"The best way to find yourself..."

The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others. 

~Mahatma Gandhi

Mmmm I think Gandhi was spot on on this one, because we like service, don’t we? We like to be served. We like serving others. We like the feeling that comes with service: it makes us feel good about ourselves, like we have something within humanity to hold onto. Because, I guess, if we’re not helping one another… who will?

I know that I would NOT have made it through this last year without the acts of service people in my life lovingly poured out for me. Whether it be my parents coming to help me move in / out of my dorm, to random Starbucks treats amidst midterms week, to the promise of prayers being thrown my way daily—service is probably the biggest thing that kept me going. And more than that, serving others was often what got me through the really tough days, and reminded me that there is SO much more than just me and my little issues out there in this world. Seriously, whether volunteering at Children’s Hospital and getting to play with sick kids all night, or just sending an encouraging text to a friend—service totally makes this world a brighter place.

In the four days I’ve been in Nicaragua so far, I have seen the effects of those small acts of service like I never have before. My expectation was that I was going to arrive and instantly be thrown into the spotlight of serving. But that has not been the case at all, and I love that. I love that I have been able to see how the little things come together to make life for so many people better. Things like washing the old, dirty truck, or pouring 50 cups of juice for a team, actually do matter. Because if the truck got too dirty, the driver wouldn’t be able to see out the windshield and the cook wouldn’t get picked up from her home and no one would eat that day. And if the juice didn’t get poured 50 people would get dehydrated and they wouldn’t be able to go back to the villages to help build houses and love the beautiful people here.

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Washing the Project H.O.P.E. truck with my cousins, Zoie and Hannah 

My friend, Katie, serving me by doing my hair for formal :)

So I’ve been learning these past few days that little acts of service really do matter! And even more importantly, they are a big deal to God. He sees them, and his heart overjoys for what we are doing! And that’s really cool.

I think that God ultimately doesn’t care what the end point of our service is. I mean, yes, of course He cares if those houses get built, or whatever. But I think He would be just as happy with us just seeing that we are contributing something, and that we are giving Him our best.

That’s another lesson I have been beaten over the head with this year: I AM NOT ASKED TO BE PERFECT I AM JUST ASKED TO GIVE MY BEST. Because my best is enough. I am enough. That is something really really hard for me to accept, but it’s true.

It’s just like when I got my grades for this last quarter and my 5 year-old cousin (Zoie) grabbed my hand, looked me in the eyes, and said, “Tay, you are beautiful. You are talented. You are smart. And we love you.” And I know beyond a doubt that I have hundreds of other people in my life that would say the same thing. Plus, I have a God who screams it out at me all day everyday.

And that has to be enough for me.

So what I’m saying is that, yes, paying for the lady behind you at Starbucks does make a difference. And your teenage son does notice the note you still put in his lunchbox. And the girl from the US is impacted by the fresh juice she gets to drink with her meal. The little things you do make this world a better place, and if we stop, I imagine this world is going to get much, much worse. The little things we do make a difference, and that’s something we (especially me) can never EVER forget.

Thanks for keeping up with me on my trip!

Lots and lots of #love,

Tay

Also, a special shout out to all the dad’s. Especially my own (the best one)! I love you, Daddy. I know I would not be where I am today without you. Thanks for always advocating for me and for loving me no matter what I do, you are an amazing example of my heavenly Father's love! Happy Father’s Day!