I've been lovin' you since day one.

I have a guilty pleasure in reading "letters to my future husband" posts. Though absolutely cheesy, and definitely personal, they are filled with love and joy, and I rather enjoy them. So, in all of it's cheesy, cliché, sappy glory- here is mine.

It's a weird feeling to write to someone that you do not yet know, while understanding that when you do know them, you will know all of them- their past, their present, and their desires for the future. You will know what they look like at 2am, what they're most afraid of, how they make their coffee... You will learn their routine to the point of being a vital part of it, and you will understand what it feels like to sit in someone's presence and feel incredible love without speaking or touching. That is powerful. That is incredible.

While we do not know the people who will be in our lives until they are already there, when it comes to a spouse, I think everyone has a few things they are sure of. You know the kind of person your heart desires- their values, beliefs, goals, and interests. For me, my desire is to marry my best friend: someone who can love my soul more than anything. Someone who knows that I often wake up at 5am to worry about silly things, who understands why I need time to sit by myself and process my day, someone who knows that I am perpetually late... and doesn't judge me for it. Someone who can laugh with me when we realize, in the middle of a fight, how stupid we sound. Someone who can tolerate my love for the Dixie Chicks, sushi, and 80's/90's chick flicks. Someone who loves waking up on Saturday and planning a road trip in 15 minutes as much as I do.

With all of that being said- I hope that in writing this, I write to that person.

Dear husband,
We're already a solid three paragraphs into this, and (I hope) you've probably already laughed at me at least once. Even though you are undoubtedly brilliant, there are a few things that I want you to know, or to remind you of, in case you've forgotten.

1. I freakin' love you. I hope that's obvious, but I'm still going to say it over and over. Your life is a gift to me. You bring me so much joy and passion. Life with you is a constant reminder of God's grace and love for humanity. You make everything an adventure, and I'm so excited for both the good and the bad to shape us, grow us, and bring us closer to God and each other.

2. I'm probably not really that mad at you (most of the time). I'm always working on patience and forgiveness. When we fight, please pray for me that God would soften my heart and that I would be quick to seek resolution. I'm doing the same for you, because I believe that we respect each other enough to not let any conflict divide us.

3. Please understand that I don't expect you to always be strong. This is probably the most important one. Please, please know that we are a team- sharing the load equally. I am just as capable as supporting you as you are of me, and I want to. I know that there will be days, maybe even weeks when life is overwhelming and you are struggling to hear God's voice in the midst of your trials. Let me be there to hold you, to lift you up, to pray over you and to speak words of wisdom and encouragement. Give me your burdens, and I'll give you mine, and we'll never have to carry them alone.

4. A soft answer turns away wrath. I have heard that all of my life, and I sincerely hope that it is something that is grounded into your soul. In any situation, I pray that you are quick to find peace and comfort before you speak. Especially to our children- they are watching you, are learning from you, and are continually seeking your approval. They will make mistakes, sometimes bigger than you can imagine, but please remember that your response can either build them up or tear them down. I pray that you find mercy in all of our trials as a family.

5. Our kids' gender does not define them. I just cannot stress this enough. It weighs heavy on my heart most of the time. If our son would like to take dance classes, finds joy in teddy bears, and cannot find it in his heart to play games with violence, please embrace that. Celebrate the unique, wonderfully-made gift that God has given us in him. Do not force him into "manly" things, but encourage him in his gifts and talents, and be his biggest fan at whatever he decides to do. If our daughter abandons tiaras and Barbies for nerf guns and hot wheels, if she begs to be placed on the football team, please embrace that as well. Celebrate the unique, wonderfully-made gift that God has given us in her. Do not tell her that being a girl limits her, that she is too loud or aggressive, but encourage her in her gifts and talents, and be an advocate for her in a world that will tell her she is the lesser gender. For all of our children, no matter their gender, be consistent to tell them that expressing their emotions, being strong and courageous, and being firm in their faith and convictions is beautiful. Do not make them aware of limits, but of their ability to push past any obstacle they might face. Tell them every day that you love them exactly as they are, and that God loves them extravagantly, abundantly, and unconditionally, forever.

