During my third week in Nashville, I walked into church. I had just started going to Crosspoint the week before but didn’t know anyone else there. However, I already loved it and knew that I would be able to find community. Quick note, Crosspoint was not the first church that I tried out. I had been to another church in Nashville and lets just say that not every church is perfect for every individual. And that is okay. Anyway, back to Crosspoint. I knew I liked it because the worship was phenomenal and the message was well executed. The first series I heard was called Trust Fall and it was such a sweet message about having a child like faith in our father God. But apparently I still had lots to learn about the church because the second weekend I went there, I had the time wrong and showed up 45 min early. I think I beat the welcome team. So I got stressed and made sure I looked preoccupied. I think I read every word on their bulletin boards.
As I was reading, I came across information for volunteers. I learned about the Kids ministry and saw that they would be having an event the following week. The event was called Big Gross Adventure. It appeared to be an innovative spin on a classic vacation bible school. I also saw that they were looking for volunteers. So, on the Sunday night before the week of Big Gross Adventure, I decided to volunteer. It was the very best decision.
During the week, I got to see so many kids encounter Jesus through messy games and laughter and their leaders who loved them well. I also made some friends that I hold very near and dear. Jordan was another volunteer who I would end up going to church with in all the remaining weeks. She spoke honestly and was on fire for the Lord. The other two girls that I got to know were actually the other leaders of my small group. Emily, Amanda, and I walked alongside third and fourth graders. We got covered in paint, and caramel sauce, and glitter. We saw kids jump into oatmeal, get covered in slime, and hear about Jesus. And for the rest of the summer we stayed in touch. We would eat dinner at Amanda’s house with her one year old baby and talk about what life looked like for us. We were all in slightly different stages of life which made it really special. These people were the community that I had craved.
Meanwhile, work was still happening. I was still living with my aunt and uncle who I was getting to know better. And then, just over halfway through the summer, I had some friends come to visit. They reminded me that I missed home more than I thought. We laughed a lot, ate cheap tacos from a super sketchy restaurant that I loved, watched Incredible’s 2 from the Titan’s football field, and saw some improv comedy. It was refreshing to spend time with these friends because I already knew them and they already knew me.
bearclaw! 