Las Vegas (pt. 1)

I never thought I would ever get to see Las Vegas. Matter of fact, growing up I never thought I would get to travel anywhere.

I can remember being in middle school and asking my mom if Florida had McDonalds and all the things we have in Ohio. The world and it's contents seemed so out of reach to me that I couldnt even fathom a world that existed outside of what I had seen up to that point.

(I even recall being in high school asking my friends if Kentucky was the capital of Tennessee. Yup. That happened.)

Since that time I have been blessed to travel quite a bit. I still have never been out of the country, but I have gotten to be almost everywhere within it. Las Vegas culture is reminiscent of many that I have seen, but is still highly unique. When you are in Vegas it can be easy to feel like you are on a whole other planet.

I absolutely love to travel. I think its partly because it's something I thought I would never do, partly because its nice to get away from home sometimes, and mostly because the environment and perspective change allows me to connect with God on a deeper level most of the time.

I especially love traveling with a purpose. The purpose of this particular trip is to bless some folks in the area by doing a Laundry Love Project out here.  We are doing the project tomorrow and I have no idea what to expect, but I know that God will show up.

I know that God will show up because he has been speaking to me about the reality that the heart of Jesus beats the same yesterday, today, and forever. That the reality we live in is the present risenness of Jesus at all times. That he has not and will never leave us or forsake us and that life isnt just some string of random moments but in Christ it is a series of events that challenge us, grow us, and ultimately transform us.

I'm still searching for God so bad. The emotional baggage I carry, the things I have experienced both good & bad, the mere reality of growing up into an adult, & so much more can often serve as the biggest obstacle between me & God.

Much like the concept of traveling when I was a kid, the reality of God & his presence can seem so out of reach sometimes. But it is here in Las Vegas that I am being reminded that it is in fact never out of reach. That God is always present, his Spirit always willing & able to work in and through us.

God is slowly but surely building in me the confidence of a purpose, of his grace knowing no limits, and of his love being the ultimate reality.