I asked one of our interns to share what she has learned the most so far from her time here as an intern. Hear Rachel’s story:<\/p>\n
But Now I See: Lessons Learned in my First 3 Months as an Intern at Vision of Hope<\/p>\n
It\u2019s been both an eternity and just yesterday since my little Honda Accord pulled into the parking lot of Faith Church in Lafayette, Indiana. As would any human starting a new chapter in life, I had expectations for what my time at Vision of Hope (affectionately known as \u201cVOH\u201d) might bring. Yet, many of the lessons I\u2019m learning\u2014along with the challenges I\u2019m experiencing\u2014far exceed my expectations, in the most glorious way. I should expect no less from the God who is able to do abundantly more than I could ever think or imagine (Eph. 3:20).<\/p>\n
As a VOH intern, one reality I\u2019m privileged to experience is the vibrancy of Scripture. In my head, I realize the Word of God is living and active, poignant and powerful (see Hebrews 4:12, for example). Yet in my heart and in my experience, it often feels as if the word of God were a pass-time more than a passion. As I work with the girls at VOH, I\u2019m constantly put into situations I haven\u2019t prepared for: I don\u2019t know what to say and do, or how to say and do it for that matter! I walk into conversations with perhaps some expectation or hint of the girl\u2019s struggle; but as I wade deeper, I lose whatever foothold I thought was mine: I realize this is over my head. In these moments of time-sensitive uncertainty, passages like Psalm 119:105 are most real to me: “Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.”<\/p>\n
I can\u2019t tell you the number of times I\u2019ve desired to help a girl who\u2019s struggling, but\u2014once hearing the struggle–am at a complete loss as to wisdom or encouragement. There are other times when I would rather keep peace than admonish, confront, or train a girl who\u2019s not living in the fullness of what God has for her. In both circumstances, I am tempted to impart human wisdom, because I want to find the solution or feel I have something academic to offer on my own. I\u2019ve learned, often through failure, that using my own words is a risky business, as I am liable to create incredible misunderstanding or dichotomous arguments. In these moments, it’s comforting to know that when I use God’s words instead of my own, I will never be lying to someone or advising them in a harmful way. God’s word and His truth have illuminated a path on which I can walk, and lead others to follow. In my darkness, in my uncertainty, I have a lamp at my disposal. I have a light.<\/p>\n
This lesson applies not only to my interactions with the residents, but also in my personal life, specifically my thought life. When I have a hard day, a hard shift, or am confronted with hard news, I can respond in a variety of ways: I can attempt to \u201cmake myself feel better,\u201d I can numb out the stress, or I can repeat Truth to myself, even when it doesn’t feel true. If I use my own words, I’m in danger of lying to myself or perpetuating despair (i.e., \u201cThis isn\u2019t really that bad, it will be over soon. Everything will be ok. There\u2019s nothing I can do. I can\u2019t seem to shake this. I want out\u201d). It is important to remind myself that ALL truth minus the Word of God\u2014even irrefutable reality or science\u2014is a hollow chorus. It only leads to a hopeless end. On the contrary, God\u2019s word\u2014living and active, a light and a lamp\u2014leads to an endless hope, even in my wandering.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"