6. Love yourself. You are created out of divine inspiration. molded from the image of God, with God-given gifts and talents that are limitless within God's plan for you. You are human; do not ever be afraid to be fully human. There is beauty in imperfection, and without it, there is no need for God's love and grace. Be confident even in failure. Be humble and seek wisdom. Be passionate. Your calling in life is up to you to carry out. You can do amazing things. In our culture, it is popular to appear unattached; do not fall for that crap. Attach yourself to whatever it is you want, and go for it with all you have. Never be held back by worldly limitations. Speak truth over them that God is in control, and move past them. I believe in you!!!! I am so proud of you, and so delighted to be able to witness your growth and accomplishments.

7. Love others. We live in a big world filled with people who need love. All of God's creation is equal; no man is better than another, for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. I pray that your eyes are opened to the beauty of living in love. Hate cannot drive out hate, and God's thoughts are not our thoughts, nor are God's ways our ways. Do not let the multitude of people around us who live in hatred influence you, but be a light to them. In the Kingdom of God, there is no "us and them," only "us."

8. Talk to my dad. He is one of my most favorite people in the world. He is funny, caring, trustworthy, loyal, and hard-working. He will pray for you, he will love you, and he will care for you. There is so much to learn from him. I pray that you will find friendship with him like I have.

9. Love my mom. She is beautiful, brilliant, hard-working, trustworthy, and brilliant (again). She is my best friend. She will laugh and cry with you. She is such a joy. She sometimes needs an extra push to find her adventurous side, so be an encouragement to her. This is the woman who raised me- always give her your respect.

10. Be friends with my brother. This pain-in-the-butt is one of my best friends, and he's a pretty incredible person. Find his passions and be as delighted as I am in hearing him speak about them. Encourage him, confide in him, earn his trust. He is your brother, too, and you have the responsibility of being an example to him. I am always protective over him- join me in that act of love and help me to build him up. Someday, you'll probably want his autograph for some amazing scientific/technological genius breakthrough... just sayin'.

10. Love God. Okay, here's the most important one. I pray that you are as passionate in your devotion to God as I am. We can walk together, and pick each other up when one stumbles. Pray with me, not just for me, and always share your thoughts about God with me. Confide in me when you struggle and when you triumph in your faith. Be wholeheartedly devoted to sharing in the love and grace that was given to us by the cross. Be an example for our family, friends, and community of what it looks like to be in love with Jesus. Do not be afraid to be imperfect, and accept grace when you fall short. Learn forgiveness as a first instinct. Never allow worldly limits to hinder your trust in God. Always believe that greater things have yet to come, and that God is in control.

I am praying for you, I am talking with God about you and about how excited I am to know you and love you. I am learning how to love you. I am seeking God so that my heart will be prepared to commit to you and to experience the beauty of sacrificial love.

I've been lovin' you since day one. We're gonna rock this. It's gonna be incredible.
Sincerely, your wife (...that's weird to say),
Kelsey



-Thanks for reading! You can continue to follow my journey here. Prayers are always appreciated. Feel free to send me a prayer or some encouragement, too! Kelsey_Phipps@baylor.edu

 

"You can be sure that God will take care of everything you need, His generosity exceeding even yours in the glory that pours from Christ Jesus. Our God and Father abounds in glory that just pours out into eternity. Yes." -Philippians 4:19-20

The Full Range of Humanity

Happy Monday! It's freezing cold and icy here (but don't worry, we still have classes. Just not any other college or public school. #BaylorStandard). I'm really excited about this post. I've had it in the back of my mind for a while, but everything has been so busy I haven't had time until now to sit down and actually write it. Excuse the mess it will be, but it's something that I am very passionate about.

I spend a lot of time thinking about humanity, cultures, societal expectations, and gender differences. There seems to be a lot of "rules" today for men and women, and how they are supposed to act to stand apart from one another. It's no secret that gender inequality is a huge issue. I wish we knew when it all started; when we moved away from God's intent of human behavior and accepted (especially within the church) these new ideas of masculinity and femininity. More than that, I wish we knew how large the effect is of these "rules" on children.

