Unfamiliar Territory

What are you even doing this year?

Good question. I frequently ask myself the same thing. It’s hard to put into words what the fellowship consists of, because it’s a lot of different things. I’m not kidding when I say no two days look the same. Here’s my answer though. This year, I’m learning.

If you ‘d asked me three months ago how I was feeling about starting this year, I would have told you that I was ready to go home, and then I probably would have started crying. I thought the Lord needed me at home. Don’t get me wrong, I loved my summer at Sky Ranch, met awesome people, and the Lord did amazing things. I just wasn’t ready to commit a whole year to who knows what, and honestly I was scared.

I had just spent 4 years in a place that I like to call the Burg, where unfamiliar territory quickly became home, and strangers quickly became family. Then I find myself in East Texas, which is the last place I thought I’d ever end up, about to meet 13 new people from different walks of life, and I’m supposed to just jump right in? No part of me was ready for that. I was certain that the Lord needed me in Lynchburg. I thought that He needed me to be the hands and feet of Jesus there.

This brings me to the first lesson I learned in the fellowship. The Lord does NOT need me. How prideful of me to think that God needs me to do His work. I am nothing without Him.

Acts 17:25 says, “He is not served by human hands, as if He needed anything. Rather He Himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else.”

You see I had it all backwards. God does not need me. I need God. He doesn’t need me at home. He doesn’t need me here. He doesn’t NEED me anywhere. He is infinitely able. He chooses to use me, which is awesome, but no part of Him needs me to accomplish His work.

My faint human hands are nothing in comparison to the Almighty God I serve. There is freedom in surrender, knowing that God has all things under control. There is freedom in being fully here.  There is freedom in not feeling like I abandoned home, because the Lord is still at work there. He didn’t need me, but I am thankful He chose to use me while I was there.

Now I am here. It’s funny how life goes. Now this unfamiliar territory is quickly becoming home, and these 13 strangers are quickly becoming family. I love that I am here, and I wouldn’t change it for the world. I get to see the Body of Christ in action every single day. I get to grow and learn alongside these people. I get to boast in my weaknesses, and see the power of Christ rest on me daily. I get to wake up every morning and say, “Lord I need you. I really really do.” I love that I can say with full assurance, “I LOVE MY JOB!”

- Kylie O'Meara