So it begins!

So here it is people….my first blog about this Pilgrimage I’m on. So I was greatly surprised that at the arrival to the airport, we were given a clue with $25, and were told to get our team to this address. It reminded me of Amazing Race that show.  So after walking what seemed like miles with all of our stuff, which consisted of a 55-pound pack, a 30-pound book bag, and probably a 10-pound messenger bag, I was so exhausted.  The address lead us to a homeless shelter in downtown Atlanta…yet another surprise. We were told to drop our bags and head upstairs, where we were told about Aim and what they stand for and expect from us. We then were given a couple blankets and our bag dinners. We were then given our next mission, which was to walk the streets of Atlanta, in the freezing cold, and minister to the homeless. It seemed like not enough instruction, but I put a smile on and wrapped my scarf up tight. At first it seemed like there were no homeless people out there, until a man told us that the CNN building lets the homeless come in to keep them out of the cold. I was all right with this because it meant us getting out of the cold. So we started in, where we found so many people seeking shelter from the cold.  At first I was intimidated by it all and was asking myself, what do I say, how do I say it, and how can I relate to these people?  I mean really what can I say to someone who has nothing that I want desperately to share the love of Christ with? My team approached an older lady where we were greeted with so much kindness and love. We sat at a table and she began to tell her story. This woman was so on fire for Christ that it almost embarrassed me in my walk with Christ. She had nothing and yet she had everything. She relied completely on the word of God. Everything that came from her mouth was pertaining to Christ. And I found myself crying inside because how many times do we not appreciate and rely completely on God. We have resources and resources to further our walk with Christ and yet what do we do?  It was as if this woman was completely happy being in the situation she was in, because she had Christ. Just in the first 24 hrs of being here, I have been challenged to stop being so lazy and ok with being mediocre. Christ calls us to be uncomfortable, so do it. We as Americans think that we are entitled to this and that, but in reality we aren’t. We are all the same and don’t deserve anything, so getting or receiving becomes a different picture. The gift that Christ gave becomes so much more awesome. I have only begun and have learned about the power of this gift! Don’t waste time…strive to become like Him!