This past month, just the men of V Squad (all 4 of us! haha) were able to do ministry together in Malaysia. It’s termed as “Manistry” month as none of the women were with us. It was a neat opportunity to just spend time with the guys and be able to bond throughout the month. We were also able to meet up with some other men on another squad for a few days which was so great to be able to pour into them and for them to pour into us.
One of the things we were able to do was help out a Dementia center close to where we were staying. We would go every morning for 3 hours to play games, interact, and sing songs with the patients. All of us had a blast hanging out with the patients and there were many laughs. But it was sad to see how the disease was affecting many of these people.
Many of them, if not all of them, were suffering from some sort of dementia. The disease was just stripping they’re memory. They couldn’t remember us, even though we were coming every day. They couldn’t remember what they had done the day before. Many of them probably couldn’t remember family members or friends.
But even though they couldn’t remember things from the past or even just the pervious day, they still had smiles on their faces each day. We would play games and sing songs with them and they still came every morning looking forward to the day.
And I think what I learned from just the short time we were able to help and interact with them, is that is how I need to live my life. To let my past, be the past.
Obviously, I still remember my past. But a lot of my poor choices and decisions seemed to create a lot of shame and guilt. I’ve struggled with that shame and guilt for the past couple of years. I would try to bury it down deep so no one would see it. I would try to live my life like it didn’t happen. But that only created more shame and guilt, because I was trying to hide it.
But throughout this whole journey on the World Race, I’ve been able to take that shame and guilt, open up about it, be vulnerable, and let go of it to allow it to be the past.
And from that, the Lord has given me so much freedom. Freedom to not dwell on what I’ve done, but to dwell on what the Lord has planned for me to do now and in the future. And I can confidently say that I’m living in that freedom.
And so no, I don’t suffer from dementia. And I apologize if using that term offends anyone and my heart does go out to all of those suffering from that awful disease.
But I do know that I’m living my life not based on my past. I’m living each day, in the present, in the moment, and for the Lord. Because God doesn’t care what I’ve done in the past. He’s forgotten it, forgiven it, and wants me to move on. To live for Him and to bring kingdom to earth.
