By Gracie Puckett
As I look back on these last seven months in Louisville, a smile unconsciously appears on my face because I can see the continuity of God’s hand in my story and it is just so beautiful. Like any season of life, one has to continue to pursue through the ups and even the downs. These last few months in the program have been an act of pursuit.
In November, the honeymoon stage (like any new beginning) began to wear off and reality quickly settled in. I am the type of person who would rather pick the first option. Sometime near the end of November, I was walking the Big Four bridge with Brianna, another Fellow, and was telling her how I was feeling and how I was going to choose gratitude instead of my anxiety and, honestly, loneliness. When talking to her I recalled a time in high school when I was dealing with anxiety and my dad taught me that you cannot experience anxiety and gratitude at the same time all because of neurology. Anxiety is a response guided by our sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight) and gratitude is a response guided by our parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest). Like with many things, I went straight and deep into this step of gratitude. I began using a gratitude app that had me write three things I was grateful for daily, and I prayed to God with a new heart posture.
Now, with months past and a new heart posture gained, all I can do is have an immense amount of gratitude. I am grateful for the parishioners at St. Francis, who have shown such an intensity of love that I know it is a true reflection of who God is. I am beyond grateful for my host family filled with four of some of my favorite people. They have not only welcomed me so graciously into their home but have made me part of the family; they are truly the best part of these last few months. I am filled with gratitude when thinking of the leaders put in front of me: Theresa, Raleigh, Clint, Barbara, and Jennifer. Learning from these five people has been a beautiful opportunity to soak in, and I know I will use the knowledge gained from them for the rest of my life. I am grateful for a job where I can love some of the underserved people of this city and be loved back in ways I never expected. I am so overwhelmed with gratitude for a God who continuously meets me in my brokenness and still calls me His Beloved. What a treasure to be loved by our God, and I know this year is a gift from Him that I will forever cherish. Thank you, Louisville Fellows, for giving me this opportunity to learn and grow!