April 25, 2007

Quest 2007--in two parts

It’s been exactly one week since Quest. So hard to believe that exactly a week ago today, I was scrambling to take care of last minute details while groups were checking in.

The end of Quest is always bittersweet for me. Many think that I would be relieved; most times I am sad. This year was no exception.

God is amazing. He uses broken people to accomplish great things beyond your wildest imagination. He shows up and fills a room to the point you’re afraid to breathe lest you miss out on what He’s about to do. He brings you to tears of gratitude when plans and details come together that weren’t any of your doing and can only be explained by Him.

My least favorite part of Quest is the 5 days before it. This is the time when I am working on all the last minute things that can’t be done any sooner. This is also the time when the work I’ve done for the past year decides to unravel. Yeah, it creates some fun times. And when I say “fun,” I mean...well, I’m sure you know. But God uses this time—He uses it when Quest begins on Friday, to show me that I have control over nothing, the He can work EVERYTHING for good, and that in the end, the only thing that matters is His Word getting through to these students that attend.

It’s been a week and a half since Quest, and I am still continuing to process all that happened.

Two days ago, I received a card in the mail from a youth leader, thanking me and my staff and everyone involved in the “labor of love” as she called it. In the end, that’s what it is. Despite all the frustrations with a number of things, love is in it. None of the people involved in the weekend would do it if there wasn’t some amount of love pouring out. Love for the students. Love for bands. Love for the college. Love for the Lord.

I’m not really sure why this Quest is taking longer to process than all the others. I haven’t really felt this way about it since my very first one. I have a feeling that God will continue to use the weekend to teach me all sorts of things—about myself, my future, my passions, about people...the list could go on.

I don’t really know how to close this blog; I think it is because I don’t feel any closure yet with Quest. And, I think that that is okay.

So, I will leave you with this—a prayer request or two. Pray that the students that came don’t forget what God showed them, that they would continue to process all that happened to them at Quest.

And pray that I would be open to everything I am supposed to grasp from the weekend as well, even if I never get closure.

2 comments:

Sara said...

Way to go Sarah. I'm bummed I couldn't be a part of it this year. I appreciate reading what you have to say, and I enjoyed all the pictures on Facebook too. Are you sure you had enough shots of Mark Matson? :-)
Blessings to you. Have a happy weekend!
~Sara Lightbody

Sarah said...

For the record, I did not take those pictures! :)