The other morning I woke up thinking about life after the race and dreaming about being back home. I knew this was not a healthy place for me to be…especially with 8 more months to go. So I took it to the Lord and told Him what I thought I wanted my life to look like. He immediately reminded me of Proverbs 3:5-6
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths.”
My morning reading from Jesus Calling then led me to read Psalms 20. Verse 4 says,
“May He give you the desires of your heart and make all your plans succeed.”
I was like, sweet! God, is that you telling me that you love my idea?! My plan sounds good to you?!
I went back and read the whole chapter again and this time I noticed verse 3.
“May He remember all your sacrifices.”
I asked, “Does this mean that since I am sacrificing so much this year, You will give me the desires of my heart and make my plans succeed?” The more I thought about it, the louder I heard the Spirit tell me that by sacrificing myself, my desires become what He desires. By giving up all that I am, my heart will begin to desire what God desires and long for the plans me He has for me.
And then I was reminded of Ann Voskamp’s book, One Thousand Gifts, and the importance of gratitude. By submitting to God, I should not have an attitude of discontent. Rather, my sacrifices should be coupled with thankfulness; from the smallest breeze to the biggest bug bite and everything in between. Freedom and intimacy with Christ comes from continual gratitude, regardless of feelings or the situation at hand. When I give myself up in thanks, I can experience freedom in the Spirit and He will align my desires with what the Father desires.
This is some of what I have been learning these last few days here in Bolivia. I want to encourage you to think about the sacrifices you make on a daily basis and if you have an attitude of thankfulness or obligation.
Spent a day in Cochabamba last week to break up two 16-hour bus rides. Kate and I were meeting our squad leader, Kaylaynn, and two girls from the team she was with in Uyuni. Spending time at the feet of Jesus made the three day trip totally worth it.
Life in Bolivia:
After two weeks in the rural communities of Lagunillas, Kurupaiti, and Kuruyuki, we have spent the last week in the largest city in Bolivia. We only have a few more days here in Santa Cruz before going back to La Paz to meet up with the rest of the squad. We have been working with the Evangelical University of Bolivia here in Santa Cruz. We have shared with classes, helped out at an after-school program, spoken at a few church services, and just encouraged the people we’ve met here in Santa Cruz.
We are staying at an old missionary’s home at Berea Seminary just outside of Santa Cruz. It’s really hot inside so several of us set up our tents out on the porch. It has been really nice having our own space and even our own kitchen! BECKY, we do our laundry behind our house in these awesome sinks with a washboard/scrubber thing and a bar of laundry soap. Probably the cleanest my clothes have been since Ecuador!
