying his hand at home repair as CHRPA is an organization that does home repairs for low income and disadvantaged home owners in Tucson.
 
I have created this new blog so that you can keep track of our adventures in Tucson this year (Belfast Bulletin wasn't really fitting for Tucson).  In choosing a title for my new blog, I turned to the passage that speaks to me about our service through the YAV program, both in Belfast and in Tucson - Ephesians 2:14-22.  God has called Karl and I to be a part of His one body and to help build a dwelling place in which we are all together in Him.  Thank you to everyone who has shown us so much support thus far with the YAV program and please continue to keep us in your prayers and keep up with us by reading our blogs.
 
"For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.

Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit."   -Ephesians 2:14-22