“But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says,
Awake O Sleeper,
and arise from the dead.
and Christ will shine on you”
Ephesians 5: 13-14
I feel like God is waking me up.
For years my alarm was going off, but I kept hitting snooze. Last year before I applied for the race, I sat up and really saw what was going on in the world around me. In preparation for the race this past year the light was emerging into the room of my life. I could see things clearly. After training, the windows were wide open, fresh air was flowing in, soaking in the yellow warmth – the light made so many more things visible.
Now I’m wide awake. Submerged in the light from my first month on the World Race in Lesotho. God has given me a massive ray of community – my team. People that challenge me, hold me accountable and shine light on my blind spots…and they even support my ice cream addiction so that’s a plus.
There isn’t much personal space on the race and blind spots aren’t hard for others to miss when you’re with them 24/7. We pray, eat, worship, explore and dig deeper together. I’ve loved getting to know how they’ve been woken up too.
Now, every part of me is exposed to the light. Our team gives feedback and we call each other higher. We guard our heart with the light that unmasks the attacks from the enemy when we feel insecurities, worry and comparisons sneak in. I’m awake and in each new experience, the light makes me see God is working through it all. There’s no way I could snooze through all of this.
The Lord is showing me his patchwork of creation in different cultures, languages and landscapes. His artwork, vividly shining in the form of mountains and massive waterfalls. Wide awake, ya’ll.
Rays of light are said to reflect, refract and scatter.
The light came in, and I’ve been reflecting God’s love the more and more I know about Him. I’m refracting that light by changing the direction and shining that light into other peoples’ lives. After that light is shining in other lives it can only continue to scatter and bring more things out of the darkness.
I’m becoming more alert to His presence and how He’s using me to scatter His light.
Earlier this week we went on a prayer walk and God reminded us that He was with us – After finishing a prayer, a man walked up to us and asked what church we attend. We told him we were Christians and he told us his name – “Emmanuel” which means “God is with us”. What a beautiful reminder that God was there walking with us. We prayed with Emmanuel and continued on our walk and prayed with many other locals – I could see the Lord’s light working through us so much that day.
Man, does the light shine so brightly in His children.
After three weeks of Vacation Bible School (VBS), 4 times a week, the kids know why we came to call this orphanage home for a month. Our last bible story was when Jesus washed the feet of his disciples – Our team washed the kids feet just as Jesus did before He laid down His life for our sins. I’ll never forget their ticklish giggles as we washed their little feet. It was so special to show them how Jesus loves.
I was able to tell them Jesus’ words that we should love others as He loves us and explain stories of perseverance with faith and prayer though the lessons of Daniel in the Lion’s den and Jonah and the fish. I especially enjoyed acting as the part of the ‘big fish’ that swallowed Jonah. I know we made it visible to them that the darkness of their past has no competition with the love they have in Christ.
Yesterday was Friday, which is a day we don’t usually have VBS – Chandler and I were working on our video blogs when we heard the kids yell “Biblee Studyyy!” in their broken English. We always started Bible Study right at 4 and the kids knew the drill – We tried to tell them that it was Friday and we didn’t have VBS on Fridays… then one of the younger ones, little Limpo, poked her head in the door and muttered, “Bible Study?” with the cutest puppy dog eyes. I mean, how could you not!?
I could see the light shimmering in these kids. We dropped what we were doing and started doing our usual boom-chicka-boom and other sing-along songs followed by the memory verse from the week – Ephesians 2:8. Light scattered.
I know we’re leaving, but the Lord’s light stays. It goes to battle for them when they feel overcome by the spirit of poverty and darkness. It’s moments like this that remind me how thankful I am to be awake and walking in the light of His love.
“For at one time you were darkness, but now you light in the Lord. Walk as children of the light” Ephesians 5:8
Here’s my first attempt at making videos! Highlights of our first month serving at Lesotho Save the Children. We are soaking up our last few days here and thanking God for all He’s done this month. Tuesday morning we head to debrief in Durban, South Africa for a few days and then all-squad month in Nsoko, Swaziland!
