Day by Day at the Boardwalk Chapel (Update)!

 Greetings friends both near and far! 

I'm here at the Cape May Starbucks drinking English tea and eating a breakfast sandwich. The cold I (and some others) got nearly a month ago has hung on like an unwelcome guest we didn't ask for. Some of us at the Dunn House have had it for weeks whilst others have only recently acquired it in the last week or two. I can say that those of us who got it earlier are in recovery but the intense coughs, necessity of taking vitamins and cough drops, and need for sleep remain. The Domestics lead has kindly supplied us with a sick shelf filled with remedies (as well as lovingly force-feeding us the needed Vitamin C), and the brothers and sisters here are good at taking care of their sick (Hannah made me a smoothie just this morning). I personally, despite a clearer head that can think well and a desire to go at normal speed again, have found the continued need for NyQuil at least before bed since if I don't take it, I can't sleep due to drainage and coughing fits. This said, I so admire those fellow saints here who are in recovery since as soon as they are partially-functional and non-contagious, they're right back out there popping cough drops and singing and sharing and doing skits. And I so admire the numerous caretakers who have continued to show the love of Christ well. I can do small things right now. Some can do bigger things. But the point is, if we and when we all do the small and big acts of love we're capable of, the work of God gets done and the love of Christ dwells in us richly. Sometimes we have to go slow to go fast. Sometimes we must be cared for and not just do the caring for others. And sometimes we can be the fast-movers and caretakers. It's all a daily journey of dependence on God and others. When we live in openness and kindness, the work still gets done. It's a beautiful communal effectiveness that only the Church can truly produce. 

So much has been happening in the past almost month that it's impossible to communicate all, but I'll start with dessert! Hannah and I were indeed able to contribute a dessert to dinner one night (a desire from the last blog) in the form of banana-bread muffins. I had planned on doing banana bread in preparation for inviting the neighbors around the Dunn House to a neighborhood cookout, but since the timing didn't work out perfectly, we had it for dinner one night instead. The neighborhood cookout also went well. Only the family right next to us attended though we went door-to-door and invited many homes; however, when starting something new, it almost always begins small and grows each year. And that family is indeed such a friendly, kind Italian family who we were happy to eat with and whom we have continued to enjoy. I have made other additions to some random meals here and there including sweet tea (not a hit since I haven't nailed it) and fries (made with leftover potatoes--bigger hit), but by far the best contributions have come in the form of night-time quiches/torta de riso made from leftovers for the boys' house, and Isaiah's buttermilk biscuits which he made this week and will make again perhaps tomorrow. Others have contributed their culinary prowess to dinners/snacks here as well. Iley (another wonderful Jr. staff Domestics and Drama member) made oatmeal-raisin cookies for Ryleigh's birthday the other night, Hannah's mint lemonade has been a hit more than once, and recently Nate Batton's mom came with cookies in tow for staff. Avery has gotten us ice cream treats more than once, and Avery's boyfriend has also contributed brownie mixes that will be accompanying dinner soon! Small treats go an along way when living communally with intense evenings. Also, I would be remiss here not to mention Master Sen (evangelism intern from Westminster Seminary CA) who has made us Philippine delicacies from the sea on so many occasions, including local crab (caught by our own staff!) last Saturday. Delicious! A way to love fellow man certainly is through meeting his most basic needs--the need to feed and fellowship. 

As far as Domestics, I have helped with dinners on-and-off throughout the last weeks (depending on my health and the numbers of available helpers), but have more often done the grocery trips on Mondays with Avery (it takes cart-loads to feed an army!) and sneaky night time or morning time kitchen cleanup to help prepare the spaces for the day (Isaiah and I also in general try to organize the communal spaces as we can since it helps things run more smoothly). As far as the nighttime programs, I've been practicing a few skits but have only recently gotten my memory back enough to prep properly. I have thankfully made it to most programs this week and last, often helping lead prayer team after the program since I love and crave prayer so much. I also really enjoy meeting the new youth groups Sunday nights and communicating with them as well as the other regulars and passersby to the nightly programs--random socializing and bringing folks the occasional water takes very little effort and is rewarding. I've been learning much here about simply giving in the areas I can, and others loving me not for what I can or can't contribute, but simply for who I am and because they are called to do so by the Lord. It is a healthier way to live. The world often has so many expectations of us, but the Church should (and here is) a place of grace and growth and seasons. 

Isaiah has gotten the privilege of delivering many gospel moments (short 1-point sermons for the nightly programs) and of MC-ing some of the programs lately. I especially love being at the programs when Isaiah speaks, since I love getting to watch and be proud of the man I've been given. He was also given the privilege of preaching for a night service at wonderful semi-local church (New Hope Bridgeton OPC) last Sunday. I will forever remember July 16th,  2023 as the day I knew I could sit under my husband's preaching and leadership in a church and see him not only as my husband but as my pastoral-shepherd. I was humbled by his words and thoughts. I certainly did marry well for which I thank my God and my mother. Isaiah also continues to check chores for staff on Thursdays, fulfill Chapel duty, go to mentoring/training with Chris Byrd (they're reading through Faithful Leaders by Rico Tice), be an amazing husband (date days are Thursdays or Saturdays!), and keep up with a million details. The man has skills. (I figure it's okay to brag since the Proverbs 31 woman helps her husband be known at the city gate! ;) P.S. The Cape May Zoo visit recently was tops.

I've made efforts to call home more/send the occasional note or letter, to attempt to inform our pastor of weekly requests, and to keep up in devotional time (so necessary!--Currently in 1 Samuel: Saul & David and Elisabeth Elliot), in addition to side reading like None Like Him by Jen Wilkin (the wonderful Friday women's study staff here is doing!), Running on Empty: The Gospel for Women in Ministry by Barbara Bancroft (given to me by Isaiah years ago; should have read it before; so good!), and Villette by Charlotte Bronte (because mama must have a fiction to function). :) Finally, I will mention that Isaiah and I have spent much time with 2 wonderful friends who we hope to have helped, and that I absolutely LOVED our stormy day beach time with Peace and Emily recently. It's a beautiful memory with beautiful people that I'll remember for a long while. Salt water helps clear the sinuses too, so it's a total gift being at the beach if one is unwell. 

I'll try to share more about the counseling I've been going through with a mentor, the possible health-items for prayer, and Isaiah's and I's thoughts for our return to N.C. in the next blog. For now, praise God for good memories, a great husband, lessons in daily dependence, and a wonderful Junior Staff--many who head home end of this week :(. And pray for healing and health for staff (including me), for a baby for Isaiah and I, for hope inside of me, and for more folks to turn to Jesus this Summer! Praise the Lord for those who have called on the name of the Lord so far! God is good all the time, and all the time God is good.