Welcome back! I’m glad you’re here, reading some of my final thoughts as a Raleigh Fellow. Two more weeks of that title, two more weeks of trying to explain a confusing 9 month program where I live with a family and work part time and am not quite an adult (I’m oddly going to miss this spiel.) Honestly writing this last (official) blog feels a bit intimidating - how do I sum up this program and the ways that it's changed me? How to give perfect language to the encounters and relationships and growth etc. etc. etc. Overwhelming, right? Something my mentor, Kathryn Gatewood has taught me is to slow down, to feel the Lord, to just be with him and be with who has made me to be. So that’s what I’m going to do instead, I’ll let you in on who I am right this moment - on a Friday night, in my pjs waiting for my sister to land at the airport. I have a grateful heart and a mind convinced that the greatest joy of my life will be to follow Jesus for as long as I have here. That is what this program has given me! There’s many details, classes, conversations, retreats, and meals all orchestrated by Ashley that have led to these two facts and if you’re a potential fellow or an incoming fellow, boy do you have some goodness waiting for you here, if you’re not then you’ll just have to trust me.
The hymn “In the Garden” was introduced to me by Kathryn in our first semester and it hasn’t left my mind since. She asked me what it means to “tarry” with the Lord, what does it look like to linger around with him. I think this will be the question I chase for the rest of my life and I feel so excited to figure out what it looks like to linger with God in this next season, to hear his voice and follow him through the garden. So as I step into these next two weeks, our final lap as fellows, I’m holding onto this - the Lord has brought me into incredible good in these past 8 months, why wouldn’t he do it again with the next?
*a little bit of In the Garden
“He speaks, and the sound of His voice
Is so sweet the birds hush their singing;
And the melody that He gave to me
Within my heart is ringing
And He walks with me, and He talks with me,
And He tells me I am His own,
And the joy we share as we tarry there,
None other has ever known”
I’ve absolutely loved fellows so much, I wish every person had the gift of going through this program and I’m so thankful to every person who has supported my time here! Thank you to the Burgesses (host fam), Kathryn (mentor), Ashley (director), my fellow fellows, my family, and everyone who has supported me financially and in prayer! It has changed me, thank you a million.
One last, what I’m loving…
The banana bread latte - half sweet - from purple bowl
Getting into grad school!! (see ya soon Meredith)
FLATLAND CALVARY/CVILLE collab weekend of my actual dreams
Seeing my college friends at a bridal shower, a wedding, and said FC concert
All different colors of irises
The girls watching the choice!
My mom & friend visiting for the day
The girls (minus carsyn because she's getting married) living together post fellows!!!!
The sunshine!
Feeling the ache of leaving my job next week (that means I love it and I’m excited to be back there next year)
Now let’s party for two more weeks!!!
With love, Reagan
