Part II: Through the Eyes of a Canadian, Through the Spirit of our Lord… Ireland

Part II

         Seriously though, can we actually all hear God if we listen? How does that work? I think my brain is broken. Challenge #2 Listening Prayer. Of course I read AIM’s beliefs (I promise, I only have it open on my other screen as a refresher!) but I must only have glanced over it, because I remember my stomach knotting up on Wednesday, camp day #4 when Ms. Julie our fearless leader introduced us to the concept during our morning team meeting. I’d tried listening prayer before without much success, which in hindsight makes sense, I doubt God would want to reach me in my cynicism. But there was no hiding from the day’s assignment, ask God for insight into the person on your left, and share it with them. Do you think Lauren noticed I was on her right? Maybe she’ll forget. “God, quiet the enemy, quiet the world, and quiet myself, let me hear you clearly, please?” 

 

         Breakthrough: ‘Kevin, I love you, and I understand that you are dealing with really riotous children, the Torchies are the worst, but I need you to finally let go of your selfishness. You are not the only team member that is dealing with difficult, attention starved children. Look to your right, did you see that glimpse of frustration and hopelessness in Amanda’s eyes as the girls misbehave around her? I can use the Spirit through you to encourage the female leader’s today, just allow Him to move.” I had no idea that this was what my female counterparts would come to know as the hardest day of camp. How amazing that the Spirit would choose this day to move through me, to dismiss myself, and encourage and love the team around me. 

 

         Finally, how do you stop writing about moments and lessons that changed your life? How do you articulate the best 3 weeks you’ve ever experienced? Challenge #3 Conclusion. I cannot tell you in a short synopsis about all of my adventures in Ireland; In fact, I hadn’t even made it past week one in this post, to write about the beautiful city of Kilkenny and our ministry there. The truth is, beyond discovering the power of the Spirit, I learned about love, community, selflessness, leadership, prayer, true beauty and so much more. I made memories I will never forget, and learned lessons I would do well to remember. My prayer is that through my own disjointed words, the reader of this blog may feel a tug themselves, and begin a dialogue of their own with our loving Father (Or “Daddy” as Claire would say).

 

         “God, I thank you every day for the gift you have given me, the three weeks spent in Ireland. I thank you and praise you for amazing leadership, and the incredible new family of believers that you have brought into my life. I want to thank you for the people of Ireland, the broken, the hungry, the lost and the found. I thought that I was going to Ireland to bless and encourage It’s people; and although I hope I’ve done that, you have changed and blessed me much more through them. May I never forget what you did in Dublin and Kilkenny, for the rest of my life. In your radically awesome name, Amen”