I am sitting in our chev truck, driving 100km/h attempting to reach out desination within 12 hours, or at least through the night, with my brother and my mom in the back and Jim on the wheel swiftly passing by the trees and water, thinking, wishing, and crying. I am remembering. Remembering my Kaleo family that I saw only hours ago. Remembering their faces and eyes filled with tears and sad regrets of leaving our home. Remembering the joy of the Lord and how he is Good to me. Remembering how He has been so faithful to me these last months, And remembering that he will continue to be faithful to me for the rest of my life. Thanking Him for what he has done for me is all I can do. Thanking him for the challenge, for the sweat and tears, for the laughter and love, for the pain and heart break, for the uncertainty that has become certainty, and for the love that has carried with me for Him, and for people. Thank you God. Thank you Lord Jesus for breaking my heart, for renewing my soul, for ruining me for the ordinary, and for not settling for the norm.
In the beginning of the year while sailing on S.A.L.T.S, I was given the Kaleo name of “sure”. ‘Sure of what?’ you may ask. It means being sure of Christ and what he can do in people’s lives, being sure of myself, and surrendering my life completely over to him. With that comes the act of trust. Trusting him with your life and the outcome of it. I have come far since being named “Sure”. Although it is the biggest process of your life and I will never stop changing and growing, it is something that I desperately want and so, I will seek after that with perseverance and persistence.
With everything concluding for the year, we sat one last time in the Pacific Woods Lounge in our Kaleo six circle. We wanted to give each other a reminder of how to pray for one another throughout the year and beyond. We gave ourselves a word or phrase that would signify what we wanted to deepen in, in our walk with Christ. I personally asked for “BOLDNESS”. Boldness for this summer with my young life students. To be boldly silent and boldly still in Christ. To be bold in courage and bravery, and to be genuine in my boldness. The authenticity of boldness comes from God and God alone. My dear friend Miranda writes to me, “ Though at times you may be fighting against a foe, who seems too strong for you to take courage in, knowing that your strength comes from the Father. You are not really the one fighting, He is. Let him do his work.”
As sad as I was to leave my ridiculous bubble, I am joyous. My amazing friend Jonathon said something that I wasn’t sure if he was using sarcasm in his voice, or if their was truth behind his words, but he said “Kaleo is not reality. It is a state of mind.” He was right. Kaleo is not the reality of life. It is a preparation and training for life. I am joyous to go back into the real world (aka secular world-haha) and give the people the same love that I have…Thinking of the reality of Christ love is incomprehensible. But, my challenge for my self is to find out what that love means and to give it to God’s people. Now that is a bold request….
The one thing that I have learned to love the most is laughter. I don’t think I have ever smiled and laughed so much in my entire life. Even the corkiest, most silly things made me laugh. I have had the greatest pleasure of partaking in 8 months of laughter with my friends. I cannot even describe how amazing these people are and how far they have come. It was an honor living with my 27 new best friends and getting to know them for who they really are.
I was trying to find a certain piece of scripture that suited my concluding paragraph, but cannot seem to find it. However, one that comes to mind is in John 20:21, which says, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” Enough said I think.
God is Good. Thank you for appreciating and taking the time to read my blog. It has brought me great joy knowing that I am not just writing this for the sake of a grade, but because it gives you an appreciation for Christ and the acknowledgement of change in a person’s life.
Praise God from all whom blessing flow, praise him oh creatures here below, praise him above ye heavenly host, praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, Amen,
Signing out for the last time,
Here I come, ready with boldness and the armor of Christ.
Blessing to you
Malayne
wow Malayne! I cannot believe that this is the last blog that you will write!! it almost makes me sad...some of the stories that are in here! oh my!
It excites me to see how many new friends you have, and how far you have come in your knowledge of God, and the world around you, and how to bring Christ into that world!! i love seeing how you have grown, and am excited for you to come home, but at the same time not...if you know what i mean :P! anyways!! i cant wait till i get to see you, and we can have a few late night talks about our adventures the lat 8 months!!
talk to you soon
love yah
Tracey
Malayne your blog is amazing. I have charished reading every one over the past 8 months. I desire to apply some of the things God has openned your eyes to, to my life as well. You have taught me alot, my dear daughter. Boldness is what I want. Boldness is what I need, Boldness is what I want from you oh Lord.
MOM
M Ennis. Please do not stop writing on here. I love your blog posts and hearing about what is going on in your life and what God is doing in your heart and through you. Ahh my Word-cravin' sista, look how far you have come this year and how much you have grown in Him. I love and miss you more than you can know. Get back to the Fort so we can skype it up please. I need to hear your voice and that laugh of yours. You are in my thoughts and my shouts to Him.
Much love.
My darling Malayne... Please do not stop writing on here. I second what Jayme said, get on Skype so that we can chat. I love you!
Continue to keep us posted on what you're up too.