SALT LAKE CITY
We hadn’t even thought about or considered Salt Lake City as an option. Some local friends invited us to visit their local church, planted locally, only a short while ago. It was just what my soul needed. I have not experienced corporate worship like that in quite some time. It refreshed me, moved me, challenged me, and restored me in ways my spirit longed for. God’s presence was known to me that day at Ekklesia Church. After hearing their heart and vision for the communities of SLC, we knew that we needed to at least pray about and consider SLC as an option. So while the YL Convention was in full motion, Daniel took time to meet with the local Ekklesia pastor to discuss ministry options.
While our visit to SLC was purposed for attending the YL Convention, we chose to stay outside the downtown area in the nearby mountains with my aunt and uncle. It meant a drive to participate in all the events, but it also meant spending quality time with family. The city of Draper is much higher elevation, with astounding views all around, and we greatly appreciated the vista from the mountain peaks each day we were there. But the last morning that I was driving into the city for our general session, I rounded the corner and was simply overwhelmed by the magnificent, towering mountains with the city nestled in the valley below. It struck me that SLC truly is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been, and in one moment, I was swept away in a feeling of both awe and brokenness. I had experienced this same feeling once before, when visiting Dogon land in Mali – awe because of the beauty and brokenness over the sheer darkness of the city. Truly this must be what Scripture means when it says the rocks cry out the glory of God! I began praying for the city, for Ekklesia Church and their body of believers, and for God to break the chains of oppression in SLC so that the praises of the people would be heard alongside God’s creation in shouting His glory.
I don’t know if SLC is the place for us. But we also don’t know that it’s not. We will continue the journey in discovering what God has for us, and we will continue to pray for God’s wisdom to discern where He wants us to serve Him next. Regardless of where we end up, visiting SLC has taught us to approach each step with an open heart and mind, as well as reminded me that darkness penetrates all around. People everywhere need to hear the life-saving freedom of redemption found in Christ alone.
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