Everyday I’ve realized I’ve had a choice. I’ve really realized this on the race. We have a choice to just stick to our routine and do the ministry planned that day. Of course do it with full heart and joy but you know kind of sink into a pattern. I’m so glad I haven’t though. We’ve been taught as missionary’s to never turn the “Ministry Switch” off. This thought can be daunting though. It puts a expectation that you have to bring the typical types of ministry to every aspect of your life even your rest but it’s not. It’s connecting through YOUR hobbies and interests in life and just simply pointing out the light gods shed on your life when it comes up. As much as I love our planned ministry I really love some of the simple things we do. Like playing any kind of sport is my fave. It’s something I love to do that’s good for me and a bond I can make with people over both our interests and a great way to reach out to the youth.
This picture is from one of our off days. What started as a pickup game led to us talking and hanging out with these guys to find out they themselves do community outreach. All of this stemmed from the man on the right inviting us from previous games we’ve played with him. These are some of the connections I really treasure. These guys are the kind of people I hang out with at home. Just shooting hoops. Shooting crap talking bout struggles and balling it’s totally my lane and something god has showed me I have something to offer in this area.
Even in the midst of ministry and when it seems like you might not have any ministry you have the chance to make ministry.
This video was after we got done singing for special needs at a orphanage in Honduras. They weren’t to engaged when we were singing but we started playing frisbee and they all joined and the laughs and smiles on there face stretched cheek to cheek. As you can see they were throwing and catching better then we were.
As of recently I also stepped outside of my own box as well. I started the process of conquering one of my biggest fears… public speaking. I’ve never been one to talk in front of a crowd. But when I was asked to give a devo one morning I decided it was time. I immediately had a topic. I talked on New Beginnings. As we were starting a new country going into a new year on the second half of our trip I thought it might be time for some to have a fresh start. I was so nervous leading up to that morning I practiced everyday and prepared myself and was never satisfied with what I had to say even though it was good. When I got up in front of everyone and spoke I just read of what I had wrote but I felt god giving me more words then I had wrote down and I felt a sense of confidence I normally had but never before has it overcome my fear of speaking in a crowd. I ended up talking longer then I thought and touching on points and elaborating on them more then I had planned. I realized after that and I even said it in my talk, that the devil does not want us to step out of our box ever. Whether it be in ministry, daily life, fears, passions, or faith. Because he knows how much we will thrive when building in things that scare us. From experience, any kind of suffering or discomfort just molds you for bigger and better things. God has things planned for us beyond our comprehension. Before I had really committed to god and diving into things headfirst I would have never thought I would be here today changing the world giving Devotionals and having the blessing to do it all at 19 and gain all this wisdom. That’s not the direction my life was heading at all. But really it was simple all I had to do was say yes. Stop running from the possibility of hardship and failure because it’s definitely going to come. But that’s where the growth comes from. That’s my challenge to all of you. Start saying yes and stepping out of your box.
