January 30
Nairobi, Kenya
Kenya has been amazing! Absolutely amazing! I love this place. I love the people. I love the spirit of God here. It has been refreshing to my soul. It has been freedom to my bones.
We have been working with an amazing man of God. A man who believes in who God has called him to be and believes in the faithfulness and provision of God. He is an amazing leader – humble, confident, honorable, and courageous. He has challenged me to step up as a leader. And I didn’t really realize how much I needed that challenge. There is a level of responsibility placed on leaders in Kenya, more so than any place we have been. Any time we had to speak or pray, it was my responsibility. I had to step up into my role with confidence and courage. And to be honest, some moments were easier than others.
But Pastor Joseph was a great example. He made me realize how to lead. That perhaps activities and teambuilding and trying things and having conversations isn’t what it is about. It is more about praying and declaring. It is more about believing in who God is and who He has made you to be and called you to be!
That is easier said than done in the face of 5 others looking to you for guidance and direction. And I realized in the face of that, I didn’t believe in myself. Didn’t believe or rely on the authority that God has given me.
In light of that, I found myself humbled by my nephew. I was talking to him the other day and telling him about the cheetah we got to pet (see above picture – another reason why Kenya is amazing. Because they don’t have rules about stuff like that!!!) He said that he could run faster than a cheetah. And I followed that statement with a scientific fact that cheetahs are really fast. And he followed that with “I believe in myself.”
How amazing is that. Pure and unjaded faith. He has no reason to doubt himself. And really, neither should I. I have a Father who loves me and who has taken amazing care of me on the journey thus far. And really, God can do amazing things, like enabling us to run faster than a cheetah, when we truly realize all that we are because of Christ. He says that we can move mountains. That isn’t in the Bible just for fun. When you walk in full empowerment of all that we are created to be and created for, nothing can stop us. Not even the speed of a cheetah!
