God has been teaching me how to unconditionally love. With many tests. I’ve learned that unconditional love means I have to lay down my own rights to be right and means giving without expecting anything in return. To speak life rather than death (Proverbs 18:21).
For this journey of the World Race, and life in general, I pray that “I may seek to comfort rather than be comforted, to understand rather than to be understood, to love rather than to be loved; for it is by forgetting self that one finds; it is forgiving that one is forgiven; it is by dying that one awakens to eternal life.”– St. Francis of Assisi
At the end of this journey of life, with the World Race playing a part, if God asks me “Did I learn to love?” what will I be able to say? As Mother Teresa wrote, “You love until there is pain; you love through the pain, until all that remains is love.” If I am really loving God and others, then it is a joy to suffer for the gospel, even when loving is hard and painful. I have to trust in who God is and in his promises no matter what.
I’ve also been praying to do what the Father has said to do and listen to his voice instead of the world’s. Just as Jesus said that he does only what the Father tells him, because it is, after all, a partnership right? It’s not us serving him; it’s us serving the world together. God’s plan is not for us to reflect His glory, but for his glory to be seen IN us! It is one thing to reflect something but quite another to abide in and emit it! My roommate and I have been trying this out. Anytime we come to a decision that we don’t know what to do, we have prayed for God to give us a yes or a no, and each time we’ve gotten an answer. It’s a relief to know that someone who sees the whole picture is leading me step by step. He’s been transforming me from glory to glory.
There are so many things my team will be able to take part in as we go on this journey together so please continue to pray! The ministries include teaching English, bible studies, discipleship groups, sports ministry, hospice care ministry, visiting shut-ins, hospital ministry, working at children’s homes, children’s camps, and anti-trafficking. “I will go before you and level the exalted places…” (Isaiah 45:2-3) God is going before us preparing hearts and opportunities!
I want to leave you with a PRAISE! I have had 3 years worth of pain in my back because of an early back disease and God is starting to heal it through a back procedure called spinal decompression! It’s not a coincidence that as soon as I asked you all to start praying for my back to be healed that God chose to provide that healing through this procedure! An encouraging word from a man from a prayer center I work at said he saw me putting on running shoes, and I took that as me being able to run again soon! Which also could have to do with the World RACE and that it’s time for me to start running spiritually! No more walking. 🙂
