Stretching.

On Monday, I had dinner in the center of Paisley on wood planks that we pushed together to make a table. I ate with strangers, friends, and my YWAM family. There was loads of food that we had prepared and brought to share with everyone who stopped by. We called it the Father’s Table--a time where men, women, children, strangers, and friends could dine together in a way similar to the feast we will someday have in Heaven with the Lord.  

It was really amazing and thought provoking. It was wonderful because it felt right; it felt like something that Jesus would have done. But it was thought provoking because it forced me to ask myself why I have never done that before. I wondered why I don’t just sit and listen to people and hear their stories more often. I know that life gets busy, and there are ten million things to do, but it’s incredible what can happen when we let ourselves stop. We realize we do have time to listen, to talk, and to share…even with complete strangers.

Also, on Monday morning I went to Tea and Toast again, which in an outreach to the Paisley community for those looking to chat and share a cup of tea. Daniel (I mentioned him in my last note) was there again and remembered me. We got a chance to talk again, but he left early because he was going to meet with a doctor to help him get off Methadone. I learned from Pastor Wesley who heads the Tea and Toast program that doctors here put patients on Methadone to help them get off heroine, but the Methadone is just as addictive as heroine, so it’s really not a great option for those struggling with addictions. I ask that you join me in praying for Daniel that the Lord will free him from this addiction. He is such an interesting guy with an incredible testimony of the Lord’s grace in His life. He really wants to know and to seek after the Lord, but his addiction is such a struggle for him. Please be praying for him. I also got a chance to talk with several other people at Tea and Toast. I talked with a grandmother and grandson who came with their neighbor. She recently suffered a loss and had started coming to the church because she saw that her neighbor seemed to have a peace about her and wanted to experience that peace as well.

It’s been wonderful just to get to sit down people in Paisley and share with them about God and the things that He’s doing in Paisley. I also got to invite some of the people I had been talking with at Tea and Toast to the Father’s Table, and two of the guys showed up. It was really great because they came and found me when we were eating and wanted to say hello.  It was a real blessing because I feel like I have started building relationships with some of the people in Paisley. Very exciting as I see what God has does!

In other news, I had a really once-in-a-lifetime opportunity this weekend. Some friends here were trying to complete The Three Peak Challenge, which is to climb the three highest peaks in Scotland, England, and Wales in 24-hours to raise money for Cherish Uganda, a mission in Uganda set up to make a difference to more than 100,000 orphaned children who were HIV+. The group has made their goal to transform the very communities that these children live in by applying the principles of HOPE (Health, Love, Prosperity and Education) to create a future of promise for them. 

I had the opportunity to go with them and a dozen others on a rickety bus on one-lane roads, but I was secure in God’s love as He allowed me to see more of His breathtaking world and push myself in ways I never have. It was so much fun but really demanding. I had a little knee trouble and some blisters, but it was such an inspiring experience! My friends successfully completed the challenge and were able to raise a good deal of money for the charity. Check out Cherish Uganda here: http://www.christiangrowthinternational.org/Groups/73168/Christian_Growth_International/Churches/Cherish_Uganda/Cherish_Uganda.aspx

The rest of this week is devoted to preparing for CREATE on Friday night. CREATE is an open mic/creative expression night for young people in Paisley. Right now there are over 1,000 young people confirmed on Facebook! It’s so crazy! The Lord is doing such awesome things through CREATE. When I was here last year, there were only 100-200 kids coming. It’s amazing how much it was grown in a year and just all the incredible ways the Lord is using that event to minister the youth. It’s really humbling to have the opportunity to encourage them and spend time listening to them share their gifts and talents in a safe environment. There aren’t a lot of creative outlets for young people in Paisley, so this CREATE event fills a real need and is very appreciated by the youth.

Something I have loved about Stanley House is that the rhythm of life here is slow. We get things done, but we make time to sit and talk with one another. Twice a day we take a break and call it FIKA--basically, morning and afternoon tea. We sit down, usually with some treats, and talk about the day. We take the time to enjoy one another’s company and to learn from one another.

I’ve been really challenged by the fact that the friends I am staying with aren’t just missionaries in Paisley. They’ve really made themselves at home here and have truly become citizens of Paisley. This is their life, and they are trying to figure out what it means to live for Jesus every day. There isn’t some special missionary formula. It’s taking our lives one day at a time and giving them up to the Lord--serving, loving, and working in a way that glorifies Him. Jesus is truly at work through them, and it’s been so encouraging to watch how they live and love for Jesus and how this life and love shapes the way they love and build relationships with others.  Their hearts are so beautiful, and I have been encouraged and challenged by each of them every day.

I know it got a bit long this week, but my heart is just so full. God has given me such a love for the people of Paisley and Scotland. God is doing some really amazing things here, and I feel so blessed to be a part of it. Thanks so much for your continued support and prayers. Let me know if you have questions. If you’re interested in learning more about YWAM Paisley or any of the programs/events I’ve talked about, you can check out their webpage at www.ywampaisley.org.  Blessings, friends! Until next time.