TONS happened at detour...but here is just a taste of what did
happen.
Detour was a life-changing experience for me.
It brought on conversations and moments where it was so evident
that God was in the midst and he was working in me. He taught me things
that I didn't even know I needed to learn and he drove home things that he had been teaching
me for quite some time. If I told you everything I learned in those 5 days, we would be here for hours.
So instead of that, I would like to share one major thing that God taught me. Something that I didn't
even know I needed to learn. And now looking back, I can see that it was God showing me how he created me to be.
I expected Detour to be heavy. I have been going for the past 3 years and each time I come back amazed at
how much God works in our youth group and each of us individually. I expected there to be tears.
I expected that through out the week, I would learn more than I thought I would. But I didn't expect almost all
of the teaching,growing,and stretching to be in one day. Especially the first day.
We arrived at 511 and were immediately sent up to a little room to start priming and painting.
Our contractor was telling us what we needed to do. Turns out that the room needed a little more help
than we thought it did. While everyone piled out of the room to wait for more instructions; me and Emma Berdino
stayed behind. Our Contractor, I think his name was Ken, turned to me and was like, “Hey. Your that girl who sang in the sanctuary that one time.” I said, “Yeah. That was me.” and he was like, “Your really good.” and I said thank you. Then he said something that definitely caught my attention. He said, “Can I tell you something? I don't know if it will make you sad or depressed but I would love to tell you.” I racked my brain trying to figure out what he was going to say. I said, “Yeah. Go ahead.” He told me that he listened to my dad, Matt Ivie, every single day before he passed away. See, my dad worked for the ESPN radio station and had his own station called, “The Ivie League”. Anyways, he said he loved his show and always called in to talk about sports with my dad. Ken wasn't a Christian then but he said every time he listened to my dad or called in; there was something different about my dad that he couldn't explain. The way he delivered sports and the way he treated people was different than all the other talk show hosts. Ken went to everything my dad did for Firestone and stuff like that. And one day him and his brother gave my dad this hat and my dad loved it. Ken said it made him and his brothers day. Knowing that my dad dint have to care about the hat, but he did.
At that time, Ken called into the station so frequently that my dad started giving him the nickname, “Shocker.”
Ken said it always brought a smile to his face hearing my dad say, “OK folks. The next caller is...SHOCKER!”
Then my dad got cancer. It broke Ken, as a caller, to see such a strong man become weak.
When my dad passed away Ken and his brother went to his funeral which happened to be here.
At Calvary Chapel. Ken said it was one of the first times he has ever stepped into a church.
When they played the slide show of pictures, Ken said that there was at least 4 pictures with my
dad wearing the hat him and his brother gave him. That day was the day the seed was planted. God
was working on his heart.
2 years passed and Ken went through hard trials including a divorce and he knew he needed something.
His friend sat him down and said that he needed Jesus but some of his problems were beyond his friends
advice. So he took Ken to Calvary Chapel to see a pastor. This was the second time he had been to church
and it happened to be the church that Matt Ivie, my dad, had his funeral. 45 minutes later, Pastor Garth Aderholt (who is now working at a different church) lead him to the Lord. Ken then told me that one of the big reasons he accepted the Lord was because of my dad. Because my dad cared about him when he didn't have to. Because my dad made him feel wanted and special. Because my dad showed Ken what Jesus looked like.
That story amazed me and changed the way I view everything I do. The way I talk. The way I act.
If my dad didn't care about Ken, didn't take the time to be his friend who knows where Ken would be.
I realized that I am being an example to everyone when I do or say anything. That night I sat down and
thought, “If I died right now, could someone say that I impacted their lives? Do I take the time to show them Jesus? Is every action, every word, a reflection of Jesus?” As I sat their and reflected on what Ken told me,
I started to weep. Because their have been times where I was 'too busy' to help someone out. Where there was opportunity where I could have shown the love of Jesus but I didn't. And in that moment, God made it so clear to me that even when I don't feel like I am doing anything, I am reflecting Jesus and representing him.
Everyday I need to live, act, and talk like him. I need to love people like Jesus does. I need to show them what it looks like to live a godly life. I'm sure there were sometimes when my dad was exhausted and just wanted to go home to his family. I'm sure there were times where he just wanted to leave work and play with his kids. But he obeyed God and continued to be a light to everyone in his workplace and all of the people he came in contact with. I want to be a light to people every single minute of everyday. I don't want to be 'too busy'. I want to show them Jesus.
If my dad had never taken the time to show Ken the love of Jesus just by caring about him, Ken may not have ever become a Christian. His kids may not have received the Lord either. But since my Dad obeyed the Lord and went the extra mile, all that DID happen. Never say no to the Lord, he knows exactly what he is doing. And by being obedient you may discover that its not about what you want. Its about submitting to God's will and plan for your life. By being obedient someone else's life may be changed forever. All because you said, “Yes Lord.”
Pictures to come soon!! =)
~alyssa
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