I’ve been struggling to blog recently; but lately the Lord has been teaching me so much about living fully in every moment – to not miss a thing of what He is doing in me and around me.
I think sometimes we get so caught up in waiting for a big moment or in seeking the supernatural, that we miss the special moments God put in place just for us and the supernatural that’s happening all around us. I’ve been learning to take in every quiet and simple moment. To celebrate everything, big or small.
Sometimes we can get caught up in how missions should look – but bringing kingdom isn’t always about us seeing or doing radical things. In fact, it’s not about us at all. It’s about surrender. We are called to pray for “[His] kingdom come, [His] will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.”
Bringing kingdom is simply about surrendering to His will and what He has.
It takes opening our eyes to what He may have for us in any place, at any time.
It takes laying down our expectations and our fears.
It takes giving up our reputation and our desire to be seen.
Sometimes it’s simply a quiet love and a gentleness that goes unnoticed.
The Lord invites us into the work He is doing in hearts and lives – and that is such a blessing and so exciting. I want to live every moment truly submitted to what the Spirit is doing around me. And I’m learning to stand in awe of every single moment He lets me be apart of.
These are just a few of the moments He’s let me be apart of this past month in Thailand-
Some of the radical and some of the quiet.
One day we set up for a Christmas party at a primary school, and afterwards, I was able to sit with this group of girls for quite awhile. Using broken English, very, very broken Thai, and a whole lot of laughter we were able to build friendships. The next day the gospel was shared with them during their party and I feel blessed to have been able to sit and build even the smallest relationship with them before that.
We saw TWELVE people accept Christ during our prison ministry. It was absolutely an incredible experience to be able to pray over the six women who accepted the Lord as their hope and Savior. There was weeping and joy as they experienced love from our Heavenly Father and an everlasting hope in Jesus.
I spent the last month living with two people, who also found the Lord while in prison because of this ministry. This made seeing twelve people accept Christ in prison MORE incredible. Kae and Mongkhon are defined by kindness, gentleness, generosity, and unconditional love; restored men who found the love of Jesus and are forever changed. We had the joy of doing ministry alongside them, worshipping with them, and living life with them.
One day we got to go pray and worship at a Buddhist temple, that was on a mountain overlooking the entire city. We prayed over the country of Thailand, the city of Ratchaburi, and also the people who would come to worship at that temple. It was quiet, simple, and so powerful. We did somehow end up doing a dance and song on top of this mountain with a missions team from Korea and had so many people staring at us crazy white people. Even more undignified than this—
I got to worship this month in English, Thai, and Korean. The focus of my ministry this past month was always worship and prayer and thanksgiving to what the Lord was doing, and it was incredible. I love watching everyone connect to the Lord through bringing Him praise.
I got to hand out Operation Christmas Child boxes at a primary school in Thailand! I have been making Operation Christmas Child boxes since I was a kid and it was a surreal experience to be there passing them out. The joy was inexpressible and their contentment and thanksgiving was like nothing I had seen before. We were able to share the gospel with these kids and watch as they raised their hands to make Jesus their Savior and friend.
Sitting on the floor eating fish, eggs, and rice for breakfast in a small village on the Myanmar border with Karin people, Thai people, and American people. Just a moment I simply loved and appreciated. It was a moment where I was so humbled at where the Lord has taken me and where He’s brought me now. (Not pictured: the fried chicken feet and heads they brought out shortly after…)
Getting to love the children in that same village. Children who don’t get the love they need at home. Quality time spent loving the least of these like Jesus would.
The SUNSETS. Take in every sunset you see, no matter where you are. The Lord is alive in His sunsets.
This man who sold us Roti on the side of the road in Vientiane, Laos. We were there just one night to renew our visas, but we were able to laugh and chat with him for quite awhile while we waited for our treats. It was simple, joyous, and beautiful.
Even as I tried to start writing this blog one day in the back of the truck, someone said, “How can you be writing when there’s a view like this one?!” And it was true. His beauty is all around. And we can miss it in a blink.
There are many more moments… Like walks down dirt roads, the way the sun looks in the morning’s clouds, and eating meals with your friends in street markets.
It’s the little, tiny things that don’t make any difference when you type them out, but make all the difference when you take time to stop, look, and learn from every moment and seek what the Lord is teaching you right then and there.
Don’t miss a thing.
