Twas the night before the mission trip

'Twas the night before the mission trip, when all thro' the house
every creature was stirring, especially my spouse;
The bags were packed by the wife with care,
In hopes that our group would soon would be there;
The youth pastor was nestled all snug in the bed,
While visions of ministry danc'd in his head...
I can't believe that the mission trip we began planning in September begins tomorrow! It's hard to believe with all of the planning, preparation and praying will result in 16 people going to my home church tomorrow for a week of loving God and loving others.

My parents moved to Flint, Michigan while I was in college at Trevecca. One of the hardest things for me was coming "home" to a place I had never been. But tonight I am so excited to go back home.

After grad school I landed my dream job as a school social worker and began working at the Academy of Flint. The three years I worked there I experienced many emotions. There were days I came home from work and slept for hours because I was emotionally exhausted. I was threatened, had my hub caps stolen multiple times, sat with kids in the ER till their parents came, collected coats and shoes every winter, became the voice for children who were helpless, packed up backpacks of food so families could eat over the weekend and faced some of the biggest challenges in my career, yet would do it all again. Because I know that it made a difference to Datwan, Aniah, Marvin, Keyshaira, Michael, and other children at the Academy of Flint.

My life looks so much different from the days "Ms. Bowser" walked the halls of that school in Flint. Four years later I will return to the hurting community I once served. Tomorrow my husband and our daughter along with a group of teens will driveto Flint, to a community that needs to experience the hope and love of Christ.

I feel like a little kid on Christmas Eve...I can hardly wait for morning! My heart is overjoyed that tomorrow begins my vacation...a vacation spent in ministry. My role will be to cook and prepare meals for our team. What better way to spend a week off of work than to serve others. I'm not sure what the week will hold...we have planned a week of ministry projects, but my prayer is that the Lord will interrupt our plans with His plan. I pray that I can get over myself; my worries, fear and selfishness and serve. I pray that I will be so fully present in the moment that my life reflects Him in everything I do this week.