Our time in Indonesia has come to a close, there is so much that happened and so much that was imparted to me I don’t know how to put it all down and how I can keep it all straight for the next 10 months. I know I will come back a much different person after this adventure with God. After 36 hours, 2 trans, 1 ferry and 1 small bus, We made it to Kuta, Bali for debrief. It was great to see everyone again and hear their stories of how God used their teams. The leadership team did a great job of helping us learn from the last month and grow stronger as a team. All I have to say is the devil better watch out for dragon fist storm (the name of the team I am apart of) because we are advancing the kingdom of God through the 10/40 window. It’s not all missions and teachings though, I was able to have an awesome adventure day in Bali as friends and I rented motorbikes and toured the island. Side note, thank you supporters, some of you helped pay a bribe to the local police because we did not have international drivers licenses, don’t worry it was only 20$.
So looking back my big takeaway from this month is to always seek God’s love for myself and for others first. Everything God has ever done for the world and for individuals is because he loves us so much. He heals people emotionally, physically and spiritually because he loves them so much that he wants them to be healed. Now I know healing does not always take place, but if we are in a place where we know his love and trust that he loves all, we may not understand the why, but we know that God is in control.
I have struggled at times seeking what God can give me as I seek God and pray to Him. I feel that I am earning something from Him as I read the bible and pray or worship him. I am his son and I am loved by him, he adopted me into his family, I don’t have to earn anything from Him. Now I can’t just be a spoiled son who gets his way, I must listen to him and be taught by him, even coming under his discipline. But first and foremost I need to just seek Him and get to know him, and all things will be given to me. I must seek the healer instead of the healing and seek the one who is glory instead of the glory.
I want to be anointed by God to promote the Gospel and to show God’s love to others. We serve a powerful God who is so good to us and others. God is a personal God as well, we can show others that Christianity is different as we walk in that relationship. This happened at a hostel we were staying in two girls saw a difference in our group and wanted to know Jesus in the way that we all did and some of us were able to walk them through that. We are not anointed for a story, or a good blog post for back home. We are anointed for others, to bless others to show them the love and power of Christ. So as I go about the next ten months I hope to go all out for God’s love and go deep with it as well, knowing that I am his son and I have to earn nothing to be there. With this love I will stop for the one in front of me that God has placed there and not get caught up in the masses. God brought specific people in our lives to interact with at the school as we interacted with hundreds of students. We never know the full impact that we have as we invest and interact with specific people. We only have a short time, but we can leave a legacy in the one who will be staying.
Here is just a cool side note that God revealed to me along the way. About six years ago I took a leadership class, one of the discussion question was “what is your dream leadership role” I said I hope one day to lead a group of missionaries into a country where Christianity is illegal. I thought maybe that would happen when I was in my 40s and full of a lot more wisdom, teaching and experience. Well here I am at 26 and God has blessed me with my request and I would not want to be anywhere else. I love where I am at and that I don’t know it all because that makes me go to God a lot for his guidance and I am learning so much. Thank you so much for all your prayers feel free to share my stories with others that need to know that God is a personal God who works through his people.
