In Your Presence...

The theme at Catalyst this year was "Be Present." How fitting for my life right now, and my A.D.D. mind always. It's really very difficult for me to "be present" in conversations, although I try hard. I like to think that I'm just very aware of my surroundings, but that would be an excuse :) I suppose I'm that way with God as well. With half-hearted prayers, half-hearted devotion, and half-hearted attention ... I call myself a follower. It's then that I realize, He is never absent. He is never late... He is never early... He never calls to reschedule... His mind never wanders... His devotion to me is never distracted. He is always present. And His presence is quite frankly the only presence that matters. This truth has impeccable timing because right now what I need, the only thing I need, is His presence.

Cool story from Catalyst:

While standing in line to get in, we started talking to people around us. Cause that's what you do when you are in line for hours. Some girls from our group start talking to a girl named Caley who was there alone.
I met her, but that was it. However, while running through the doors to find a seat, we somehow ended up next to each other and started talking about life. Then it happened... she said it... "the mission trip I just got home from..." That was the beginning of a beautiful relationship :) She began to tell me about something called "World Race" where you go to 11 countries in 11 months. "Wow, that's amazing," I thought. As she told me more, I fell in love with the idea. Shortly after, I met a guy named Brandon who was to leave the following morning to launch his race. As I type this he is in Guatemala for what I can only imagine to be a life-changing experience. (You can support him OR follow his blog at brandonboyd.worldrace.org - and I would encourage you to do so.) While talking to him, I found out he had no where to stay that night NOR a ride to the airport the next morning to catch his flight and start his launch. I believe in divine appointments and this was certainly one of them.

We offered him to stay with the guys in our group that night and a ride to the airport the next morning. I guess I felt a little fear throughout the whole day because I had not actually asked the guys about this. I just sort of offered without thinking first. I tend to get myself into trouble doing that sometimes but I can't exactly help it. There was a person standing in front of me who was about to launch an experience of a lifetime, following the Lord's call, and here he was in need. God was giving me the chance to be a very small part of Brandon's race and I couldn't help but say "Yes! Let us help you." Everything worked out and we got to the hotel that night for him to stay. I walked to the lobby to ask for the number to a local taxi company and when I told the front desk associate that my friend needed a ride to the airport, he told me that it was going to be about a $70 taxi ride. "Ok, figure this out Ashli. I promised Brandon a ride. It's ok, I have money in savings. He needs a ride. I can do $70. Ok, no big deal, let's do this." Maybe my face was showing evidence of the conversation happening in my head because the front desk associate said, "Unless you want to buy him a train ticket." He explained that I could buy Brandon a $10 cab ride to the train station, then a $2 train ticket that would take him straight into the airport. ARE YOU KIDDING ME, GOD? Like, really? THEN... turns out, before I could even give him money, two guys from our group had already done so. Crazy...

Myself, Brandon, and Jillian - at the hotel

We went to bed that night agreeing that we would meet in the lobby at 5:15am to pray before he left at 5:30am. And so we did. Time after time God showed up in the last 36 hours and provided for His faithful servant. It would take 18 more paragraphs to tell you everything. That day at Catalyst was exciting and humbling and everything in between. Caley and I talked more about the race and everything she said made me want to do it more. And every thought was followed with a fear. Who knows if God will send me on a race... who knows where God will send me period?

Regardless, He has already sent me. For now, until He says otherwise, Hattiesburg remains my mission field, and so I will make it just that.