Community & Coventry

Hey, it’s been a while since I’ve updated you on what I’ve been up to. I’m still in Cambridge, England although not for much longer— I have less than a week left. I had originally set out to update this page once a week; then it turned into once every other week then maybe once a month, now here we are at the end and I’ve forgotten altogether. 

That’s because I was swept up altogether in what I can only describe as one of the most challenging, exciting, and thrilling experiences of my life thus far. I was given the opportunity to experience just a sliver of God’s beautiful earth and for that I am forever grateful.

As I start experiencing all my “last’s” here in Europe and wonder how the heck I’m going to get *everything* home, I’ll share two more experiences with you. The first is from my cohorts “Heart of England” trip. During this trip we went to Stonehenge, Bath, Oxford, Stratford-upon-Avon, and Coventry. In Coventry we were able to visit the cathedral that was the inspiration for Valpo’s Chapel.

This cathedral is in two parts. The original part was bombed in WWII which left it with only the walls of the building, out of what was left, they rebuilt a new chapel. Whereas Valpo’s chapel is all about Jesus’ triumph in resurrection, this chapel focuses on his suffering and our reconciliation in his sacrifice. Within the chapel I could see where each piece of my home was created and reinvented. It was like I was in the first version of the chapel and it was waiting for the upgrade.

From the beautiful stain glass, to the way they used earthy colors I immediately felt like I was at home, like I was in a place I had been before.

That was something I had yet to experience while abroad and I’m glad I was able to for two reasons. The first was to be able to see the inspiration for a building that has inspired so much in me. The second, was a reminder that God creates “home” in the most unique spaces and places. It could be where you grow up, where you go looking for answers, or where you go to be close to him.

My second experience is hard to describe but I’ve been sitting on it for 4 months so you would think I’d be able to at this point. Another thing God has blessed me with is a lot of different, strong, supportive, communities. Always coming in and out of my life right when I needed them. This community, that became a family, was something special right from the start.

Community is something you have to work on and work with continuously from start to finish  or else it won’t work. When it doesn’t work then the dishes don’t get done, the garbage doesn’t go out, and we definitely can’t decide on a movie to watch. But when there is love, compromise, forgiveness, laughter, and compassion there is endless dance parties, triple layer homemade chocolate cake, *long* movie marathons, family dinners, trips to Scotland and Ireland, and Italy and that’s only half of it!

There are also hugs when we’re homesick, or heartbroken, or bankbroken (:/). There are major procrastination parties to get everything done the day before they are due. There are life talks while making dinner. When community works together it is the most magical and unforgettable thing you can experience and I’m sure glad I was a part of it.

These experiences in the past few months are some of the best and hardest for me to explain but they are what I will be taking into the next chapters of my life to make the next chapters and novels and series better and better and better.