My senior year of high school I got to help teach a kindergarten class. For one class period, I would drive over to the K-1 and spend 90 minutes with 27 of my best friends in Ms. Howard's class. Some days we had recess, some days we had music class, and some days we had individual tutoring. Some days I helped with Ms. Howard's lessons, and some days I taught my own. One day a week, I would arrive just as my class was being escorted from P.E. to music. On one day in particular, a female gym teacher was walking the class down the hallway. I followed behind the line of adorable 5-6 year olds, receiving hugs, waves, and "Ms. Kelsey!!!"'s as they noticed me (these memories are still some of my favorite). As they walked on this day, though, I was stunned at the gym teacher's words for her kindergarten students. "I am so disappointed," she began, "today you boys played the game like girls. That was so embarrassing, and you should be ashamed. When the girls can do better than you, that's bad." Embarrassing? Excuse me? She clearly hadn't paid attention to the girls in the class, especially Lorelai, who could have beat any boy in her class at any sport. Beyond the obvious falsity of her statement, I was hurt for my kids. I was hurt for the girls, who had just heard that to be like them was embarrassing, and I was hurt for the boys, who had just been told they weren't good enough. Maybe I'm wrong, but I never thought Kindergarten P.E. was that serious.

I've spent a lot of time working with elementary kids in after-school programs, and I love them. Maybe that makes me crazy, but I'll accept it. They're worth the stress and chaos. I'm convinced that there is no other age group who can love quite like them. I've received countless handmade gifts (including a painted clay bowl for Mother's Day, because I was that level of important), been asked to birthday parties, sleepovers, and class presentations, and I've been hugged at least two million times. I am always amazed at the sincerity of their love and trust. Just by being there every day, I earned their trust enough that I could ask them for updates on problems they'd been having. Remembering that they had struggled and making the effort to follow through with them was so important.

I never imagined any of the kids I would work with would say "Miss Kelsey, will you come to my school play/show-and-tell/D.A.R.E. graduation?" and genuinely want me to be there to see them. Senior year, I got the chance to go to a D.A.R.E. graduation and see some of my 5th graders, and that was really special. One boy in particular, a trouble maker in the program, had no one else come to see him. We didn't always get along, mostly because our interactions were usually him getting in trouble for acting out, but that didn't mean that I didn't care for him.

He's a young boy in a tough world, where boys are expected to be alpha-males, to be strong physically and mentally, to never be emotional or weak. On top of those expectations, he was living in a home with a single mom and a younger brother. You could see the pressure he faced just by looking at him- to be the definition of masculinity for his mom and brother. That day at D.A.R.E. graduation, he wasn't supposed to be hurt by the fact that no one had come to see him. When his friends gathered around to point out their families in the crowd, he wasn't supposed to feel left out. And when I saw him looking around, desperately searching for at least one person he knew, and then finally seeing me waving at him, he wasn't supposed to be excited. And he wasn't- until the next day at program, when he quietly walked over to me and mumbled "uhh, I saw you at my graduation yesterday." to which I replied, "I know, I came to see you and the other kids. You did a really good job." he nodded and said "yeah, my mom forgot, but it was cool that you came." He smiled and walked away, off to most likely steal a kindergartener's toy or dump his water on a girl. But for a moment, we had a breakthrough- he was allowed to drop the act and be vulnerable, to tell me that it meant something to him to have support.

That is what I want for his generation. I want them to be surrounded by adults as they grow up who will offer them a safe space to be human. If we can do that, maybe they will grow into adults who not only provide a safe space for their children, but who are examples of living beyond stereotypes and limitations on a daily basis. I don't want my son to ever feel like he can't be upset or weak, and I don't want my daughter to ever feel like she must make herself small or be passive in her dreams. I want my children to know that God has created them so brilliantly- they are both mountains and valleys, able to overcome and stand above the rest, but also able to lay down and be still. To say that girls are limited or lesser is to insult the power of God, and to say that boys are emotionless and always strong is to insult the mercy and grace of God. We are created to do great things, but we are not created to be perfect- we must lean on God, not ourselves, to accomplish anything.

