December
2013/January 2014 - Vol. 71
Trusting
God in New Ways
by Mary Sarah
Erickson
 I
came to Detroit Summer Outreach (DSO) two days after graduating from high
school. Coming straight out of high school I didn’t really realize how
different my everyday life would look like at DSO, and I found I no longer
had the personal freedom, or luxury, of making my own schedule. But rather,
I found myself living in a house with twelve women, waking up at 5:45 a.m.,
having an hour long prayer time, followed by a full day of work.
But, I also didn’t realize how much grace and fruit household life
would bear in my own life. From day one of DSO, the Lord has been calling
me to love others and see others the way He sees them. You see, at 5:45
a.m. every morning Christ presents me with a very simple, yet difficult
question. The Lord asks me if I will love my fellow DSO interns and staff,
if I will engage fully in my morning prayer times, if I will love my street
team kids, if I will pull one more weed on a hot sunny day and if I will
love Him. And I have found that when I respond with a simple “yes” the
Lord hears it, and fills me with a grace and strength that surpasses
my understanding. And through my simple “yes” the Lord is teaching
me to trust more fully in Him and is using the City of Detroit as a key
part in this lesson.
During DSO training I was struck by the faith this city possesses amidst
such difficult situations. During training we were told that Detroit is
a financially poor city, though lacking in material possessions, they are
rich in faith and trust deeply in the Lord. Throughout my summer here I
have seen the truth in this statement. Many people in this city experience
financial struggles and family hardships which they have very little control
over. But contrary to most of today’s society many of them have faithfully
chosen to put themselves into the Lords hands and trust that the Lord will
provide for them.
Each week of DSO I feel that the Lord reveals yet another aspect of
my life that needs growth. And at times it can be quite overwhelming because
there is so much growth that stills needs to happen and not a whole lot
of time to do it in. But I am comforted by the fact that we, as Christians,
have been called to a lifetime of spiritual growth. It is clear to
me that this is just the beginning of my spiritual walk and that I’m in
exactly the place that I should be.
Overall, I see the Lord asking me to trust in Him in new ways. He is
challenging me to be confident in Him and in His plan. He’s asking me not
question his authority or intentions. He’s calling me to stop asking questions
such as “Why me?”, “Why now?”, or “Are you sure you want me to do this?”
Instead he is asking me to just say “Yes!” and I can be confident that
what He has in store for me is good, and not to be anxious about it.
See related stories from
YouthWorks-Detriot >
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