Since coming to Africa I have had a lot of personal challenges.
The culture is loud and very person to person interactive. The food has new flavors and textures that my body is still not used to. The smells are dry and smokey, sometimes fresh and flavorful. Church is much more hands-on and invasive than I am accustomed to, but intense circumstances call for God to move in big ways. As the poorest African country and the largest death count for HIV/AIDS, these people have experienced extreme challenges than I can even begin to imagine. How could I ever try to identify with these people that have felt, seen and lived through so much?
Minimal access to wifi made the physical distance between home and I so much bigger since my loved ones were no longer a click away. This led to feeling anxiety, homesickness and at times, like I was suffocating. You could say that at the beginning of the month I was riding the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual struggle bus.
So I asked God about it.
“Lord, how do I do more than just try to survive this month? How do I connect with these people? How can I focus on more on this month instead of counting the days until the next country or until home? How do I invest my heart into a place when I have know idea how to go about doing that?”
Find Me in the moment, He said.
What in the world does that mean? Well, I’m so glad you asked. Let me tell you!
“The Moment” is exactly what is sounds like. I know that phrase seems like it has Nicholas Sparks written all over it( I dont blame you for thinking that) but its one of the more beautiful things the Lord has taught me about experiencing Him. Let me give you an example from a worship service from yesterday when I started to feel overwhelmed…
I close my eyes and take a deep breath.
What do I hear? Music. Voices. Clapping. Feet hitting the floor in a tribal rhythm.
What do I feel? I feel the weight of the child on my hip as I move back and forth with the beat. I feel the wind coming in the window behind me.
I open my eyes.
What do I see? People dancing, an array of color and movement. I see joy on every face as people dance with a freedom that seemed like their life depended on it.
The moment was beautiful; so full of life. It was full of God.
Find Me in the moment.
Its in moments like that where I step back from myself, reign in thoughts that are frolicking elsewhere and live in the moment. This may sound like a contradiction, but when you exercise the will and self control to surrender the moment to Jesus, He can turn it into something powerful and beautiful. Once we take the time out of our “busy schedules” to pay attention to what God is doing around us and wants to do through us, our potential for impact is magnified exponentially. I can do nothing outside of God and He can only use those who are listening and willing to move.
” Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your work in the Lord is never useless.” 1 Cor. 15:57-58
Are you listening?
Do you see?
Are you awake in the “moments” that happen around you everyday?
I love and am praying for every one of you reading this, that you feel challenged and encouraged to take in your “moments” each day. God is alive, God is moving, and He wants to move in you today.
Financial update: Im at over $12,000!! WOOH!! Thank you to all who have given!!
I am still in need of $4000 more by December! Please pray and consider donating to my race. To give, click the “Support Me” tab on the side bar and boom! It’s done!
Thank you again for all the support.
With Love from Malawi,
Amelia Rose
