...but sometimes, I write.

It occurs to me that I haven't shared with you about my internship.  My bad.  I was fortunate enough, in this strange world of film, celebrities, and "script coverage," to receive the internship that I really, really, really wanted - a ministry internship.  I'm working with the Hollywood Prayer Network, Hollywood Connect and Greenhouse Productions twenty hours a week and loving it.  I do all the boring stuff you'd expect to do in an internship - folding brochures, updating the database and Facebook PR - but it's so much better than that.  We read the Bible and pray for an hour at the beginning of the week.  Our staff meeting on Wednesday is just plain fun, and always concludes with group prayer.

My favorite part, though, is... never mind, everything's my favorite.  The best part is that creativity is encouraged.  I wrote the following for the Facebook fanpage...

"As a student from semi-rural Pennsylvania, Los Angeles and the Hollywood scene present me with a radically different culture from that of my hometown. I am confident that God brought me here this semester, and I am enjoying it - I was very glad to find my interning 'niche' here at the HPN/Hollywood Connect/Greenhouse office.  It's only been two weeks and I have already been both challenged and encouraged greatly through the Bible and the staff here. 

"Last Monday morning I was reading Psalms in preparation for a staff prayer time and I was struck by David's words in Psalm 8 - he talks about the majesty of God's name and the awesomeness of His creation, and then David marvels at the position that God has given mankind: "You have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings... you made him ruler over the works of your hands, you put everything under his feet."

"What a huge responsibility!  God created the universe, greater than we can even imagine; He thought up DNA and atoms and details so small that we can't see them; He then created people... and put us in charge of all of these wonderful things.  Words like "ruler" and "have dominion" are powerful and inspire a deep sobriety about our purpose here on earth and the value of our decisions.  The concept and responsibility of stewardship is so heavy that, by itself, it could be very discouraging.  Whether we look into the pages of the Bible, or of history, or into the faces of our neighbors and friends, we can see that mankind repeatedly fails to fulfill their role as good stewards and rulers over the Creation.

"I am so glad that God didn’t leave it at that! As I continued reading, I turned to Psalm 38, then Psalms 68 and 98 and 128 (there’s a method to my madness), and I was struck by the way God is revealed in these psalms – He is hailed as the one who has worked salvation, the one who has set the lonely in families, the one who sees our affliction and does not forsake us.  These chapters reminded me of the faithfulness of our God to heal the brokenhearted, to redeem all of creation that is groaning for salvation.

"When David wrote Psalm 8, it was very much a post-Eden observation.  He didn’t write about what was, but about what is.  We do have a responsibility for the well-being of Creation, but God has not abandoned us – through our success and failure alike, He makes His salvation known to the Nations.

"What does all of this mean for me as I work here in Hollywood for the next few months?  It means that while I continue to approach my daily decisions (in academia, cinema, relationships, and etc) with discernment, I have confidence that God will never forsake me or any person in this city who calls on His name.

           "You are awesome, O God, in your sanctuary;
                        the God of Israel gives power and strength to his people.
            Praise be to God!"

I cannot begin to say how much I miss everyone at home - my family, the Student Min office, Geneva friends... even the insanity of my normal school schedule.  I'm glad to be where I am for my internship because I am constantly reminded that God has a purpose for me here and I am encouraged to thank him for it out loud.  So don't cry for me, I'll be home in May.  I can't wait to see what new insights await me in the near future :)