Unexpected Joy

MERCY STREET INTERN SARAH STEINMANN GOT MORE THAN SHE BARGAINED FOR THIS SUMMER.

Last Christmas break, I sat across from a trusted friend and confessed my concerns — and dreams — for the upcoming summer. How could God use me, just as I am? Where could I best invest my time with the gifts I’ve been given? She bravely looked me in the eyes and declared, “Sarah, I don’t know God’s plan for you, but if you take a step by faith and it’s not the right one, he’ll close that door. Trust him, and walk forward.”

A few days later, I applied for Mercy Street’s summer internship program. If there’s one lesson I’ve learned in college, it’s that oftentimes you have to take the first step and walk bravely (or not-so-bravely) down the path ahead. This summer, my path took me to the streets of West Dallas — specifically, to Mercy Street, a non-profit affiliated with IBC that “hopes to be used by God to spark Christ-honoring community restoration by engaging in mutually-transforming relationships with the future leaders of West Dallas.”

That’s a mouthful, for sure. To understand how I connected with that mission, let’s backtrack a little: I’ve attended IBC for the last nine years, since I was in fifth grade, and have been hugely impacted by its incredible teaching and leadership. A die hard Aggie, I’m now in my second year as a management major in the business school, and I’ve also been captivated by the great Good News of the Gospel.

This past summer, I joined Mercy Street’s internship program from June 2-August 10 as a college intern, which simply means I was one of seven life coaches for the 30 high school students from West Dallas whom Mercy Street mentors as part of its high school internship program. These students are intentionally discipled to grow in Christ while being taught valuable business skills. It was with these students that I walked, hiked, stumbled, and ran. And Mercy Street does just that: it walks with people. With Mercy Street’s internship program, all college interns live with Mercy Street’s staff, and all staff members live in West Dallas (or close by). Mercy Street’s staff gets down in the nitty gritty of life in West Dallas; they get personal, welcome people into their homes, and tenaciously walk hand-in-hand — not ahead — of the people they love. And let me tell you: the people they love are absolutely incredible workmanships of God. I saw that clearly, not only in West Dallas, but with the whole crew of Mercy Street high school and college interns as we embarked on our “bonding trip” through the mountains of Colorado for a week of backpacking in July. 

For a city girl, Colorado was one of those experiences I was “glad I had, but never want to have again.” Living in the woods for seven days, sharing one roll of toilet paper with everyone, and waking up to a frozen white world every morning was hard, but good. Through the trip, and the hours of hiking, I gained a key insight: it’s in the walking, trodding, suffering, and laughing with people that we can plant the roots of deep relationship sand make life-transforming connections that can’t be generated any other way.

First, I was taken aback by the real, inner beauty of my students, people like Marqreshea, a freshman high school student who loves her family deeply and serves with the best heart I’ve known. And there were others, like Shena, a rockstar basketball player who is driven, whose work ethic amazes me, who carries herself with a quiet confidence I want to emulate. Then there’s Destiny, a friend full of joy who inspires others, as well as Rodayisha, Kalia, Kasie, Demondre, Tyrin, John, Donavan — the list goes on for thirty students.

I had expected to be confronted this summer with the brokenness of inner city life that can run rampant and create undeniable hurt in concentrated areas. And yes, I witnessed that pain-filled reality. But what I didn’t expect to see so clearly was my own sin and my new appreciation for God’s mercy. (Yes, the name Mercy Street was for me, too!) Certainly, I met kids with quick-firing, disrespectful tongues, but I was also broken in seeing how quickly my own identity can rely on the fickle opinions of others and how swiftly frustration can rise in my heart. I didn’t plan on rediscovering my own need for redemption and that glorious, beautiful “knowing” that I am redeemed through Christ. I didn’t plan on seeing shalom, peace, grace everywhere. I didn’t expect to laugh so hard, to witness first-hand the pictures of renewal — snapshots of how God is working, moving, breathing, restoring. 

If I were sitting across from a trusted friend right now, I would encourage her to take that first step in being a Mercy Street mentor. “Sure, it will take bravery and tenacity,” I would say. “But if you take that step of faith and walk forward, God will go with you. Who knows? He can use you to rebuild hope, to paint a more-hopeful future for a West Dallas boy or girl. And in the process, you can rediscover the joy of your own salvation.” Of that unexpected joy, I’m walking proof.

This story is featured in this months issue of Chatter published by Irving Bible Church.