Every Soul. Every Day.

Well it's been awhile since my last post. Let me catch you up, shall I? I'm back in the good ol' US of A, and I'm pretty much spending my time doing two things--working and fund-raising. It's been an interesting 3 months since I've returned, and I've gone through a few stages. At first, there was the--yay! Home! Bagels! Pizza! Dunkin Donuts! phase--and it was great. But, sadly, it didn't exactly last. Then, there was the okay--let's get down to business and raise that moola phase--and that's still going. But the oh-my-bob-I-just-want-to-be-back-in-Portugal-now phase has come alongside it, and created some sort of motivated-sad fusion.

This is something I'm working on. I really want to be able to see this time of fund-raising as a period in my life where I can grow and learn to trust in plans that are much bigger and better than my own. But this can be difficult when I am just missing everyone so much back in Portugal...and really longing to be there already working with Young Life and doing something that feels like it matters. It's a work in progress. I just keep reminding myself to be grateful for my time here--something that I probably won't get to have again. I'm going to be 25 in just a few months, and this may be the last time that I'm home with with my family and wonderful New Jersey friends.

In Philippians 4, Paul writes that he has learned to be content--no matter the circumstances. That's what I'm striving for--the ability to be grateful for this time here and this opportunity to be stretched and to grow.

And days like today--when the sun is shining and it's a perfect 70 degrees and the leaves are already starting to turn beautiful shades of red, orange, and gold--it's not hard to feel grateful. I hope there are more days like today.

Last November, I got two tattoos--on my wrists. They are in Hebrew and say the words "every soul, every day." There's a story behind it...three years ago last April, a close friend of the family was killed in a drunk driving accident. It was a horrific and tragic event in all of our lives, and we all dealt with it in different ways. I immediately felt guilt and shame. I was convicted because I hadn't loved him well enough, hadn't shown him enough grace, hadn't shared enough truth with him...and that's something I still struggle with. I decided then and there that I'd never let that happen again--I'd never feel guilty about how I loved those around me again. I tattooed those words on my wrists--small, simple and in black ink--as a reminder to love with the love of God--every single person I meet, every single day.

That's what I long to do in Portugal--to bring truth and love to all those kids. But every soul, every day is not just for the ministry I'm going to be doing in Portugal with Young Life. It's also for today--a challenge to live for every soul, every day--to never miss an opportunity to share the love of God with the people around me, whether it's with words, with service, with a smile, with some coffee--whatever. I want to get to heaven and hear God tell me that I loved well. My life-theme right now is best expressed in Philippians 1:9-11, "So this is my prayer: that your love will flourish and that you will not only love much but well. Learn to love appropriately. You need to use your head and test your feelings so that your love is sincere and intelligent, not sentimental gush. Live a lover's life, circumspect and exemplary, a life Jesus will be proud of: bountiful in fruits from the soul, making Jesus Christ attractive to all, getting everyone involved in the glory and praise of God."

xoxo

Ariel


P.S. As far as fund-raising goes--I'm at 10% of my annual budget raised! That's great!! But I've still got quite a ways to go...especially if the goal is to get me back to Portugal at the end of January. For more information about all of that--contact me anytime either by leaving a comment here or e-mailing me at ArielPutnam@gmail.com!