Before I left for the race my friend Olivia gave me a bracelet. It’s a leather bracelet that says Philippians 4:19.
“And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”
It has been to the slums in Nepal with me. It has been to the villages of India with me. It was with me when I saw Mt. Everest. It was with me when I got to hug children in a childrens home in Cambodia. It has been all over Asia with me. It is something I look down at everyday and remember the promise of that scripture. I have worn it everyday since I left, until the other day.
I had the opportunity to go to a village in Thailand to run a girls camp at a children’s home. We started each morning clearing land for their new church/children’s home building. We made piles of branches, weeds, and whatever else was on the ground and burned it.
After our first day of clearing the field I looked down at my wrist and realized I was missing my bracelet from Olivia. I frantically looked around the truck we were driving in, but no luck. It fell off while we were clearing land. I felt defeated, because it was most likely burning in one of the many piles of twigs. I was over come with panic that I would not find it again, but in that moment the Lord said “what does that scripture say? Don’t worry.”
The next couple days I searched the pile I was working on that was now a pile of ashes, but no luck. I thought it had been burnt, and I would never see it again, but again the Lord said “What does that scripture say? Don’t worry.”
“And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”
At this point I was frustrated and said “Lord I know what the scripture says, but what does it have to do with me losing my bracelet?”
Let me rewind for a second.
Coming into month 4 and the first few weeks of it I went through a “weird” season. My comforts were no longer there. It seemed like I was struggling to keep my head above the water. My attitude was no longer positive, and I felt so lost. I’m sure my team didn’t want to be around me. I didn’t even want to be around me. I felt alone and defeated. But I don’t look at this time as a terrible time, I look at it as a time where I needed refocus on the Lord. Each week racers have to fill out a questionnaire that leadership reads. One of the questions that is always on it is “How can leadership be praying for you?” My answer week after week is that I am never in a place of comfort with the Lord, because comfort means there is no growth. Well, the Lord heard my prayer. I was so uncomfortable.
What the Lord was showing me with losing my bracelet had nothing to do with the bracelet, but everything to do with him always supplying EVERY need. He knew what I needed even when I wanted to give up and go home. He was there with me every step of the way. He supplied me with what I needed not what I wanted. He showed me that no matter how hard or impossible something seems he is right there and in control, but we have to let go and let him be in control.
One of my favorite scriptures is found in James 1.
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. -James 1:2-4
This scripture screams truth and break through, we just have to trust him.
Back to the bracelet.
It was our last day on the land, and we were packing up the truck to head back to the house. As I gathered my things and turned towards the truck our contact said, “what’s that?” She pointed to the ground and there it was! My bracelet.
I smiled and had a good laugh.
The Lord is always so good, and will always provide.