My prayer is that the kids I have worked with, who are now entering middle school and junior high, are growing up with safe spaces. I need them to be role models for my children someday, so they can see that fully living means to be unashamed to experience the full range of humanity, both strength and weakness. There is beauty in both, and true success in life cannot be achieved without experience of both. Beyond spirituality, it is physically and mentally healthy to experience the full range. It breaks my heart to see stories in the news of boys committing suicide because they didn't feel masculine enough- strong, emotionless, and overbearing; and of girls committing suicide because they didn't feel feminine enough- delicate, pretty, and quiet.

There is freedom in Jesus that comes from looking to Him rather than society for how you should live. There is joy in living beyond stereotypes and knowing that you are reaching your full potential.



-Thanks for reading! You can continue to follow my journey here. Prayers are always appreciated. Feel free to send me a prayer or some encouragement, too! Kelsey_Phipps@baylor.edu

 

"You can be sure that God will take care of everything you need, His generosity exceeding even yours in the glory that pours from Christ Jesus. Our God and Father abounds in glory that just pours out into eternity. Yes." -Philippians 4:19-20

If I had the chance to start over.

Dear Kelsey, five years old,
Make as many memories as possible in the big blue house on Truman St. This is where you grow up. Please, for the love of all things holy, keep your room clean (well, not all the time. It's fun to spend the day with Grandma Patty cleaning). Love your little brother, and when he treats you badly, walk away and remember that he is the only little brother you have, and that he is a truly wonderful person who will always be so important in your life. Listen to Mom and Dad. Try your best in school, because homeschooling is preparing you for so many incredible things you can't even imagine. Pay attention to things. Listen to Mom and Dad talk and soak it all up. I know that times are so hard during these years, with no money and a lot of sadness, but instead of sitting in your room wondering if God exists, open your eyes, because He is sitting next to you, holding you and carrying you through so many heartbreaks that your little heart shouldn't have had to endure. Trust me- I know. I look back now, and I see very clearly that He was right there speaking to you. Love your daddy with all of your heart. He works harder than anyone you will ever know, and it's all for you. His heart holds so much love, wisdom, and grace. He is full of life and he has overcome mountains taller than real-life ones. Tell him you love him, because I know there are times when it doesn't look like it. Love your momma with all of your heart, too. Tell her every day that you are so thankful for her, because she could be out living her own life, but she's spending her days at home with you, teaching you and shaping you into something beautiful. I know, I know- things get really bad. When you have to leave the big blue house and move into the tiny, dirty trailer, don't look down on your family. Be grateful for the home God has provided you with, and use the small space to be even closer to your family. Your momma makes that house a home. It looks beautiful for what it is. Cherish the work they put into it. Do not sit in your room and think that the only thing God has for you is to live in this town and be married. Dream BIG, sister. I would tell you how things are turning out now, but you would never believe me. He counts the stars and knows them by name; you are not forgotten, not even a little bit. Lastly, make the most of living in the same town as Grandma Patty and Grandpa Earl. Ask Mom to go see them as much as possible. Ask Grandpa to tell you every story he can think of. Just sit in the presence of your family and know that you are so blessed beyond measure.
Learn these things now, so you don't have to later on.


