At the beginning of the World Race, each person on our squad was given a key necklace. After each individual key was prayed for, specific word(s) were assigned to every person. Many keys said things such as, “Peace” or “Hope” or “Anchor”. Mine said “Rise Up”. We were instructed to pray about what those words meant and once the Lord revealed the lesson, we were to give the key away to someone who could glean from the key as well.
That leads me to Nanin. She’s fourteen and started to follow Jesus last year. She lives in a two-room house with her parents, grandmother, and younger sister. I met her at the Compassion School that we volunteered at last Saturday. And every day since then, we have hung out for at least a few hours. From eating injera at her house, to coloring with her at nights, to walking to the market with her, to worshiping Jesus together, to painting nails and braiding hair. We developed a deep relationship amidst a language barrier. Nanin is compassionate, tender-hearted, and loving. And she is a glorious LIGHT.
I was praying about giving her my key necklace and was thinking about it one night as Nanin, Calli and I were coloring. Right after the thought entered my head, Calli wrote down Isaiah 60:1 on the picture she was giving Nanin.
“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.” // Isaiah 60:1
I had received this verse from a church member back in Argentina, month 2. And it has been a verse that has been connected with my key and journey ever since. The next day, Nanin was scrolling through songs on my phone to play. She selected a song titled, “Rise”. After that, I told the Lord, “I hear you loud and clear”. So that night I had the absolute honor of presenting her with my key along with what I learned, in full confidence that the Lord is going to speak to her through the key just as He did for me.
Watch the video below that Calli captured for me:
“[The Lord] rises up for me against the wicked” // Psalm 94:16
“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.” // Isaiah 60:1
