Dear Houston

Dear Houston,

Someone once told me that when stories come to you, they need to be cared for because they can change another person's life. I have encountered many stories on my trip to this once unknown land, and as I head back to a place much more familiar (to me) than Texas, I leave with a heartache that indicates growth and change and love and heart connection. I leave with an expectation of what is to come, along with an extreme gratefulness for what has been embraced and experienced already. I pray that those stories will one day change someone else as I pass them on.

I received my acceptance letter to the University of Maryland earlier this week.(God, can Houston and Maryland please merge for just two years? that would be great...for sure!!!:-) Even as I write this in my sadness over leaving new friends who have become like family, my heart is burning for that campus, and an excitement is stirring for what God is wanting to create in the midst of a dark place. I am looking forward to the stories and the Holy Spirit meetings as He invades the streets and creates magnificence out of brokeness and hope out of despair. I"m looking forward to conversations with drunks, druggies, the religious, the intellectuals, etc. Randomness is always welcome. I don't know exactly what God wants to do or how He will do it, but I know that He is always into breaking tradition and shaking up what's normal...like entering wal-mart through the exit door and exiting through the entrance. That gets me excited. I am excited to see how He explodes in the university system across this nation in the years to come, capturing hearts and awakening a generation to their call to be a fearless army that has looked into the eyes of Courage and become undone for anything less than the Son.

I'm learning that often the Holy Spirit directs our steps based upon the things that start exciting us deep on the inside...I guess kind of like following your heart. Going to University of Maryland is exciting me deep on the inside. Being in DC for two years is exciting me deep on the inside. Being positioned accurately as an ambassador for Christ is exciting me deep on the inside. Thinking about coming back to Houston someday is exciting me too.

Which means that I know where I need to be positioned for next year. Which makes my heart a bit achy because I will miss my new friends. But who knows what two years from now holds? Or the new things that will be birthed? Or the destiny steps that will be walked? Oh...right...God knows. :-) He's amazing like that...and He doesn't even have to try...it's all natural.

So, Houston, I want you to know that I hope to return someday. (Well, I have to come back to watch the Astros...) Maybe Houston will be my "base" home--cause I'm not too good at staying still--and I don't think that restlessness will ever go away. I think God wired me to be slightly restless. There are too many lands to see and people to meet and nations to disciple. But it's good to have a home--a place of belonging where fellowship only serves to heighten the stirring of fresh revelation and a deeper walk with Christ--a place to come back to for rejuvination after going on crazy adventures to go preach the Gospel to the unreached:-)

Thank you for teaching me even more deeply what it feels like to belong--to be accepted--to be seen for who I am as a child of God. Thank you for allowing me to dream even bigger dreams--like the pure ones that only come straight from heaven. Thank you for being friends and sisters and brothers and warriors. Thank you for reminding me what it's like to laugh, even when life throws curve balls, and to love, even when it hurts because you know that the time will come when you will have to leave. Thank you for starbucks, picking me up because I don't have a car, the rodeo, the beach, IHOP (the pancake place, not the prayer one), all night prayer meetings, hugs...like the REAL kind, not the flimsy kind, basketball, fajitas, Brisket, turkey legs, Jesus conversations, corny jokes, life drama...and the hilarious dating circles (my parents never let me date when I was young! Crazy. lol), forgiveness, joy, friendship, laughter, good food, chocolate covered bananas, Taco Bell hang out times, random texting sessions (Paul, you better not stop sending me your little encouraging word texts!), promises of a funny movie marathon, road trips, encouragement, new songs, art museums (Katy!). Thank you for showing me that there really are Christians who love each other...and that the Book of Acts kind of set-up is still a possibility. Thank you for being radical. Thank you for awkward moments of getting to know someone else. Thank you for Sonic (Marco, don't laugh at my slobber!). Thank you for challenging me. And thank you for the tattoo ideas. And the hilarious jokes. And the best laugh EVER! (Steph...that's right....that's all you woman!) Oh...and thanks for almost getting Marco into jail:-) hehehe.Thank you for making me into a Rockets fan. (but I'm definitely not gonna be swayed to any of your college teams!!!) Thank you for loving me. Thank you for embracing me. Thank you for the uncomfortable moments where I got to see places of insecurity. Thank you for not being perfect!!! Thank you for missing me:-). Thank you for having a sense of humor. Thank you for loving worship and intimacy with the Father...and for loving Jason Upton as much as me. Thank you for letting me play basketball even though I'm pretty much useless on the court, even at 5'11". (But hey, Mitchel can be my defense that I really did have one good night!).

I pray that God would bless you with joy unspeakable. I pray that He would pour out a spirit of revelation like you have never known--and that you would have the wisdom of heaven to know how to live. I pray that you would become a sign and a wonder in the land, with a voice that resounds from the most broken down of neighborhoods to the richest of homes. I pray for growth and increase and an anointing to take nations. Above all, I pray that your love would increase--and that all those around you would know that you belong to a Love that is not of this world.

There is so much more I could say. Let LIFE be your choice. I miss you and love you ALL! When I come back, we'll have to share stories about the awesome ways God is moving. That will stir up faith, for sure! (Conrad, you better memorize that commission!) Go change your world--there are no limits or boundaries to what Jesus can do! I will be praying for you guys.

And, Um...EVERYONE better visit me!!!! (For Kate and Maria, there are no exceptions...if you don't come I will track you down and get you on the plane with me!) Road trip it, "y'all"! We'll have a huge bonfire and just be crazy:-) I'll set up tents in my backyard or something. We'll sing songs and build forts and then go walk around the streets like we are homeless. That would be hilarious. Love you guys! Grace and peace. (he he, Wood). You all ROCK. And that's a definite forever opinion.

Love,
Caitlin