Dear Kelsey, thirteen years old,
New schools suck. That's the absolute truth, and I'm sorry I can't give you anything better than that. But schools aren't new forever. Make a home where you are. Popularity literally does not exist. Everyone is human. People group themselves according to personalities/interests. No group is better than another. Embrace humanity. The apartment is smaller than some of your classrooms, but you are now next door to Papa and Lowie, and they are just too amazing. It's so much fun to see your grandma every day. Yes, she gets better. Don't sit in the bathroom and cry, but instead pray for her for strength and peace. She is so strong, and nothing can keep her down. She's still one of the most influential and important people in your life. Listen, things aren't easy right now. And you don't know the whole story, but that's okay. When you do know, you will be thankful for a God who kept you separate from what the devil was trying to do to your family. Sharing a bedroom with your brother is just not fun. But at night, when you can't sleep, pray for him. If you think you are having a rough time, imagine him-- the same situation, but two years younger. He has a heart that is hurting and he needs you to be there to lead him. Mom is in college, and you hate it now, but holy crap, Kels- watch her. She is blossoming. She is shining so brightly and that is something to be proud of. No, she can't be there for you all the time anymore, but she is a human, too, and she deserves to be happy. She's so incredible. YES, you DO want to be JUST LIKE HER! She never quits. She's your best friend. Someday, you'll want to spend every day with her, and you'll tell her everything. Your dad is taking any job he can, and things are stressful because there's no money, but don't get mad when he can't give you what you want. Respect him for the work he's putting in 24/7. He's working through some things in his own heart, and they are so important. He is learning to value himself. You love Dad more than anything. Someday, you'll call him every single night just to hear him talk. Mom and Dad Do make it through everything. They are an unbreakable force, and the devil just can't win against the power God has placed in their marriage. Once again, just like always: you are not alone. God sees you, God loves you, and God is right in the middle of your world, making all things new. Love yourself, girl. Do not think about ending your life. Do not listen to anyone who tells you that you are not enough. Do not stand in the mirror and hate what you see. God created you! You are BEAUTIFUL! Please love yourself. Please. Push down the walls and let people in. Trust God. You still wouldn't believe me if I told you about life after high school.


Dear Kelsey, sixteen years old,
No, this isn't life. This is God showing you that you are strong enough to make it. This is God trying to open your heart to Him so that you can enter true life. I promise that you cannot do it alone. Stop trying altogether and just listen to His voice. You meet your best friend this year. Hug her even when she doesn't want you to. That girl is a freakin' miracle for you, and she needs to be loved. She's gonna shine, someday, and God is speaking through you into her life. She'll tell you that someday... You'll cry. A lot. It's awesome. Don't listen to the teachers and coaches who are telling you that you're failing. They'll tell you until the day you graduate, and even after when you visit home from college. It's funny, though, how wrong they are. I can't believe that you STILL wouldn't believe me if I told you about life in just three years. Ha! Hold on, girl. It gets so much better. Listen. To. Mom. And. Dad. DO NOT be quick to anger. I know that you think you are so grown up and life is not fair because they treat you like a child, but someday, you will miss that. You will want your momma to take care of you. You will want your dad to walk in your room when he gets home from work and say hi. I know you love your brother, and I know that you spend countless hours defending him and praying for him.... But he doesn't. Involve him in that. Be proactive in forming a relationship with him. He's getting ready to shine, too. It's amazing! He still needs his big sister. Be the bigger person and love him more. Don't spend too much time away from family. I know they're crazy, but someday, they will be all you can talk about. You'll bring them up in conversation constantly. People will outright tell you "you must have a really close family!" and yes you do, so be proud now. Love yourself. Now, more than ever. See the value that God has placed in you and don't give anyone the authority to take it away. Not peers, bosses, friends, teachers, or coworkers. SHINE and GROW where you are planted. There is literally no limit to what you can do.

Dear Kelsey, eighteen years old,
I told you that you wouldn't believe me!!!!!! Stop right now. Commit to never living in fear again. Commit to trusting God with all of your heart, before you even pack one thing. When you leave for college, make sure your heart is ready. Fill it with God and family and be consistent to listen. "Be still and know that I am God." Do not, do not, do not sit around in your room. Everyone is telling you that, I know- so listen!!!! It's literally that easy. You have nothing to lose when the steps you take are led by God. It's not easy. It's the hardest thing yet. But do not make yourself sick over missing home. No one is forgetting you or leaving you behind. They will drive three hours to meet you at the airport and hug you and cry. They will cry every time you leave. They will pray for you every day. You are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses who are cheering for you. Don't take that the wrong way- they aren't watching for you to fail. If you fail, they are there to help you up. It's amazing. It's overwhelming. It's glorious. It is the kingdom of God in action. Congratulations on your achievements! I hope now that you believe that there is literally nothing limiting you. Go for it, whatever it is. It either happens, or God has something else. Either way, you win. You have the very best parents and sibling and entire family. You can do this. You have been through the hard times we already talked about, and you now know that God was there the whole time, and you never really fell. Believe that that truth has not and will not ever change. Love yourself.

