I woke up early this morning. I wanted to see the sunrise and have a good amount of time in scripture before I had breakfast and started my day. As I got up, the clouds had cleared and it was the perfect morning.
I finished getting dressed in my tent, walked across the mission base to get water to brush my teeth, and was ready to spend some quality time with Jesus.
I sat outside and began to ask Him, “How should I spend my morning with you?”
He immediately replied Dance.
“What? Where? Are you sure?”
I looked up and saw the open dirt field in front of me. I asked, “There? But everyone can see me- the school children, my squad mates…”
“Ok… What song then?”
Your love is like.
I put down my expectant Bible and journal, and picked up my phone, headphones, and self. I walked over to the field, turned on the song to a medium volume and started the “Christian” dance. I raised my hands, turned around in a circle once in a while, bowed my head and was satisfied. The song was over. Great, I did what God wanted me to do today. I walked back to where I was sitting, picked up my Bible and journal and listened again, pleased that I had done what God asked.
I waited for a second… Dance. Crazier. I already did this… There is no shame in looking like a fool, I heard, even though I didn’t ask. I was looking for an excuse, but God gave me the reason to go.
So I once again, put aside my expectations, and walked into what God was calling me to do.
I took off my shoes, embraced the dirt, blasted the music in my headphones, and DANCED. I jumped up and down, shook my south side, threw my hair around, and just went crazy. I did whatever came to my mind. I let go. I allowed myself to be as crazy as God made me. I knocked my headphones out at one point and I heard: Good. I was out of breath. Good.
I went back to sit down and was still. I soaked in the sun. I sat in the presence of the Lord and was reminded that He made me to be “Kimmy”- to be crazy and fun and not care what people think; because it is His love I embrace. He reminded me that my heart beats for Him and that heart beat is unique and strong. He reminded me that when I come with expectations, He will blow them out of the water and replace them. But above all, He reminded me that He loves me.
Maybe God will have you do something crazy, something totally “you” that is outside of your expectations today that will remind you just how much He loves you.
Lots of love,
Kimmy
(Written During the Second week of September)
Welcome to Swaziland! I am with my whole squad this month at the Adventures in Missions Base in Swaziland. We are doing a variety of ministry including working at care points and maintenance. A care point is a safe haven in the community for children to go to. For many, they are served their only meal for the day, can hang out and play, get health care, and learn music and biblical teachings. The organization “Children’s Hope Chest”, based out of Colorado Springs, sponsors the care points in a similar fashion that Compassion International or World Vision will sponsor kids. People can “sponsor” children and they are fed, educated, cared for their health and taught about Jesus.
The first week we were here, we had training for sports ministry. We were trained on how to coach soccer in a way that brought in biblical and real life lessons. We will be working on implementing the sporting ministry into the care points to hopefully make it another program that will run once we leave. We also helped host a soccer tournament last weekend. We fed the kids lunch and cheered them on.
The base that we are staying on is on the plains, surrounded by mountains in the distance. It is beautiful here. When I thought of the World Race, being here is what I thought of: tenting, wearing skirts and covered shoulders, no wifi, long drops as toilets, bucket showers, and dirt flying everywhere. But the people are full of life. I have made my tent a home away from home, complete with pictures hanging up and a “closet” in one corner. There have been some rough times, but above all, I feel contempt and at peace.
