"He feels our weakness, knows our need
And for our good He intercedes.
All is well because of God's great love.
Through every failure, every fear
The Lord of comfort draws us near.
And all is well because of God's great love."
[sovgrace.music]
One year ago...
It was just a normal day.
I had a nutritious breakfast of cereal,
Then headed across the street to the ghetto Giant to drop of medicine.
Gatorade on sale? Sweet. I'll take three.
Grabbed some Cliff Bars, picked up my medicine, then headed off to class.
After a not so thrilling class I headed to my cousin's house for lunch.
Then, everything changed.
Dad had been doing some remodeling at my cousins house less than 10 minutes from school. So whenever I had a break from classes and RA duty I would go over and spend quality time sleeping on their comfy couch.
When I got to my cousin's house I was affectionately greeted by both my dad and my cousin (who was working from home). We sat in the living room, ate pizza for lunch [we are really big on nutrition] and just talked about life. My cousin asked me how school was, my students, etc. During our lunch time my uncle called me. I answered unsure why he was calling me...
"hello?"
"andrea. why are you answering your dad's phone."
"um, this is my phone."
"oh..."
[this is what happens when your name and your dad's name is different by only 1 letter]
I gave the phone to my dad and he went out front to talk to him, while my cousin and I continued to enjoy our pizza and conversation. He came back inside and sat down next to me on the couch and said something that I will never forget.
"andi. the doctor called back this morning. you are really sick. you have cancer."
Nothing could have prepared me for this moment. But yet here I was, in the middle of my cousin's living room, eating pizza. We said goodbye to my cousin and dad took me back home to maryland. It was the longest 40 minute drive I have ever experienced. But, it was full of texting RA co-workers to let them know what was going on and phone calls with good friends who shared scripture with me and prayed for me.
I expected to come home to just my mom and brother, but got so much more. Two of our very good friends were there waiting for us. They were there to comfort my mom and brother. They were there to pray with us and for me. Later my pastor and my parent's pastor came by to also pray for me. Later on that day my best friend came by to visit and make me laugh. This my friends, is the body of Christ at work.
After that day, I guess you could say the rest is history. We didn't know what was in store for us. We didn't know where I would go for treatment. We didn't even know what kind of cancer I had. But we knew that we serve a powerful God.
That weekend I came home was the last weekend of the current Youth Drama Production at our church. They were performing "Acts" - an original play written by the talented Cathy Mays [which I also happened to be apart of when I was in high school]. If you have been to any of these youth drama plays you know that they are nothing more than moving. And if you know the story of Acts, you know that the story of Paul's journey and suffering is inspiring.
After God revealed himself to Paul on the road to Damascus, nothing could keep him from sharing the gospel of Christ. Even through suffering, Paul knew that God had him there for a reason. And he trusted that God knew what He was doing, even if Paul didn't.
The next few days after coming home were uncertain. We didn't know where the road before us was leading. My parents spent countless hours driving to different offices trying to figure out the legal aspects of what was going on. I would be lying if I told you that everything was peachy in those few days. We trusted God even when we didn't know what was before us.
I remember leaving the youth drama production that night and seeing one of my dear friends, Brittany. We were talking about everything that was going on and in the middle of the conversation she gasped and said that she would be right back. She went downstairs to her office and grabbed the newest CD that was published by Sovereign Grace Music. That CD became one of our family's favorite albums to listen to during this time. The title of the album was "From Age to Age" and each song talked about how through all the ages God remains the same and He remains faithful.
Looking back on this past year, there is nothing I can do but to be grateful for what God has done. There were times where the road was uncertain and there were many times where the road was painful and difficult. During this time not only did my family grow closer together as we trusted and depended on God to get us through, but I truly understood the meaning of the body of Christ.
One year ago, everything changed. Within that year God tested me, I experienced suffering like I had never experienced before, but I also experienced more grace than I have ever experienced before. I can tell you many funny stories about doctor's visits, or hospitals, or how delusional I was on meds. But more importantly, I can tell you that our God is faithful and continues to be faithful even in the darkest of trials. If there is anything that I have learned from this whole experience, it has been that our God is unchanging and that the same God who was faithful to Paul so many years ago continues to be faithful to each and every one of us today.
Saturday, March 30, 2013
Friday, March 15, 2013
Youthlings with a Passion
"Not to us, but to your name alone,
Be all the glory, the glory forever.
For your faithfulness and steadfast love,
Receive the glory, the glory belongs to you."
[sovgrace.music]
I remember during my first year in high school, after my family had moved, many of my friends were involved in a youth drama production at our church. You could say that these plays were one of the highlights of the school year. They were full of fantastic youth using the gifts of theater and song to glorify God and advance His kingdom. Of course productions would not happen if there was not a highly trained director guiding us. Cathy Mays has not only been doing productions for many years now, but enjoys doing it. I don't know why should would want to spend her time with 50+ youthlings or even how she manages to deal with each and every aspect of putting together a show, but every year she steps up to the plate.
During my sophomore and senior years of high school I was blessed to participate in shows. Many of my friends were in the shows each year so I was excited to spend time with them in a non-school setting. Well, from October to March/April we sure did spend a LOT of time together. Sometimes maybe even too much time. We spent countless hours together singing, dancing, acting, laughing, etc. You could always look back on these times and remember the special memories you had together.
Last summer when I realized that I was not going back to George Mason I knew that I would have a lot of extra time and wanted to serve in some way. I was already serving on the youth admin team, and after emailing Mrs. Mays, I was now administratively involved in helping out with this year's play: "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat" - which just happend to be the same play that I was in my senior year of high school. Talk about having memories flooding back.
