I was going to wait and do one post on our entire trip to Boston but we have been here less than 2 days and there's already way too much I want to share so this may turn into a series.
We flew into a cold wet Boston yesterday afternoon and were met by our dear friends Joe and Karen Sawyer. Joe and Karen were friends, mentors, leaders, anything and everything to us in our church in Greenville. We have not been together over the years but they haven't changed a bit and it was as if the years had never passed between us. They have been serving God faithfully all over the world and most recently at Boston Baptist College. They have recently moved back to Greenville but they are here this week with us and we couldn't be more thankful.
We did a bit of walking downtown to see a few historical sites, most amazing is the Holocaust museum and the stories shared there. That was simply amazing. We had dinner with them and some friends of theirs at the oldest operating restaurant in America, Union Oyster House...yummy!! My brother had told me we needed to eat there and he was right. I learned a lot about Boston. One thing I had no idea about is that we have never had a southern baptist church to survive here. That alone breaks my heart. It's a huge mission field. While I agree with international missions, our own country is in desperate need for Jesus and we don't have to go far to discover that.
I had the huge pleasure of sharing with the college girls Monday evening at 10:00, that's when they meet for their bible study time. I was fearful I wouldn't have the energy to engage them but all it took was seeing their sweet faces and sensing their hunger for the Word and I was ready to go. They were INCREDIBLE!! I was amazed at how many came out on a cold, rainy night when it would have been so easy to stay tucked away in their warm dorm rooms. I fell in love with them immediately. They were so warm and welcoming and it blew my mind that very few are from this area. These girls are from all over our country and some from around the world. Don't know that I've ever felt so blessed to be able to share in front of a group EVER. The really cool thing was knowing that they meet every Monday night just like my daughter Jessica does for her bible study and just like my home girls do with me and Vickie every Monday night. How awesome is that knowing that this next generation of girls are meeting on the same night studying God's Word. I already know that a huge chunk of my heart will be left here when I leave.
Today, we started a very special morning at the college. Eddie preached at chapel and was GREAT. I looked around the room and was so touched at how the students, especially the boys, were zeroed in on him. We talked about how easy it is to speak before a crowd that is hungry and so in love with the Lord and just dying to learn more. It was a great day with these kids as we got to eat with them in their caf and tour their campus and meet so many who are sold out to this generation.
Joe and Karen took us downtown to tour Fenway Park today. Ok, that was just way too cool. My daddy raised me to love Jesus and love those Red Sox and being the good girl that I am I do love both. After having some shopping time we had dinner with a young newlywed college couple from BBC and they shared their hearts with us and trust me they have hearts of gold just totally full of Jesus and His love. They have a huge desire to give their lives to sharing Jesus with the Muslim world and so within the next year they are looking to head out and serve the Lord in this way. I just sat there amazed at them, at their tender age and they have no attachment to the things of this world. When you decide to go in that direction, you are serious. We are not talking about a vacation spot or a short term mission trip...they will be giving their lives to this group of people that most of us are just scared to death of. I'm so impressed, so challenged, so convicted. They are leaps and bounds ahead of me. Again I just sat there and fell totally in love with them. I have so much to learn and so far to go and I'm so grateful that I can learn it from this generation of godly young people. More to come...
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