What is your Five Year Plan?

If I had to document hours spent in March, I would label most of the hours as “vocational discernment.” Between a vocation discernment retreat, a discernment event, reading a book and meeting its author about vocation filled my days.

At DOOR, we float “vocational discernment” around a lot. We work with hundreds of college students and college grads who are asking these questions – What should I do? What am I called to do? What can I afford to do?

PBS’s Independent Lens recently followed several folks on their journey to church leadership and the documentary that followed is entitled “The Calling”. This project also created whatsyourcalling.org as a way to share the journey of understanding one’s calling if in or out of church.

I appreciate how Joshua Stanton sees his call:
Watch video here.
Where are you on this journey?

-Krista Dutt

Field Trip to Bahai Temple

O Glory of All Glorious –
It is in the stillness that glory shines
Maybe not in this particular stillness
Maybe not in the place where I expect
Maybe not in the still before sleep
But in the stillness…
In the reflection of a smile in the store window
In the depth of my heart songs
In the quiet wisdom of the elderly man on the porch at 759 N. Harding
In the beauty of the warm sun at the lake
In the moment, being in the still moment
Is where You, O Glory, shine so bright.

Commutes

Here is Chicago the YAV/Dwellers are having interesting commutes to say the least. Here is a window into Steph's commute.

City Girl?

“Uh, you aren’t a country girl….you are from Chicago, Krista!” my husband exclaimed as we were driving through Ohio to a friend’s wedding this summer as I was talking about the rural country side as if it was a long lost relative.  Watching me drive, asking me about my commute, or looking at my calendar it may be clear that I am a city girl to my city husband or to others.  However, a part of recognizing the city girl is also recognizing where I come from and who I am, a white eldest girl from an overgrown Christmas tree farm.
I was reminded of this conversation and this fact recently when I asked three friends to come talk to a group of students about living cross culturally.  They spoke of  the balance between letting a new culture shape who you are becoming but also knowing who you are.  My experience is the more I recognize who I am and what is shaping me the more I am able to embrace about other cultures. 
My prayer is that those serving in the Dwell and YAV programs find this balance while living in communities across this country and the world this year.
-Krista

Local Board Meeting this Wednesday

There aren't many meetings that many folks look forward to. But the Chicago Board of Directors is a meeting of creative minds and willing hands.
For many years, Brenda Matthews has given heart and soul to our board. Words can't express our gratitude but we can say Thank you. Thank you Brenda for your years of service to this community and to guiding and inspiring us.

Dwell in Chicago

In the last week or so, I have gotten to experience Chicago anew. When seeing the city through 6 new-to-Chicago pairs of eyes it is a great joy to relearn my city. This week as Katie, Stephanie, Mara, Tad, Nathaniel, and Brian started their placements and settle into a routine of their life here in Chicago, my prayer is that they continue to see and engage Chicago in new ways.

The Journey ends, begins, ends, begins

It seems only yesterday we were posting information about our Radical Journey participants coming to Chicago for their re-entry and transition reflection retreat.  This week we're orienting a new group of participants. These 18 young adults will embark upon journeys to three international locations. We begin in Chicago as a lab for exploration, development, team building and plenty of self discovery.
Today Krista had the participants take Psalms 23 on the EL. They were instructed to to get to three very different locations throughout the city to read, listen and reflect on the Psalm in the various surroundings. It was a fantastic day.
Having these special times with the Radical Journey participants intermixed with the schedule of our summer Discover weeks brings a long view to the mission before us. The city allows such a brief stay as a weekend or a day to transform a life. The city can be the laboratory for a 3 week training that will shape a year or a life of experience ahead. The city can be the dwelling of many a traveler for a year or more as young adults come for a year in service, or as a college student for their 4 years or as a new family to put down their roots here, or for the many Chicagoans that make this city their home place.
God thank you for your presence here in Chicago and it's many entry points, lessons, trains, and sounds of your love.