May you never lose your wonder.
Wide eyes and mystified may we be just like a child, staring at the beauty of our King.
There comes a point on an 11 month missions trip, an 11 month journey where the unordinary seem oh so ordinary.
Where the adventure loses it’s glamour and appeal.
I’ve witnessed people go through this, I’ve partially gone through it myself. Here’s the thing, I don’t want to lose my sense of wonder, I don’t want what I get to do, what I get to be apart of lose it’s appeal.
Sure I’ve held the hand of a dying woman in India, I prayed over this sweet soul, aged with beauty, frail physically and yet so strong spiritually.
I’ve picked up child after child in Africa, loving on them hugging them and sometimes giving their older sibling a chance to just be. To be a kid. To have fun. To unload their responsibility on someone else, to taste true freedom, even if it’s only for 10 minutes.
I’ve prayed over demon possessed men and woman.
I took part in baptizing multiple people from a village.
I’ve seen chains broken.
I helped make bricks, to build a church. To build a CHURCH, to take part of the next step in the Kingdom Journey for Pastor and Mama in Thailand.
I’ve sat uncomfortable on a bus with 2 girls on my lap watching Frozen, as my legs would begin to fall asleep I would just shift their weight around to attempt to be more comfortable.
I’ve showered outside, under the stars with a donkey incredibly close in Botswana.
I’ve showered outside in 30 degree weather in Moldova.
I held more Grandmothers hands then I can count I’ve looked into their eyes getting a glimpse of their gentle souls. Seeing the strength and love the pours out of them. Pillars of strength and stability. Incredible woman. I’ve loved on them in any capacity that they would allow me to.
I’ve used bathrooms (or holes in the ground) that would make most people cringe.
I’ve sat quietly and felt God’s presence. I’ve heard his voice. I felt his calmness.
I’ve prayed, encouraged and shared my story with strangers in Romania while they fed me everything but the kitchen sink.
I’ve picked up more animals then I can remember. (One of which resulted in ringworm.)
I’ve laughed with my team, cried with my team.
I’ve worshipped with many people in all types of settings. Dirt floors, mud huts or outside under a porch.
I’ve been stretched and grown.
I’ve been given clarity on who I am in Christ. I’ve been given clarity on my WHOLENESS in him.
All of this. All of these small accounts of my journey may seem anything but glamorous, but here’s the thing – each and every moment holds a special place in my heart. Every moment plays a part in my transformation of who God called me to be, and what God called me to do. I’m amazed and baffled that He chose me to be apart of this. I sometimes find myself looking around at the country I’m in (at the time) and just taking it in. The views the scenery, the people.
Multiple times I’ve found myself saying ‘I’m in ________!!!!’ (wherever I may be at that time)
I no longer question WHY he called this small town PA girl to the World Race.
I’m just grateful he did. I’m grateful that I no longer let fear hold me in my comfort of home. I’m grateful that this sometimes in obedient daughter chose obedience when the call came.
Obedience has been huge on my heart, ironically enough I was listening to a podcast from one of my favorites yesterday.
She said ‘God asked us to be OBEDIENT, He did not ask us to be responsible for the OUTCOME.‘
This is such a World Race problem. This is where we lose our sense of wonder. Where we allow fear to steal our belief!!! We are obedient. (at first) We do what he calls us to, and then we start looking for the fruits and we don’t see the fruits of it, so we grow weary, we start ignoring the nudge to pray for this person or that person because we consciously or subconsciously think what’s the point?? We start trying to ‘figure’ things out on our own. Wake UP!! Look around you. Your in another country. You were called on the World Race for a reason, with a purpose. Stop questioning things.
Just BE OBEDIENT. Stay faithful, always.
Your YES to the call (to the prayer, to the encouragement, to the message, to the note, to whatever the ‘call’ is in that moment) could be someone else’s YES to Jesus!!! You don’t need to be aware of this, your not in it for the glory of YOU, your in it for the glory of GOD. So just Be. Be obedient. (Plant that seed) Be faithful. Trust. (He’s gonna water it, He’s gonna grow it) your only worry is your obedience.
All of those incredible things God has allowed me to do will always be stored in my heart. I will forever remember this special journey. Most important I hope to always remember that it was not about me, but about God. I hope to never lose my sense of wonder, and I hope to never ignore the call when it comes, but instead to just be obedient. I want to soak in all he has for me these last 3 months. I want to breath him in, and love the way he wants me to love.
These next three months, all to him. (as my teammates new tattoo says) will remind me… that ‘this’ is just that.
All. To. Him.
