God's path

For the past 48 hours or so, I have been spending my time at Lenoir Rhyne University in Hickory with 400+ brothers and sisters in Christ.  While this may seem like something I do on a normal day during the school year, this is different.  Many friends, family, and other people have been trying to grasp what I have been talking about doing.. so I am going to try and help ya out.

I am part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA).. and their are 65 synods.

•  (some are a whole state,  some are many states added together, and some states are multiple synods..it just depends on size and number of churches.. 

I am part of Region 9

• The 65 synods are divided into 9 regions... each containing 7-12 synods
• NC Synod is one of six synods in Region 9

I am part of North Carolina synod

• There are 213 congregations
• About 68,512 baptized members
• 465 rostered leaders 

Each synod has a group of lay members and clergy (synod council) that come together to work in the name of the LORD to serve as an interim legislative authority between meetings of the annual synod assembly.  I was elected onto Synod Council when I was a Junior in high school as the youth representative, and then again last year was re-elected onto Synod Council as a female lay member and have two more years serving.

The North Carolina Synod comes together each year in June to have our Synod Assembly meeting.  Each congregation in the Synod may send two voting members to the assembly.  In addition they are allowed to send one youth or young adult AND if they are a church with minority they are allowed to send one person of minority as well.

A lot of planning and time goes into making this a wonderful event.  As part of being on the synod council, I was blessed to be able to serve on the Assembly planning committee--and was asked to serve as one of the chaplains. The chaplain is responsible for prayers throughout the assembly and this year leading vespers.
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Now that I have been able to explain some of the background, I would like to share my good, bad, excited, and nervous emotions that came with this assembly.

Upon arriving to the assembly I knew that I was serving as chaplain, however I was nervous because I wasn't really sure about what was going to take place.  I am someone that likes to know everything and how it is going to flow--and well that just wasn't the case. Everything has worked out and gone very smoothly.  This is now my third assembly that I am taking part in, and well I have been blessed to have not only my own church family members here, but my father as well.  It has been very special to be able to know my dad is out there.  He is a huge role model for me in all that he does within the church and outside in the community.  He is open to doing whatever assigned to and always eager to learn new ways of doing old things or new ways of doing things unknown to him. Today, I really saw him and his actions in me.  As part of the Synod Assembly, the participants went out into the community this morning to serve.  I was assigned to quilting--and even though my mom is a sewing queen--I was a tad unsure how this was going to go.  But as soon as I entered the building I was ready to learn it all and learn anything they wanted to teach me.  I quickly caught on, and they told me they were never letting me leave :P.  While working there, I realized that you do not have to know how to do something in order to do it.. you can learn on the spot if needed.

My co-chaplain and I spent this weekend away from our home and family to serve the LORD our God. He is surely amazing.  We are not pastors, we are not youth ministers, we are just two girls living in this world as daughters of the risen LORD.  This weekend he equipped us with the knowledge that we needed and he never let us be lost, he was there.  Why at moments we wondered what we were doing and I found myself looking to him asking for guidance.  Every time that I was preparing to go on stage to pray to the assembly, I took a moment to talk to God.

Now that my duties are over and I am taking time to reflect, I am realizing even more that I am so blessed to have so many special people in my life.  While I know there are many things I could share and stories I could tell, and while I know many that may read this wouldn't understand portions of it, so instead I am going to share about two special ladies in my life.  These two ladies do not include my mother or any other blood family, they are not part of my St. Stephens church family.  They have been in my life during my high school and college years.  These two ladies have taught me more than both I and they even probably realize.  These two ladies are always there for me it seems even when I am not realizing it or expecting it.  While these two ladies have many of the same impacts in my life, they also have many differences.

The first one is, Liz Fisher, she is truly amazing.  She always has the high amounts of energy when hanging with the young people.  She understands events of life and will listen until I am sure other people's ears would fall off.  She answers questions, even if they are dumb ones.  She has been there for me of times when I am totally unsure and feeling lost.  I do not have stories of moments with her as I do with the next lady, but I do know that Liz makes an impact in so many people's lives.  I have seen her impact my little brothers, Brandon, life as well.. and that is just as special.

The second lady is Tammy Jones-West and I know that I do not have enough time or even space to express my appreciation for the teaching, equipping and much more that Tammy has already done for me and for what is to come. But one of the most obvious things to me that Tammy has taught me, is something that is likely not clear to her.  Like I said earlier, I like to know about what is going on and how things are going to flow. There has been a few times, including this weekend, that I just didn't know everything.  And everything worked out and I didn't need to know.  While I am sure that Tammy knew the details, she did not share and actually it was for the best!  She was indirectly teaching me that everything will be okay when I am doing the wonderful works for our LORD God.

It turned out that this blog was longer than I expected it to be, it was more in depth than I anticipated, but it shares much about my weekend.  For you readers, if you have questions, concerns or comments please feel free to let me know.  I leave with this:  What are we being called for.  I know that I do not know where I am going, however I like to think I can plan it out--BUT only one person knows the whole plan and that man is looking down on us slowly directing us in that way.  This weekend many have asked me if I am interested in the ministry, and my response is no that's not where I feel I am being called.  However, like Liz reminded me today, God is in control--he is the one that knows the plan!

Oh gracious LORD!  You were with me when I was born to you and baptized in your name.  You have led me to be a member on the synod council, to serve my brothers and sisters in Christ.  While I know that I plan out my future in the way that I think it should or is going, you are totally in control and you are the one person that I need to lean on.  I ask that you continue to remind me all of this and that I am pulled toward the path you want me to go.  Sometimes I will stray away, and it is okay if you lead me down a path that gets me know where--I understand that it is all for the training of my calling.  I am now in the boat of not really knowing what I am called for, but I do know that I want to relay on you.  LORD God, you are truly amazing, I love you LORD Jesus!  Amen