I See a Movement

March 16, 2020. A day I will never forget. That’s the day the world seemed to completely shut down. The day that all of my work, in which so much of my identity was wrapped up, effectively stopped. Not unusual really for the time. Many felt then, and still do, the sting of the COVID-19 pandemic. Kara and I work in ministry full time. We had planned what was to be our most exciting and most ambitious year! We were looking forward to the fruit that would come from our time in prayer and careful planning. Yet, in a moment, it came screeching to a halt. Suddenly, everything was canceled and closed. We were working from home, and so many routines disrupted. For my part, although I greatly enjoyed the company of my family, and even more having less commitments, I began to grow discouraged. Even though I am an introvert… I am also one of those unusual INFJ types… which means I am an extroverted introvert. Wired for ministry… I need to be able to interact with others. To share the love of Christ with them. All of those plans for the time being seemed to be on hold for what felt like forever… Would I even have a job on the other side of this pandemic? 

It was during this time that I sensed the Lord begin to really tug on my heart. He introduced me to one of my good friends, St Therese of Lisieux through her autobiography Story of a Soul. I sensed that he was showing me that during that time, if I wanted to come through the exile (which it felt like), I would need to be very intentional about diving deep into the interior life for myself. Pursuing him in prayer, in Scripture, in mediation.  

It was during this time that I really began to pray. Presenting my discouragement to the Lord. Presenting to him all the troubles that seemed to be piling up in the world around me. Presenting to him the concern that so many seem to have lost hope, faith, and trust in Him. Even presenting to him the sense of hopelessness that I felt. It was then that I believe the Lord began to speak to my heart in that still small way that he does: 

"I see a movement. I see a group of believers so passionate, so committed, seeking so fully Christ above all things; choosing death before sin no matter the cost, committed to radical holiness. Their very presence is a contradiction to the world. They bring the joy and the light of the Gospel to the world. And the darker the world gets, the brighter their light shines. Greater opposition only brings greater grace. Their devotion, their holiness, is so deep that it shows on their face. Others are drawn to them; drawn into the kingdom. They bring comfort to the hurting and healing to the sick of mind, body and spirit. Their very presence is filled with such grace that it feels like a safe haven for others. They live every moment of their lives mindful to offer up every suffering as a sacrifice for souls. They embrace every moment of the day as the prayer that it is. They offer up every work. They are filled with a joy that others long for, and the more the world opposes them, the more joyful, the more committed, the more aware of God’s grace they become. They live for one thing only: proclaiming his name in word, in thought, and in deed."

I later shared this with Kara. In many ways, it was what we both needed to hear during this time. We believe with all of our heart that God is well able to meet the needs of the time and when adversity and trouble rises up, so too does God’s love and his grace all the more. We have seen this in our work with young people; who give us so much hope! In many ways, this lies at the foundation of Draw Near. We want to do whatever our small part is in helping others to be set ablaze with the love of God! We want to help others become strong towers and safe havens for the lost and hurting in the world around us. We hope that this blog, our podcast, and all the many things that we have prayerfully discerned and planned will help you as you Draw Near to Christ and Draw Near to one another. Come, Holy Spirit.