Greater.

The project was demolition, how hard could it be to knock something down, right?  Well - it was a lot BIGGER than I thought.  If we had any sense we would have just rented some big wrecking ball and knocked it down in seconds.  But we were there to do the work piece by piece - and it was more important than just tearing it up.  

Bruce was a carpenter by trade, but now he's retired.  He grew up on Goose Island in this home.  There were 212 homes on this Island before hurricane Irene, which damaged 200 of them.  Bruce has worked with mission teams ever since, doing his best to help all those in need in the area.  The people on the Island have a deep respect for him, as he serves as a volunteer and is fueled by his deep faith and love for God.  This was the last home that would be demolished, saved because of the many memories Bruce has of his childhood, his parents and siblings.  The entire week became a process of letting go for him, as we too grew to love the home and it's owner.  For Bruce tearing down this home piece by piece was the only proper way to do it - and in it's walls were found old report cards, recipes, and gadgets of old, the foundation made strong by the addition of thousands of oyster shells that had once been dinner during long winter months.  The soul of the home was a wooden beam pieced together by wooden pegs, the strength of which has never failed.  It was to be saved and used in a future project.  I'm pretty sure this beam is the very reason we were slated for this project.

Our team of 28 was strong and worked hard and by Friday the only thing left were the pine stumps upon which the house was built.  It was amazing as I honestly thought it was something that we could not possibly accomplish in only four work days.  

Our theme this year for the trip was "How Great is Our God!"  and I have thought long and hard over the past ten days about just how great God really is - God takes our efforts and provides the strength and perseverance we need.  God showed up in the compassion of neighbors who stopped by, in caring chaperones who loved to laugh and went with the flow.  God is greater than the limitations we place on ourselves and our abilities.  God is greater than the barriers we put up to keep our hearts safe.  God's greatness shown forth in stories of young adults whose lives have been difficult and filled with pain - yet have found a way to grasp onto God's love for them and others.  

1 John 4 says:

4 My dear children, you come from God and belong to God. You have already won a big victory over those false teachers, for the Spirit in you is far stronger than anything in the world. 

What a powerful thought to recognize that the Spirit of God living in us is more powerful than anything in the world.  This past week I saw that Spirit come to life as students gave of themselves to care for a love a man who was grieving the loss of his childhood home and all it stood for.  

How have you witnessed this power in your own life?

Prayer:  God tonight I give you thanks for being bigger than I can even begin to imagine.  I thank you that you cannot fit into the limitations of my understanding and ask that you open my mind and heart to know you more.  Help me to grasp onto the Spirit of power alive in me, that I might embrace the call to care for and empower others.  Amen.