From Colombia, to Peru, down to Chile and back again, God has become so many more things to me than I can even begin to imagine. This week of debrief has thus far been a lot of processing and unpacking everything that God has done in ourselves personally and in the nations. The reuniting and rekindling of friendships established during lecture phase and the freak out revelations of God through different ministries and proclaiming the goodness and power of the Holy Spirit. My conclusion, God is on the move and it's SO exciting! The harvest is ripe and the laborers' are few.
After coming back to America, everything has become so much more of a reality and how much freedom I now walk in and seeing things through a new lens...God's lens. It's crazy to me how leaving the comfort of your own culture and country can give you such a new perspective. Walking away from outreach, that's the biggest lesson I chose to learn. No matter what we were doing, who we were working with, what ministry we were a part of, it is all about having God's heart and God's perspective. Seeing that things and people truly have value, and there is a depth and a story behind everything. I can say that the "kingdom of God" has become more of a reality to me and in the midst of the changes and what was all happening around us God remains the constant and the steady. I had the opportunity of diving into the Word and preaching things He laid on my heart and proclaiming the goodness of God. I chose to move forward in the confidence of who He says He is and bank on His character because it is unchanging. He has become my anchor and foundation that keeps me grounded in the truths and promises of a life that chases after Him.
In Chile was probably where I had the most personal breakthrough and revelations of things in my own life. In the first days, it wasn't what we thought ministry would look like but in the end, we all learned how to serve and reaped the fruit of it. That is probably the most important lesson that can be learned and I found out, I truly love it. We had the privelege of coming alongside long-term missionaries and lightening their load and blessing them by simply being the hands and feet of Jesus. Also the value of letting God's love be our motivation; changing the motivation of our heart and to invite God into the mundane tasks and just enjoying His presence. It made my heart happy to find Him in the simple things and knowing that in the fullness of His presence will come joy. Serving was a lesson in humility and selflessness and to be first, you must be last. God is also teaching me what it means to walk in integrity and the fear of the Lord. I want to continue to be faithful in the little things and to live with a holy fear over my life in everything I do. God is sooo good and is continuing to reveal and speak things to me as this season is coming to a close but also that He is equipping me and readying my heart and mind for the new chapter on this adventure with Him. We serve a timeless God that is outside of human comprehension and I sometimes don't always know the purpose or reasoning of everything but I have enough confidence to move forward and step out in faith, into the unknown, knowing that He is a good Abba who fulfills all the promises He speaks to us. He will never leave me nor forsake me and I can always run to the loving embrace of my Father.
"Then you will discern the fear of the LORD
And discover the knowledge of God.
For the LORD gives wisdom;
From His mouth come knowledge and understanding.
He stores up sound wisdom for the upright;
He is a shield to those who walk in integrity,
Guarding the paths of justice,
And He preserves the way of His godly ones.
Then you will discern righteousness and justice
And equity and every good course.
For wisdom will enter your heart
And knowledge will be pleasant to your soul;
Discretion will guard you,
Understanding will watch over you"
-Proverbs 2:5-11
so happy for you carl, you are such a woman of God!!! I love hearing everything!! :)
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