.jpg)
These high school students never cease to amaze me. Not only are they all super talented, but they are super humble. Their passion and love for Jesus is evident in the way that they desire to use their talent not to bring glory to themselves, but to bring glory to God and advance His gospel through acting.
But it is also no surprise that when you spend countless hours with each other close friendships begin to develop. We have become one big happy family. They have not only cared for each other as a cast, but have also cared for those individuals who are helping this production come to live. The guys even surprised all the girls one night by singing a heart felt Jason Mraz song during dinner and giving each girl in the cast a rose and all the female staff a small bouquet of flowers for Valentine's Day.
There have also been many times where I have been stressed with school, or not feeling well and the thought of going to a rehearsal is not the thing I want to do. But once you get there, everything changes. They constantly prayed for me when I was sick. They rejoiced with me and my family after my positive 3 month check up at Hopkins. They prayed for me when I was studying for and taking my Praxis exam. They celebrated with me when I passed the Praxis exam. They sang happy birthday to me 4 times during rehearsal. And even some girls brought me a cake for my birthday.
And of course, no production would be complete without the cast and crew having an uncanny ability to make you laugh multiple times at rehearsals.
These last few months I have realized that being administratively involved in the production is a lot different than actually being in the play. It involves thinking about and planning for each rehearsal. It involves teaching and re-teaching parts. It involves constantly telling high schoolers to be quiet and listen to instruction.
But it is also quiet rewarding. I mean, who wouldn't want to have play songs stuck in your head every single day? Or have nightmares about things going wrong during the productions? Or wake up in the middle of the night doing the hand motions to different songs?
In the last 5 months I think that I have listened to and watched run throughs at least 50 times [hence why I am singing these songs to myself as I am going to sleep]. The cast, and those helping, are very very familiar with the story of Joseph. But each and every time I am overwhelmed at the love and mercy of God. Despite our sin, despite our selfishness, God still graciously opens His arms for us to run back to Him.
We may go through trials and wonder if God even cares, or if God is even with us during our trials. Friends, even if we don't feel like God is with us, He is interceding for us. He loves us, and He has a plan for each of our lives, even if we don't understand what that plan is.
Be all the glory, the glory forever.
For your faithfulness and steadfast love,
Receive the glory, the glory belongs to you."
[sovgrace.music]
I remember during my first year in high school, after my family had moved, many of my friends were involved in a youth drama production at our church. You could say that these plays were one of the highlights of the school year. They were full of fantastic youth using the gifts of theater and song to glorify God and advance His kingdom. Of course productions would not happen if there was not a highly trained director guiding us. Cathy Mays has not only been doing productions for many years now, but enjoys doing it. I don't know why should would want to spend her time with 50+ youthlings or even how she manages to deal with each and every aspect of putting together a show, but every year she steps up to the plate.
During my sophomore and senior years of high school I was blessed to participate in shows. Many of my friends were in the shows each year so I was excited to spend time with them in a non-school setting. Well, from October to March/April we sure did spend a LOT of time together. Sometimes maybe even too much time. We spent countless hours together singing, dancing, acting, laughing, etc. You could always look back on these times and remember the special memories you had together.
Last summer when I realized that I was not going back to George Mason I knew that I would have a lot of extra time and wanted to serve in some way. I was already serving on the youth admin team, and after emailing Mrs. Mays, I was now administratively involved in helping out with this year's play: "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat" - which just happend to be the same play that I was in my senior year of high school. Talk about having memories flooding back.
.jpg)
These high school students never cease to amaze me. Not only are they all super talented, but they are super humble. Their passion and love for Jesus is evident in the way that they desire to use their talent not to bring glory to themselves, but to bring glory to God and advance His gospel through acting.
But it is also no surprise that when you spend countless hours with each other close friendships begin to develop. We have become one big happy family. They have not only cared for each other as a cast, but have also cared for those individuals who are helping this production come to live. The guys even surprised all the girls one night by singing a heart felt Jason Mraz song during dinner and giving each girl in the cast a rose and all the female staff a small bouquet of flowers for Valentine's Day.
There have also been many times where I have been stressed with school, or not feeling well and the thought of going to a rehearsal is not the thing I want to do. But once you get there, everything changes. They constantly prayed for me when I was sick. They rejoiced with me and my family after my positive 3 month check up at Hopkins. They prayed for me when I was studying for and taking my Praxis exam. They celebrated with me when I passed the Praxis exam. They sang happy birthday to me 4 times during rehearsal. And even some girls brought me a cake for my birthday.
And of course, no production would be complete without the cast and crew having an uncanny ability to make you laugh multiple times at rehearsals.
 |
| team Jacob + sons > team Edward and team Jacob |
These last few months I have realized that being administratively involved in the production is a lot different than actually being in the play. It involves thinking about and planning for each rehearsal. It involves teaching and re-teaching parts. It involves constantly telling high schoolers to be quiet and listen to instruction.
But it is also quiet rewarding. I mean, who wouldn't want to have play songs stuck in your head every single day? Or have nightmares about things going wrong during the productions? Or wake up in the middle of the night doing the hand motions to different songs?
In the last 5 months I think that I have listened to and watched run throughs at least 50 times [hence why I am singing these songs to myself as I am going to sleep]. The cast, and those helping, are very very familiar with the story of Joseph. But each and every time I am overwhelmed at the love and mercy of God. Despite our sin, despite our selfishness, God still graciously opens His arms for us to run back to Him.
We may go through trials and wonder if God even cares, or if God is even with us during our trials. Friends, even if we don't feel like God is with us, He is interceding for us. He loves us, and He has a plan for each of our lives, even if we don't understand what that plan is.
"I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted." [Job 42:2]
If you are in the Maryland/Virginia/DC area, please consider coming to see these passionate youth re-tell the amazing story of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat. For more information please visit our church's website.
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