Sincerely,
You, age nineteen and catching up on a lot.



-Thanks for reading! You can continue to follow my journey here. Prayers are always appreciated. Feel free to send me a prayer or some encouragement, too! Kelsey_Phipps@baylor.edu

 

"You can be sure that God will take care of everything you need, His generosity exceeding even yours in the glory that pours from Christ Jesus. Our God and Father abounds in glory that just pours out into eternity. Yes." -Philippians 4:19-20

Living in "The Wack"

Starting blog posts is weird, so I’ll skip the intro and just get to some sort of point! (hopefully)

Exciting news—I declared my major last week! I am officially a Pre-Social Work major at Baylor. With this major I intend to work in non-profit aiding victims of slavery, sex trafficking, and abuse, and women in prostitution, etc. Reaching, serving, and loving people who do not and possibly have not ever experienced love and Jesus is my biggest passion.

This is week 3 on campus!

As I’ve explored more of both the University and Waco these past three weeks, I have been made keenly aware of the vast difference between the two. Baylor is a rather expensive private university with a beautiful campus and basically anything someone could need (food, grocery, shelter, stores, gym, church, medical center, etc.) Waco, however, is sitting at a 27% poverty rate, while the national average is 13%. The streets are run-down, and there are people in tattered, dirt-stained clothes walking/sitting along sidewalks and street corners almost everywhere. Of course, there are nicer parts of Waco, but so far, I have discovered them in little pockets between older neighborhoods.

I’ve also been thinking a lot about how Baylor came to be in a town like Waco. Of course, there’s the historical explanation that Baylor tells the freshman quite frequently their first few weeks on campus, but for me there’s a much more personal reason. I believe that God placed Baylor in Waco for many reasons for many different people. For me, I know that Baylor is the beginning of an incredible journey that God has planned for me, and Waco will be an important first step. The people of Waco are desperately in need of service, in need of love, and most of all, in need of Jesus. Alone, I have nothing to offer, but through Him, I can be a difference in someone’s life.

The church in America has strayed so far from Jesus’ intentions with the poor. They build multi-million dollar buildings and preach about giving money to the less-fortunate. They donate to/volunteer at shelters apart from the churches, but do not invite the “less-fortunate” into their homes. When it comes to actually living and serving in the midst of them, most churches draw the line in the name of “safety.” They have forgotten that our safety lies within faith in Jesus. It’s ridiculous to refuse to serve the prostitute or the drug addict because “they live in unsafe, unclean conditions. Gangs, pimps, etc. are everywhere, and it’s just not safe to be there.”

When Jesus came to Earth, he didn’t just go hang out with the rich, clean people living in big homes (not that he ignored those people). He went and befriended the tax collectors, the lepers, and all of the “unclean,” hated people in the areas he visited. When He met the Samaritan woman at the well, she was surprised that He would even speak to her. Zacchaeus almost didn’t believe Jesus when He told him that He was going to eat with him at his house. Other people were appalled at the places Jesus went to, and the people He spent time with.

I imagine that’s how a lot of people would react today if someone were to reach out to them that way in the name of Jesus. They’d expect to be called out for their sins, to be chastised and disapproved of for the choices they’ve made in life. The overwhelming voice of Christianity in America today is the group of people who are constantly calling out the sin, demanding that we refuse others rights in the name of religious law. Anti-gay marriage and abortion groups can be found so easily. Where, though, are the Christian support groups for the women who have had abortions? Where are the people who recognize that God’s work does not come through force, but through love? Humans have free will. No one will ever choose Jesus if the message they hear is all about how wrong they are. It has to come through love and support.

