A Refuge in Time of Trouble

Proof that God loves me: A Dunkin Donuts open til 10pm with free WiFi access courtesy of the motel next door. And the best part? No one knows about it but me! Well, no one from BTF that is. This little refuge is Lee, Massachusetts’s best kept secret. It’s a little out of the way from the Lavan Center (where we live), but definitely worth the short drive. This may not sound like a big deal to you, but Heaven only knows what a salve it is to my soul. When every coffee shop in the little town of Stockbridge closes at 5pm, I needed somewhere to escape after dinner. Who knew that solitude would be so hard to come by? Maybe I’m more of an introvert than I realized, but living, eating, sleeping, stomping, and “chilling” with 25 BTF apprentices 24/7 (most of which are still in college) is a bit more overwhelming than I expected. I’m remembering now why I moved off campus my last two years of undergrad.

It’s amazing how vulnerable and alone you can feel in a room full of people. I’ve experienced this feeling before, many times actually. Various and frequent moves throughout my childhood taught me how to make friends in new places quickly. But a season of loneliness (usually painful) always precedes new friendship. Time has a way of taking care of things, though. It’s kind of like magic. I don’t know how it works, but it amazes me every time.

One thing’s for sure. Never have I been more thankful for my Regent family. I knew from the moment I stepped on campus that I belonged there. From day one, I felt a connection with people that seemed to transcend time. I couldn’t explain it at the time, but after just a few weeks I felt like I had known my friends forever. Even now on days I want to kill them (figuratively, of course) I still love them like family.

Having stepped away from them for a summer, I realize now that connection was a common worldview. Regent is a place where faith-minded artists come together for the common purpose of creating redemptive art. I didn’t realize how unique that was until I came here. Having gone to both a Christian undergrad and now Christian grad school, I have been surrounded with people who all have a deep awareness of the One True God. We may not always agree on everything, but at least we have Christ in common. It’s amazing how even a simple thing like awareness makes all the difference in being able to communicate. That’s one thing my Suzuki training is teaching me. Suzuki demands absolute awareness and control of the body, mind, and breath. It requires razor sharp focus and an incredible amount of stamina. Kinda sounds like the Narrow Road, huh?

I don’t want to give you the wrong impression. I am so glad that I am here. The first day of class I felt overwhelmed with peace and deep joy as I took in all the richness that the summer holds. I know this is where I am supposed to be. There are very specific reasons I wanted to come here, and I’m confident there are even more specific reasons that God wants me here. The training is already proving itself worth all the time, energy, money, and sheer will power to get here. I’m just experiencing some normal, albeit inconvenient, culture shock. Fortunately, I have my chocolate iced donut, Bible, and America’s Favorite Coffee to keep me company in the mean time. :)