One of the views from the roof, looking at the andes mountains and the clouds that always seem to be around.
I’m sitting on a rooftop overlooking Trujillo, Peru listening to worship music. What could be better? As I am sitting here, looking at the beach in the far distance and the Andes all around me, I begin to think about my life. How many people can say they spent a year of their lives serving the living God? (besides world racers) How many people willingly choose to devote every minute of their day (and night) to the Lord? How many people desire nothing less than searching for the heart of God?
One thing I am really learning now is how to surrender all to the Lord. God doesn’t care about what clothes I have, how much technology I own or even how clean I am. God cares about me and that I live my life to glorify Him. I have already given up so much just by coming on this trip, but the Lord is showing me that there is always more I can surrender to Him. God wants ALL of me. He wants: My past, My troubles, My hurts, My insecurities, My joy, My love, My life.
I know this is where I am to be, but it’s not always easy. I will be honest. Leaving everything behind is not an easy task. Leaving behind family, friends, school, church, and my normal everyday life is hard. Only with the Lord and my focus on Him all the time am I able to get by. There are days when I want to escape. To be able to curl up in my bed with some cinnamon-sugar toast and watch some Disney Channel. But then I realize I can’t do that anymore.
I no longer have the comforts of home. The safety and security of home is far away. Being outside of that leads to insecurity and vulnerability. Being outside of that leads to change. And though it scares me and though I may not always want to be in this situation, I would choose to be nowhere else. God has placed me here. On this World Race Squad. On Team FIREPROOF. In Trujillo, Peru for a reason. And I would give it all up in order to follow God and His plan for my life. Only when I completely surrender to Him will I know and possibly understand His will for my life.
Jesus told his disciples in Matthew 19:29: “And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.”
Though it may be difficult now, it will be so much more worth it in the long run. I am learning to live to lose. I am learning how to find my all in the Lord. I am learning how to count it all as loss compared to knowing my Lord and Savior.
