The Beginning. The Middle. The End.
Photo taken by Michelle Sypkes.
I wanted my first post here to mean something. I wanted it to express why I am doing all of this. I already wrote this post a while ago, to be honest. But as I read it over, I couldn’t help but feel disappointed. I wasn’t disappointed with my writing ability, my style, or even the content. I loved writing that post. But as I read it over a few weeks before launching this website, I couldn’t help but feel like it was missing something.
As I thought more about it, it reminded my of many times in my life where I have felt like I’ve been misunderstood. Usually those moments are because I haven't fully expressed something or in trying to explain something, my passion or my genuine heart for it just doesn't quite come through the way I wanted it to. So if you are reading this, that means that it finally fits with what God has put on my heart.
If I were to tell you about every story, moment, and emotion that I have experienced over the years that led me here…. That would simply take too long. But I have come to the conclusion that this moment right here is not just the beginning, but also the middle and the end.
The beginning: this marks the beginning of a new season. This is so easy and obvious to see, it almost feels silly to explain. But here’s the thing: it is definitely the beginning of this website and the beginning of me really putting my calling and passion into action. However, this has also been the beginning of a new season mentally and spiritually. I have struggled a lot in the past with anxiety, stress, panic attacks, etc. But this process of building a website, planning, scheduling, and building relationships has shown me a new beauty in surrendering. I have never had so much peace in a situation that feels so chaotic…. um, ever?
The middle: Throughout the years of this vision coming together, I have seen God prepare me in countless areas. I remember praying just out of high school, “God, whatever you need to do to prepare me as a leader, do it”. There is something kind of crazy praying prayers like that because you really don’t fully know what you are getting yourself into (I certainly didn’t). Now let me be clear, He is not done with me yet. There is still so much more. So much, that I will spend my entire life praying these prayers and watching Him transform my heart. James 1:2-4: “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”
The end: I feel like I am taking a deep breath in and letting it out. I am no stranger to waiting on God. To be honest, I didn’t feel like this day would come so soon. I fully expected to wait longer because I never thought that I would ever be ready to take this on. But that’s kind of the beauty in surrender, that I don’t need to be perfect in any way for God to use me, or for me to begin to pursue something that He has called me to. It is the end of this season of waiting, but I am definitely not done waiting on God.
Now, I fully realize that I have not really explained what “this” is. That’s because why I am doing it is actually way more important that what I am doing. So, without further ado:
Love Your World is a place of community, relationships, and learning to love the world around us.
Community, because we all need it and it’s important to find where your place is in it.
Relationships, because they inspire us to be our best, and together we are stronger.
Learning to love the world around us, because when we value community and relationships, it’s about so much more than just our little lives. It is about all of us loving one another no matter the culture, language, ethnicity, or differing beliefs.
Throughout the coming months, there will be posts about:
What God is doing in my life.
What God is doing in other people’s lives regarding their differing callings.
Ways that you can love the world around you better.
If you are reading this, know that I am praying for you. I may not fully know what this will look like in the future (more accurately, I have very little knowledge of the future of this). But I know that God has brought me here, and it is pretty cool that He brought you here, too.