Daddy, Can I Run?

Safely in Ocean City, I'm sitting here in the living room of our apartment of 3 Jacks (our team's apartment) after a long day of job hunting. With only one application in prospect and way too many rejections to count, it's easy to wonder why in the world I'm even trying. There are hundreds and hundreds of summer vacationers from all over the world here and I am just one face in a thousand trying to figure out where I fit in. I do a lot of questioning, why?

Why am I here? Why isn't God opening any doors?

And then there's the question of how in the world I'm supposed to live with 5 other roommates and 4 more suite mates for 10 weeks this summer in a barely air conditioned house, sleeping on a 3 inch thick mattress. It sounds like a lot of complaining, but I know this is exactly what I signed up for- I'm just praying God will give me the grace to glorify Him in all these circumstances. I'm not going to lie; it's rough. But God has brought together an awesome team of college kids that are already challenging me in my faith. 

One girl, Caitlyn, kept telling me, "Don't worry, girl, God just hasn't opened the door because you haven't found the right one to knock on!" She would encourage me, keep me positive, and challenge me not to be afraid to walk up to any store and ask for an application. And let's face it- it's day one. Who in all honesty expects to be hired on the spot? It takes time.

At devotional time this morning the leader, Michael Frey, told us a story about his son. When he was younger, and even now as a 5 year old, he and his son would be walking down the street. Suddenly his son would look up at his dad and ask him, "Daddy, can I run?" Michael would say yes, and off his little son would go, running to the next cross section, not for any apparent reason, but because he wanted to. He'd ask his dad, "What's my time?" His dad would tell him and he'd smile and ask to do it again. Thinking as a runner, and reflecting back on my slow and laborious run this morning (done more out of habit than need for exercise), I was challenged to take on that kind of attitude. I want to run for Christ with that kind of passion, because I love the act of serving him, of following His command, and being more like him. The psalmist said, "I run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free." (Psalm 119:32) As I look for a job, and as I seek God's will for my life both here and in Ocean City, I pray that I keep that in mind. I want to be like Michael's son and say to my Father...

"Daddy, can I run?"