Friends,
“Waking Up” by John Mark Pantana
This year is off to a running start. You may have noticed that it has been over a month since my last newsletter. I have been spending the time moving into a new space on a property with a friend. This property will be a space for people to connect with nature, God, and therefore their deepest inner lives. I have been working on completing my hours for the Splankna Training Institute. I’m pleased to say that the space for soul care is set, and the ministry is up and running! I am working on settling the vision, the invitation for others to come alongside and work the “land,” and waiting on the Lord to progressively unveil his vision for this community.
The Coffee Shop
Speaking of this community, it is also been six months since I started working part time at the local coffee shop Mango Tree! It has been the greatest joy of my week to work in the coffee shop as a form of neighborhood ministry. When someone walks in the door, they come in with a story. Sometimes a simple smile is all that is needed, but overall it is the warm presence of the coffee shop and genuinely loving small talk that I am seeing transformation. I have been able to watch the stories unfold of babies being born at the local hospital, elderly couples walk in for a date, young families wrestle kids at the counter to grab some food on the way about their life, and lonely folks who seem to be missing family. The coffee shop is a watering hole for joys, sorrows, worklife, family, and the explosive experience of being human. It is both in my own life, in the laughter of my coworkers, and the heartache that many live and work in this community. Stories flow from the steam of the milk, the click of the cash drawer, the yelling out of orders, and the passing conversations at the end of the bar as people wait for their drink. This is by far one of the most fulfilling jobs I have encountered and has helped me reconnect with my local community in a way I never thought possible. We have friends without homes who come in for a warm seat and a glass of water for an hour. There is this one old lonely gentleman who come in to read the newspaper and make small talk that brings me to tears every day. Locals who work down the street at the hospital stop in during lunch breaks and share crazy surgery stories. One couple come in every morning together with their newborn baby boy and share a quiet moment of conversation and connection. Englewood is situated between the tensions of the extremely wealthy and the extremely under-resourced. Bible studies occur in every corner first thing in the morning. One friend is an athiest whol left the Muslim tradition and teaches me something about science and the way the world economics work every day. Watching my community pass by behind the grind of the espresso has helped me see the world as holy.
Every other Friday I meet with a group of gentleman who study Eugene Peterson. We have been unpacking what the word “holy” means. In the simplest definition, it is seeing the ordinary things come to life with purpose, life, and vitality in Christ.
Studies
On days that I am not working, I am attending seminary classes, practicing spiritual formation, working at the church in the internship program, or mentoring young women in Biblical studies. I have never been busier in my life and yet have had plenty of moments of rest, reflection, and healing. Life seems to collide in a synergy of friends, homework, and deep conversations around me. I may not know where I am going, but the journey is quite worth it all.
I am currently in a doctrine class and a spiritual formation class. I’ve come to find that doctrine is incredibly interesting, but without the embodied work of the Spirit, it can be dead religion. The Spiritual Formation class has helped me explore the curiosity of God’s mystery. The doctrine class has given me sharper language to navigate the complex world of the Bible. The best part is the conversations with my classmates who come from a wide diversity of ministry environments. Some are students from Mongolia, some are stay at home moms, some are high level pastors of a church, while others are like me on a discovery journey of purpose.
Travel Plans for Training and Mentoring
Coming up, I am preparing for THREE trips abroad. First up, YWAM Cultivate, in Pisa Italy where I used to live and work, has invited me back for one week to teach on the story of David to a secondary school!! This is such an incredible honor and privilege. Between the coffee, essays, hosting groups, and walks in nature, I am studying the life and ministry of David. It’s humbling to admit but I have never really been acquainted with David’s life outside of some war stories and the classic story of David and Goliath. David will take much more than a few months to really unpack, but I hope to learn from those around me and soak in all the moments in between to see how David’s life is walked out in my own life. At the YWAM campus, they currently have students from around the world including both Brazil and America doing and intensive on the story of the whole Bible. Pray for these students who often have never studied the Bible in-depth before. Pray that the story comes to life off of the page and that they would encounter the true and living God.
The second location is a missions trip to South Africa with high school students with Valor Christian! I will fly from Pisa to Johannesburg at the beginning of June. We will be working in the squatter camps as well as with youth education programs. My heart for joining this team is to help chaperone and guide the spiritual practices of the team. When I was in high school, I realized so much about the world by traveling, and learned so much about Jesus by serving in a cross-cultural environment. My prayer is that these students from places of privilege will grow in understanding and wisdom in how to see the world differently.
The last location will be in Altea, Spain in the fall of this year. I will be learning under Cari Jenkins and Becca Stewart on how to run a retreat for a week. They are taking a group of women to engage with their hearts and take time to reflect. ! It will be such a stretching and life-giving experience to serve this group of ladies by cooking a meal for them every day as well as learn under Cari and Becca. They are incredible women of strength and wisdom who care deeply about making space for people to hear from God, see the world from a new perspective, and be in community.
Last Thoughts
I am currently building up my client base for soul care and inner healing! If you would like to connect about doing a session or even would like some simple space in nature for silence and solitude, reach out.
Much love,
Maya
