Practicing Patience

As I neglected my blog for most of the summer while trying to prepare for the year ahead, it suddenly crept up on me and my year as a YAGM has officially started and the next step of my journey has begun.

I came to Chicago August 15th for a week of orientation that was exhausting; so much information and such an emotional roller coaster. It was great being with the other 56 YAGM as we are all going through this together and in the short time we have known each other, we have truly become a family. After spending hours at a time hearing about all of the possibilities of things that could happen to us over the next year it became overwhelming, but as the week continued the excitement was growing. Closing worship was amazing as we receieved blessings, anointed our hands for the work to come, and sang together in a way that brought tears for many and sounded like a call of hope. By the end of orientation we were all ready and as prepared as we could be for what is to come.

On the 22nd most of the YAGM left for their countries of service. I am currently still in Chicago. I am waiting for my visa which is either still in New York at the British consulate or hopefully on its way back to me so I can fly out. One would think that getting a visa to the UK would not be as difficult as it has been, but it has been awful and now I am stuck waiting. It was hard watching everyone else leave, but apparently it just isn't time for me to go yet. As soon as the visa gets here I will be headed to London where my placement is anxiously awaiting my arrival.

Luckily I'm not alone in Chicago and it really isn't a bad place to be stuck for a couple extra days, there is so much to do. However, I am so ready to go! I am excited to get to London and begin work, but for now I just have to wait. I am trying to use the days I am here to practice my patience. Not only is it a good life tool, but I think that in the work I'm going to do this year and as part of this leg of my journey it is going to be very important. Everything is going to work out and soon enough I will be on a plane crossing the pond to my new home for the next year (I can hardly wait)!