"There Is No Tomorrow" (Month #2: (part 2)

               I woke up at 2 am thinking it was just one of those times when my body wakes up on its own. Then I got a text from my roommate saying she heard shots just a block away. A few seconds later, came the sound of helicopters swarming above the area and the red police lights shining through the blinds of my room. “Yup, this is definitely a mission field,” I thought to myself.

              This is just a glimpse into month #2 here in LA. This month is when I learned more about the realities of this part of the city.  

              Through the stories of violence and injustice experienced by some of the students I work with, noticing the overwhelming amount of people living in tents and tarp housing in the streets, and seeing graffiti painted across the city, my zeal for this mission God has me on began to feel useless. With so much that needs to be addressed in the city and not many big effective changes being made, I began to understand why many non-Californians deemed this state as a “lost cause.” There is so much to be done in this city that it can be overwhelming many times. And it often left me wondering how my small impact here would make any dent of a change. However, I had to remind myself of the beginning and how it was evident to me that God sent me here for a purpose.

             When seeing and hearing about these instances going on in the community, I knew I was to pray for these things, but I often neglected prayer and would say that I’d get to it later “tomorrow” only to be extremely busy to even pray for these things.

             During the day I’d get tired from work and would often half-heartedly be there. Again, when I’d reflect on the tough experiences some of the kids shared with me, I’d say, “Today I wished I gave more since I realize these kids need me to give my all. Tomorrow, I’ll give more,” only to repeat the same cycle of “tomorrow” because I was dealing with insecurities, laziness, and what appeared to be a mission “too big” for me.

             Then within this past month, 3 different people with whom I’ve built community with here in LA unexpectedly had to leave without notice due to personal reasons they were experiencing. Some of these individuals I was not able to say a proper goodbye. It was just a sudden exit.

             I was quickly reminded of the urgency to show Jesus to the people around me and wondered if I gave my all in sharing Jesus for the short time they were in my life. This urgency reminded me that I never know if there is going to be another tomorrow with the same people in my life. Who knows when my time of having them in my life will be just a few short weeks, rather than much longer than I expected?

             I must keep on with perseverance and not get lazy doing the work of God just because it seems way beyond me. If I keep approaching these opportunities and people half-heartedly, the issues around me will defeat me, rather making a change as God intended me to. I soon learned that God wants His people to not keep our eyes on the problem, but rather on Him. It is with this perspective we can continue in God’s work because our strength is in Him and not within ourselves. This month was tough, and I really felt like a worn out boxer slouched in the corner of the boxing ring, with God as my coach urgently instructing me, “Girl, you gotta keep going! Don’t quit! You got more in ya!”

             To sum up this month, I really resonated with this clip from the movie “Rocky III": https://youtu.be/8KRzqPxR5zs and I hope it inspires you as well to not keep waiting till “tomorrow” to give your all. May we face each and every day knowing God is counting on us to continue on with the fullness of His strength. You got more in ya!

-Brittany Prada 💛