Month one. How can I sum up everything that’s happened here?
Romania has been a crazy month of dancing, community, stories, being too loud and buying apology gifts for our neighbors, dutch blitz, sleeping in hammocks, hiking adventures, too many chips and ice cream, hours and hours of office work, swatting flies and trying to have a good attitude when I’m sitting in the office wishing I could be outside playing with kids or some other form of ministry.
My time in Romania has taught me countless things. I have learned that there is power in numbers and God uses the broken and the weak. We all have weaknesses and this month I have seen that so clearly.
Here is a list of only some my weaknesses and the ridiculous things I have failed at since beginning this journey in Romania:
- I can’t keep track of anything. I’ve lost and re-found about ten different items including: white t-shirt, black leggings, computer charger, laptop case, all my bobby pins, water bottle, computer, my sim card, Kara’s sharpie, and my Kindle charger.
- I’m very forgetful. Raul asked me to hold on to some receipts he used at the grocery store so he could get reimbursed for them… I left them in my pocket and they got washed…
- I’m a little clumsy. Raul asked me to hold on to his phone in case someone called him while we were in the grocery store. A few minutes later I was looking down at a sad pile of cell phone pieces on the ground.
- I have a terrible sense of direction. I walked in the wrong direction for about four hours one day.
- I do things without thinking about the consequences… like picking a fight with my “big brother” Ben and jamming my finger.
- I skinned up my thighs trying to dive into the deep part of a river.
- I struggle with technology. I have yet to accomplish something completely on my own regarding a computer or the office work we are doing this entire month as our ministry.
There are many more things I have failed at and many things I have realized I am just not very good at. Even though this is true, I am able to rest in the fact that I am here with a body of believers and together we will accomplish so much.
Another cool thing about not being perfect is that in our imperfections, God is able to show everyone how incredible He is.
Before Carly Brown left Romania, she spoke Hebrews 11 over our squad. This chapter is basically summarizing all the stories of God using the faith of His people. God will sometimes ask us to do things we do not think are fun (Abraham offering his son Isaac) and, if we act in faith, God will use those moments in ways we never thought possible.
A story that I cling to is the story of Moses. Moses fought God and argued that he didn’t have the skill sets needed to do what God was calling Him to do. I think that about myself so much. I think about the things I am scared of and the list of all my weaknesses and I think, “There has got to be someone better for this job than I am.” However, in our weaknesses, God is able to show off.
2 Corinthians 12:9-10 says, “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
The whole point of what we are doing here is to reach people and show them how incredible Jesus is. In order to do that, we want them to see ONLY HIM and none of us. How better to do that then to have faith that God will be the one speaking and acting through us, guiding our every step and giving us grace for the times we let ourselves get in the way.
Here is a video that sums up our month here and how God used each of us, even if we didn't feel like He was 🙂
