Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.
Psalm 55:22
This month my team, Fiercely Rooted, is paired up with team The Surrendered to work with ReapGranada. Our contacts are Scott and Jen Esposito, who are pretty amazing to work with. They and their team do amazing work here in Granada and the surrounding neighborhoods with a focus on sustainability.
We have had the ability to join them in 8 different ministries that focus on the whole family. To name a few, we’ve done feeding programs with kids where we teach them English, we do prison ministry 1-2 times a week, discipleship with women and men, spend time at a nursing home nearby, and sports ministry on Saturday mornings.
We start each morning with scheduled “quiet time” and then come together to worship and pray together, which really makes a huge difference. Then we go to ministry- we have really been encouraged to use our specific gifts and have been given the freedom to go after specific things God may be calling us to. For example, as I write this, there is a group that is in the city center singing worship songs and praying for people as they feel led.
Memorable moments:
1. Traveling to Nicaragua we were in 4 countries within 24 hours….what?!?!
2. Volcano boarding in León!
3. Reading a Bible story IN SPANISH to kids.
4. Played with the sweetest little girl in the rain…there was a volcano in the background.
5. Watching Sunday night football and eating ice cream for team time.
6. First time doing prison ministry… I got to paint nails while hearing their stories.
7. Sunrise hike. Gorgeous.
Sights:
-rain, it rains a lot. I’ve grown to really love it.
-horses
-sweet children, they’re hugs alone are so precious
-volcano visible from where we live
-tourists
-soccer balls
-tin houses and barbed wire fences
-beautiful and colorful buildings
Smells:
-horse poop (naturally, horses are everywhere)
-plantains
-coffee
-homemade dinner (we’re spoiled)
Taste:
-Gallo pinto (typical Nica food)
-chicken
-furtanga
-coffee, coffee and more coffee
-pancakes
Sounds:
-Spanish
-kids laughing (usually at us)
-roosters
-alarm clock
-American music (always unexpected)
What I’m learning:
This month God is calling me to depend on Him completely and to give Him everything I have.
This month I have had a hard time keeping my energy up and being motivated when we head to a ministry. It’s frustrating to feel like I can’t give 100%. It wasn’t until I was talking to my team leader, Joe, a few days ago that I realized God was asking me to 1. Depend on Him alone for my energy, that I can’t and will never be able to do it on my own. And 2. That He will shine more brightly when I allow myself to get to the point of acknowledging that He can and wants to use me in my weakness (which I’m finding out must be done constantly).
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
2 Corinthians 12:9
It wasn’t until this week that I noticed anything outside of “my power is made perfect in weakness”
What does that change?
-Knowing and trusting that His grace is sufficient for me frees me from the chains and pressure of performance.
-Really believing that His power is made perfect in my weaknesses, I now get to boast gladly in my weaknesses… “…so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.“
Now the challenge is walking it out.
Financial Sponsors:
Sharon David
Robin Graham & family
Krystal Landreth
Breanne McFarlane
I can’t thank you enough for supporting me, I hope I can communicate with you enough, you are such a big part of what God is doing so it’s only fair that you know what is happening!
I am still just shy of $2,000 away from my deadline on December 1st. If you feel led to give financially you can do that by clicking the “support me” link on the left. If you would like to know specific ways to pray for me, please let me know, prayer is always needed! Thank you again so so much!
xo
