Challenged and Encouraged

            The pastor at my local church always opens the Sunday morning service in saying that he hopes we all feel challenged and encouraged. His hope is that the things that we hear challenge us. That we let the things that wreck us, but that we’re encouraged to make movements toward restoration. His hope is that the movements because we’re compelled by something that was offered at service, and that the steps begin a change, no matter how large or small. In thinking of the ways to approach this week’s blog update I was simply challenged by a topic. I’ve been learning so much, I’ve been overwhelmed by the creation of these sites and foundations, that I just cannot find the proper words to articulate my perspective.

            This week I’ve been working on a great deal of administrative tasks and examining on maintaining the information that gets sent publicly for people to view as they come to our page. I’ve been in correspondence with followers asking if we can post their stories to the website as a message of hope and community. In this way I feel as though I’m slowly acquiring some of the skills to be more diplomatic and professional in email format- something today’s technologically driven society definitely needs. Not only that, but I’ve had the chance to share some of what I do as an intern with some of the students and followers who have emailed into us.

It’s an amazing thing to see how people are coming to one developing website, sharing their stories, and then allowing some of that to be poured back into their lives. Even in just logging onto Facebook and seeing if there’s something worthy for me to post, like a quote or motivational thought, it’s amazing some of the conversations and support that I have begun to see as someone who’s still feeling the newness of her experience. Perhaps for the week that’s my sense of encouragement; that no matter how much I need to complete at this stage in the game, there’s always going to be time to sit down have that discussion with someone. There’s always time to stop what we’re doing, to readjust the view, and just to extend a hand and the ability to be an available resource. Perhaps my encouragement is the fact that I have been given this internship in the first place. Perhaps it comes from the simplicity of not thinking that a blog can reach far, but then realizing that it can. Ultimately you realize that words, works, and comfort can extend to so many nations because people are only looking for a listener. Perhaps the encouragement comes from letting myself be that listener and seeing how that transpires to the community.

Some might look at this blog and say, “It seems like everything is going great for you. What’s the challenge then?” For me the challenge isn’t about sitting to find time to answer people back, it’s not about the jobs that Jake asks me to pursue in order to make the site as good as possible, nope. The challenge comes when I log on for my daily shift only to realize that there are so many people writing in, that there’s so much pain and frustration for the world over. The challenge comes in hearing some of those stories and wondering whether my words will be effective in offering support and understanding. The challenge comes in recognizing that I can’t exactly fix the struggles and seasons that people are going through, but instead, that I am simply one piece of a bigger mission. The challenge sometimes comes in having the qualifications and feeling okay doing what I’m doing. The challenge comes in letting myself off the hook and realizing that this is merely my first shot at these new experiences. The list could go on and on for right now, and when I feel like it might, I have to stop myself.

I’m here. I’m here because I was qualified. I’m here because I had something to offer this team and because of the ultimate goals I have for helping people and providing resources. I’ve really begun to realize that these opportunities and these stories aren’t meant to be a scoring contest or a detail of how well I can answer a question. Instead, it’s merely the process of listening and hearing individuals and their challenges. Of promoting community and hope just through the tiny things that we do using technology. This whole process is still really amazing to me and I’m thrilled to be a part of such a new and becoming organization.