Hope Remains

The smallest state in the U.S. has the longest name. Rhode Island’s full official name is actually the ‘State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations.’ It was also the first state to renounce its allegiance from Britain. It was founded as a colony in the 1600’s as a place of religious freedom. In fact, the term Providence, which is the name of the capital, means “the protective care of God or of nature as a spiritual power.”

But a lot changes in four hundred years.

Today Rhode Island is spiritually desolate. Faith is no longer cherished, and Providence is the third most Post-Christian city in America. I’ll include the link at the end of this, but basically what Post-Christian means is individuals lack Christian identity based on a checklist also stated in the article. Interestingly enough, most of these top Post-Christian cities are on the East Coast.

People do not have to leave the United States to spread the gospel. I have been asked many times, “Audrey, why Rhode Island?” God calls people to different places and I was called to Providence. If people everywhere need Jesus but people only went to Kenya to share the gospel, it would get, well crowded for one thing, plus the rest of the world would not get to learn about Jesus. People living on the East Coast of the United States need Jesus just as much as people in Germany, Venezuela, Egypt, etc.

We are called to minister to everyone. Before Jesus ascended into heaven he told his disciples “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” – Matthew 28:19-20.

But doing so certainly comes with its challenges. We are wrapping up week two out of nine in Providence and only two of the four of us have secured jobs. I start July 1^st at Build-A-Bear and I am so excited to work there! I am thankful that I not only get to work and build relationships with co-workers while I am here but also, it’s Build-A-Bear, how cool is that? Nevertheless, two of my friends are still praying for employment and it is beginning to feel hopeless.

Sometimes sharing the gospel feels hopeless. Tomorrow morning our team will put on our first week of summer camp, where we hope to share the gospel with children and even their parents. This past week has been focused on training and planning out the camp. Odds are, over the coming weeks, some families may accept Christ, but many will not. Luckily, God does not have quotas for us to meet. Our program director for these camps has a tattoo of a starfish on her foot. It’s based off of this story about a massive storm that washes thousands of starfish onto shore where they begin to die. Two people go for a walk on the beach and one keeps picking up starfish and throwing them into the ocean. One asks the other why they bother, it makes no difference because most will die before they can get back into the ocean. It’s a hopeless situation, really. Picking up another starfish, the person replies, “it made a difference for this one.”

I came to Providence from the state of Colorado because God wanted me to. I will not impact the entire city, but hopefully there are a few I can make a difference for. God has a way of piecing things together, if we choose to follow His call. Did you know that Colorado has a state motto? I came across it a few weeks before leaving. Nil sine numine. I know, mind-blowing right?!? Oh right, most of you readers are like me and probably don’t understand Latin. Translated into English, this is “Nothing without providence.” I think this is interesting, considering my current position. God is a funny guy.

Rhode Island has a state motto too. It is in English though, so I guess it is a little less exciting. And unlike much of their state history, I think this one stands the test of time. “Hope.” If you read my last post, you know how many challenges our team has already faced. But we are still here and ready to minister to others. We are putting our trust and our hopes in God. Yes, us being in Providence and running camps through the SummerOff program for a few weeks likely will not bring the state back to the religious ideal it was once founded on, or get it off the list of Post-Christian cities, but it will make a difference to some people. There will be some that learn about God, decide they want to know Him, and accept Christ. That’s the hope.

For the article I mentioned click here

If you’re intrigued by this post and looking forward to what I’ll write about in the future, you can expect a new post at some point in the future. Also, if you feel inclined, feel free to leave a comment below about what you think. Thanks for all your support and I hope you’ll come back the next time I post. Stay Amazing!