Training: Days 1 & 2

So I've arrived in New York City along with 14 other interns and I'm officially in love with the city, with the people around me, with the mission ahead of me.

There are so many things I could share, so many personalities here I could expand upon, so many great discussions, thoughts, sites, restraunts, experiences-- and I haven't even been here for over 48 hours yet! I'll try to note the things that strike me as most important and save you on the nitty gritty details so as not to overkill this whole blogging thing.

Yesterday was certainly a whirlwind-- from saying goodbye to my family, to Jeff, and the girls (plus Chris), to arriving in New York, meeting my fellow interns and our leaders, orienting myself with the city, the living arrangements, the pace of our schedule-- by the end of the day I was exhausted, but alive at the same time, overwhelmed, but incredibly hopeful and certainly full of excitement, anticipation, joy.

One of our leaders, Suzanne, shared with us last night the passage in which Jesus calls the disciples into ministry. She reminded us that just as the disciples dropped their smelly fishing nets that day and chose to follow after the voice that called them, so too did we leave things behind and respond to a call. This realization made everything we are doing here, everything we are each preparing to do in the next couple months, incredibly holy. I began reflecting on how truly challenging it was to pack up and leave (to leave my family and all the reasons I thought I could/should be used at home, to leave the man I love knowing that I'll have to miss out on big moments in his life, moments I wish I could share with him, to leave my friends, my routine, my comfort zone) and, as I reflected on these things, I felt a connection with and understanding of the disciples that I've never experienced-- what a beautiful, sacred thing it is to answer a call. What a scary, difficult thing it is. What a challenging, exciting, hopeful thing.

I read a book of Joan Chittister's about Ruth before bed last night, and she took this sense of leaving things behind and articulated the beauty of it all in an incredible way; she says:

We learn that loss is simply the invitation to begin another life, to take on the rest of life, to develop the fullness of the godlife within us.

And also:

Loss, ironically enough, is the catalyst of newness, a doorway to other parts of the soul, where what lies dormant in us comes alive because come alive it must.

I think the most exciting part of the things I've lost (atleast for the summer) is the anticipation of the ways God must change and develop me as a result. My safety nets are gone and all I can do now is open my eyes, my hands, my heart and see what God has in store for me.

There are so many other things I want to share-- we had an amazing discussion about social justice and charity today; we walked around Greenwhich Village; I learned interesting things about the people I am here in mission with-- I promise to share more later, but for now I think I'm heading to bed (so thankful to be here and so hopeful for what is to come).