Summer Time....

Malus Beauregard House,
New Orleans

Some pictures from the road trip!
Gateway Arch, St. Louis

Hi Everyone!

So I've been home for about a week and a half now! I had an incredible road trip with my best friend and her brother, we got to see and experience so much! It was such a great trip! And, I got to show her around the place where I (sort of) grew up, so that was a lot of fun too. Now I'm back, I was also able to spend some time with my sister and her best friends during her bachelorette weekend. I really enjoyed getting to hang out with and talk to them. It was a really great time, laughing, talking, and just spending time with each other.

Eating some barbecue in Memphis!

National Civil Rights Museum,
Memphis

I wanted to share a little bit about some time that I spend in New Orleans. On our road trip we decided to stop in the Big Easy for a few days and just explore the city. It was so much fun! Especially since so much of the city has a lot of French mixed in! So while we were there I was able to see another side to it, I'm not sure if it's because I'm just more aware of these things, or because the Lord was pointing them out to me, or maybe this is totally normal to see, but I saw so much hurting, and pain. I saw people trying to make themselves happy, people who were selling themselves to make others happy, and people who were just downright miserable. It broke my heart. I saw devastation of a different kind, devastation of the spirit. I saw a hollow emptiness, and it stirred something in me. I knew in that moment, this is why the Lord has called me to a life of ministry. This is why I have such a big heart, because there are so many hurting people in this world that need to know the greatest healing that can come to their soul is the love of God.

As I reflect on my calling, I'm also reflecting on the next step I'm taking in my life. I am so excited to be going to Belfast, not just because I'm going to be working with an incredible group of people, or because I get to live in an amazing place full of history and beauty, but because for the next few years it is a place where I get to work, full time, reaching those that need to experience love. I get to just love on people, and live out the testimony of Christ's love for me. This is the truth: every person, no matter who they are, or what they've done is worthy of love. Christ taught us this. Love, God's love, has the most incredible power to heal, restore, and transform. This is my heart, this is my calling and my purpose. I want to love, radically, to be an example of the love of Christ. I'm not perfect, far from it, I make mistakes, and unfortunately sometimes I hurt people, but my hope, my passion is to do my best not to hurt others, but to show them love where there is none. Yes, there is more to being a follower of Christ, but it all starts and ends in love. "So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love." 1 Corinthians 13:13 ESV

Beignets at Cafe du Monde,
New Orleans

Claire and I in the French Quarter

So, my challenge to you is this: love radically this week. Love outside the box. Instead of judging someone for what they are doing, try to understand where they are coming from. Just because you are trying to love by understanding them, and their past does not mean that you condone their behavior. You are simply trying to show them the love that Christ showed you when you came to Him broken and desperate. So step outside the box, think of those that frustrate you, irritate you, make you downright angry, then think of a way that you can show them love this week. I'm challenging myself here too. I think it'll change our lives, don't you?





Blessings and Love,


Chrissy

Gulf Coast, Mississippi