Can you imagine being 30 years old and applying to a college that sent you letters and emails about how lazy and stupid you were? If they constantly put you down for not going to college right after high school, would you even want to attend at age 30? Of course not. That’s why colleges encourage adults to go back to school. Billboards say ‘It’s not too late!” and “Anyone can succeed.” Radio ads say “find the career you belong in! Love your life and work!” because they understand how to reach people and change their lives. You may say that the issue of salvation is more extreme than education, but humans come to change the same way for any situation—they have to want to change, and wanting to change comes from feeling encouraged and welcomed into the new lifestyle.

The truth is, we are not the judges:

So where does that leave you when you criticize a brother? And where does that leave you when you condescend to a sister? I’d say it leaves you looking pretty silly—or worse. Eventually, we’re all going to end up kneeling side by side in the place of judgment, facing God. Your critical and condescending ways aren’t going to improve your position there one bit. Read it for yourself in Scripture: “As I live and breathe,” God says, “every knee will bow before me; Every tongue will tell the honest truth that I and only I am God.” So tend to your knitting. You’ve got your hands full just taking care of your own life before God. (Romans 14:10-12 MSG)

 It will never be our job to tell someone about their sin, to judge them for it, or to try to force them to change. We can’t play God and follow God at the same time. Jesus came in love, with grace and mercy for anyone who would receive it. The cross is a beautiful story of redemption; God who loved the world so much that He gave his only son to die in the place of every human that would ever walk the Earth. A God who would sacrifice something that immense is surely a God of abounding love and mercy that has no end.

I can’t say that I have ever been so close to such obvious poverty as I am now in Waco. I have been so privileged and blessed in my life, but I’m so glad that God has placed me here now. I don’t want to live oblivious to the need that is so prominent in our nation and world; there are people who sleep in trash bags and eat rotten scraps out of dumpsters, women who were never given educational opportunity, and now can’t find jobs outside of strip clubs. They are treated as subhuman by everyone around them. There are parents who have no idea how to raise their children, and no way to provide for them. There are children with no parents—no one to teach them, protect them, or love them.

My family has never been wealthy, and there have been times we’ve lost a home or had to face the hard fact of my dad losing his job. We’ve been on government assistance, and we’ve squeezed our family of four into a tiny two-bedroom apartment. But we have never been homeless, never gone hungry, and never been without clothing. Though my clothes as a child may have been hand-me-downs from cousins, they were nice clothes that fit. I remember a time when my mom and I passed a homeless man on a bridge just outside of town. He had a sign asking for food. When we got home, my mom made a huge pot of ham and beans and took a large container of it back to him.

When my parents served as young-adult leaders at a local church, our home was constantly filled with teenagers and 20-something’s from all walks of life. The love and service that my parents poured out to them changed both the people’s lives and mine. I grew up with the understanding that it didn’t matter how much you had to give, you gave it with the knowledge that the God you served would be faithful in fulfilling your needs. And He was, over and over again, all throughout my childhood and still today.

Thinking about my own childhood compared to that of some of the kids living in Waco, I could never say that my family was poor or underprivileged. I am so grateful that my parents raised me in an environment that was surrounded by Jesus and his true calling for His people—sacrificial, limitless, unending love. Love that does not have borders, or restrictions, or guidelines. Just pure, honest service to anyone who had a need, big or small. It has shaped me into who I am today, and prepared me for the life that Jesus has called me to. Waco is my home for the next four years, and it’s not a coincidence. I have been called to love these people and serve them, to change and save lives of those who the world has forgotten. There are already so many people doing that in Waco, at Baylor, and I can’t wait to join them.

 

 

 

-Thanks for reading! You can continue to follow my journey here. Prayers are always appreciated. Feel free to send me a prayer or some encouragement, too! Kelsey_Phipps@baylor.edu

"You can be sure that God will take care of everything you need, His generosity exceeding even yours in the glory that pours from Christ Jesus. Our God and Father abounds in glory that just pours out into eternity. Yes." -Philippians 4:19-20