"It takes a village to raise a child."
A letter of gratitude for those who have become my village over the years & written in the light of those who never had a village to call home.
Is your village a place? Is it a people? Is it a thing? Is it only God? Have you lived life in a community or in isolation? Do you live a life of wealth or poverty?
Your village answers each of these questions. I recently received a reset of all the baggage that I had been carrying. I feel light. I don't feel the same as I did. Thank you, God.
My village- there have been many who have raised me over the years in different ways and for different reasons and fulfilling different needs. I wish those who were there were still in my life, but it doesn't really work like that on this side of heaven- does it? But I still can cherish them in my heart.
My family- my parents who sacrificed so much to put me through occupational therapy, confront those who bullied me and stood up for me when no one else did or could. Grandpa Garlan and Grandma Jerry both have passed now, but I am who I am because of the lives you lived and I remember you. Maggie, thank you for being my friend, my shield, my sister, and like no one else I've ever known. Vineyard Church/ Destination Church - I have mixed emotions and maybe I always will, but how I feel about the people will never change. Dennis and Nancy, you were faithful friends that saw me through the darkest of times in my younger years. Megan Grim- You are such a good friend. You called things out that I never saw. You helped teach me how to hear from God when he spoke. Dillon Rylatt- I'll hold the things you taught me till the day I die, I think. You taught me how to pray for others, evangelism, sharing the Gospel in simple less heady terms, and you showed me how to love others in practical ways. Gentes family- I miss you, my second family. such a safe place. thank you. Damion Wade- you taught me how to think through scripture in small groups. Andy Antal & Alina Antal-Obards- you taught me friendship.
EPIC /Movement @ Church of The Cross became a new community for me. Pastor Charles- you are so humble and loving to your people even beyond their departure. Ju, Josh, Esther- so many memories and friendships that felt like an adoption at the start. A friendship that endured throughout my military training. In the season, you all were my gift from God.
161st ARW/ LRS & Flight 459 & MTI's :TSgt Tami, MSgt Dixon, TSgt Blanton
Y'all it's been a ride so far! I guess my BMT experience is like none other since I graduated as an operational Airman in the middle of a worldwide pandemic. Graduation was a little quiet due to the pandemic, but I'm an airman just the same. I love my girls that I roomed with for 2 months, if you read this FT 459- I'm rooting for you & believe in you. All my MTI's were in my corner, and thank God for you. God knew I needed you. Haha, I'll never miss med hold as long as I live & same for tech school. But God is faithful step by step.
And I'm thankful for my 161st family- I can call on you no matter what and I have some of the best leaders I've ever encountered at my fingertips.
And Antioch Phx- you've welcomed me in & paid for my entrance to several events after just showing up. I have not a clue exactly how I found y'all, but I'm here and I love you. Thank you for loving me and caring for me. It's been a long time since I've felt so loved. And you are part of my village today.
Friends, this may seem like a long list... but I want you to hear that many of us have one or multiple villages that meet our needs in every season. It's God's provision over his children in every season. Even in my time of loneliness and isolation, I still had one of these groups in my life. I'm blessed to even have one, some don't have that luxury.
Take a moment to just thank Jesus for the Village or Villages that have been in your life or is in your life currently. You are so blessed by the King of Kings. And you are deeply loved by him.
Secondly, I implore you to consider those without a village. What would that look like? How would that feel? Isolated? Depressed? Imprisoned? Hopeless? Unwanted? Where might it lead?
I guess I have found so much joy in considering someone other than me. I can be self-focused and get trapped in thoughts about myself, but when I think of how many options or people who love me, I'm so honored. I want to give it away to others as well- to be the village-like I also received. I've personally been convicted and so inspired by a vision project so to speak called "The Village at Church of the City (COTC)" COTC Franklin is a church out of middle Tennessee & is pastored by Darren Whitehead. Darren was overlooking all their acreage of land at COTC one day and noticed from his office window that the fields were being mowed day in and day out. He asks God, "Will this just be mowed for the next 30 years, or God do you wanna do something?"
Darren has this vision for the motivation of witnessing the city flourish for the advancement of the Kingdom of God. The team went on a listening tour to the county/town officials and the mayor of Franklin, TN to hear about the most concerning needs. One of which was that 9K foster children that are in need of places to stay, and the amount that end of sleeping in the DCS office night after night. Darren has the vision to build a safe house so the foster kids can play, sleep, and live without being burdened by the social work office. The safe house building will fill the church's need for special needs people on Sunday mornings as well as be a place to help provide assistance for parents who need help for kids with special needs or foster children. Additionally, they plan to build a dining facility and kitchen. They want to also create a need for the ones who age out of the system to fill. COTC wants to give life to those who weren't given a head start like teaching them how to work, develop skills and earn money to get started in life.
I don't tell you Darren's vision to contribute or anything, but to consider how God could use you to invest in your neighbor. The vision is breathtaking really because I forget how able I am to help others in my own neighborhood. I should actually do something about it. Nevertheless, you should know COTC Franklin had a $30mil goal for the project, Village @ COTC, and has officially reached $34mil- and it hasn't even been a month since it was announced to the church. Praise God.
Consider what could happen if you gave God your hands and feet for his purposes. Who knows?
Having gratitude is necessary, but thinking of how blessed we are gears us to be a village to others. It just means kindness. The Bible says the kindness of God leads to repentance (Romans 2:3-4). I don't know about you, but I hope everyone finds Jesus because he is beautiful and loving and life-changing, life-saving. He won't just save us from death but provides abundant life for today. Consider the mission field you walk on and how you could invest in the people around you to advance His Kingdom come.
"We are blessed to be a blessing." ~PC, Movement
Friends, go jump in the river and see what happens. Be the village.
All my best,
Chloe <3
Comments