She didn’t want to open the restaurant that day but as she stepped outside and looked up to the heavens she prayed, “Lord, bless me today.” She went back inside and changed the tablecloths to sunflowers and waited.
This month my team is doing Unsung Heroes. We are scouring Nicaragua to find kingdom focused churches, ministries, or organizations to connect with AIM for future World Race teams. We decided as a team that one of our goals for this month is that we want to be Spirit led. Meaning that we would research and look up places that could be potential spots, yet we would wait and pray for the Spirit to give us the push into the right direction. Our first portion of Nicaragua is in Somoto, Madriz. We have been here for 2 nights and God has already brought incredible connections into our lives.
Have you ever met a hungry world racer? Or should I say a hangry one? (Hangry is a person who is hungry and angry combined) After having our first meeting today, which went really well, we ventured back to the hostel and decided that we wanted to go out for lunch. We stopped at the first place and decided it was not for us. As we approached the second restaurant something felt different and smelled delicious. It immediately got my vote to stay. To top it all off the tables were covered with sunflower tablecloths. We jokingly said that it was a sign for us to eat here. Our team name is Girasoles, which translates to sunflowers, and after discussing it for 2.5 seconds we decided to stay. It was perfect.
After we had ordered, the owner of the restaurant came out and asked if we were Christians. We told her “Yes, how did you know?” She proceeded to tell us that her mom had passed 3 days before and that we were going to bless her and pray for her. After she said that I had a feeling that we weren’t there by accident. Our sweet teammate, Christina Thompson, had also lost her mother about a month ago. You can read Christina’s story here.
The restaurant owner’s name is Johanna. She had told the Lord that she would serve him, whether her mother lived or whether she passed. Her mother ended up passing and Johanna was able to preach at her mothers funeral to her relatives who didn’t know about God’s love for them. She came back to her home in Somoto and didn’t open the restaurant for a few days. She had prayed that God would send her foreign missionaries to pray for her and to encourage her.
She didn’t want to open the restaurant that day but as she stepped outside and looked up to the heavens she prayed, “Lord, bless me today.” She went back inside and changed the tablecloths to sunflowers and waited.
We were so overjoyed to hear how God had ordered our steps that day to bring encouragement and hope to Johanna. Christina was able to speak so much encouragement and to share in Johanna’s pain. I know that God is going to use Christina to bring hope and encouragement to women like Johanna and it was amazing to see it first hand that day. This was truly a divine appointment.
When you ask the Holy Spirit to order your steps and lead you wherever God wants to expand His kingdom, He will.
Don’t be afraid. Step out in boldness and trust the Spirit’s leading. God is faithful!
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
Joshua 1:9 (NIV)
What area of your life should you allow the Holy Spirit complete control in?
Pray, seek and wait for the Lord to lead you.
