"People come into your life for a reason, a season, or a lifetime." Five months ago, my friend and I kick started our new life group for college-aged students, called Elevate. During that first meeting I was struck (figuratively not literally) by a girl about my age who was in the United States for work. She shared very openly with a group of strangers, myself included, testimony after testimony about God's faithfulness in her life. When there was no hope, she always trusted God to come through.
After that first meeting, a change in work schedule and an overall set of challenging circumstances kept her from ever meeting with our group again. As leaders, my friend and I kept in touch with her sporadically. Always wondering how she was doing and sending random text messages. While I knew she was okay it always saddened me that she was not able to fully engage with other members of the group.
This week my friend and I sat with Kesh in a restaurant for nearly three hours. It was only the third time I'd seen her face to face. Our time in the restaurant plus a conversation the night before shed light on God's workings of giving us who we need, when we need them, for the purpose they are needed.
What Kesh gave me on that very first evening of life group and what she gave to me again, full circle five months later before moving away, was faith. "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things unseen." I prayed for Elevate before its inception but at times I couldn't tell if we were really accomplishing anything. There were moments when I felt that I failed at being a catalyst for change or failed to even be a good friend to my peers. Seeing and talking to Kesh this week reminded me that when you are sowing the seeds of Christ with faith and love there is ALWAYS return on investment. Sometimes you see it and sometimes you don't but it's always there.
September 2012
Kesh: I didn't even know that this group existed! I'm so glad I found you all.
Me: [smiling] Actually that's because we didn't exist a week ago. The group just started.
Kesh shared how Elevate was her family away from home. At a time when she felt lonely we were her support and prayer network. She said that our "random" text messages always came at just the right time. She said that we changed her life. It's funny how these things work, because I always felt that Kesh changed me and that I owed her for what she added to our life group during that first meeting.
January 2013 (a note from Kesh to me)
"Meeting you was a true blessing and it really felt like you were my older sister who looked out for me. You are an amazing person who I treasure and appreciate. I pray God blesses you with love, success, and happiness. You have helped me through this year and made it really beautiful. Please come visit and thank you for everything."
The best is yet to come,
~Adwoa
After that first meeting, a change in work schedule and an overall set of challenging circumstances kept her from ever meeting with our group again. As leaders, my friend and I kept in touch with her sporadically. Always wondering how she was doing and sending random text messages. While I knew she was okay it always saddened me that she was not able to fully engage with other members of the group.
This week my friend and I sat with Kesh in a restaurant for nearly three hours. It was only the third time I'd seen her face to face. Our time in the restaurant plus a conversation the night before shed light on God's workings of giving us who we need, when we need them, for the purpose they are needed.
What Kesh gave me on that very first evening of life group and what she gave to me again, full circle five months later before moving away, was faith. "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things unseen." I prayed for Elevate before its inception but at times I couldn't tell if we were really accomplishing anything. There were moments when I felt that I failed at being a catalyst for change or failed to even be a good friend to my peers. Seeing and talking to Kesh this week reminded me that when you are sowing the seeds of Christ with faith and love there is ALWAYS return on investment. Sometimes you see it and sometimes you don't but it's always there.
September 2012
Kesh: I didn't even know that this group existed! I'm so glad I found you all.
Me: [smiling] Actually that's because we didn't exist a week ago. The group just started.
Kesh shared how Elevate was her family away from home. At a time when she felt lonely we were her support and prayer network. She said that our "random" text messages always came at just the right time. She said that we changed her life. It's funny how these things work, because I always felt that Kesh changed me and that I owed her for what she added to our life group during that first meeting.
January 2013 (a note from Kesh to me)
"Meeting you was a true blessing and it really felt like you were my older sister who looked out for me. You are an amazing person who I treasure and appreciate. I pray God blesses you with love, success, and happiness. You have helped me through this year and made it really beautiful. Please come visit and thank you for everything."
The best is yet to come,
~Adwoa
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