Wow! This past year has come and gone. Taking a gap year was probably the best decision I could have ever made. The people and new cultures along the way have made the greatest impact on my faith and life. Last night I sat with my best gal pal on the Race, Emmy, and she commented how seeing believers in each country we’ve went to has brought her so much hope. I realized that holds true in my life as well. How cool is it to have kingdom fighters all over?
Growth has came in my faith from worshipping alongside other believers in different cultures. Speaking with them and hearing their stories or in some cases just smiling like fools at one another knowing we love Jesus a lot, but not able to communicate through words. My best memories with them are usually when we are worshipping in some way. This year has really been a year teaching me how to love without words.
Coasta Rica the Lord taught me how to let go on emotionally gripping ties. The community of Christians there taught me what it looks like to serve. Both ministries I helped with just had so much passion and served the kids whole heartedly. I got to know a guy named John Carlos. He really has inspired me. He’s given so much of his time to come translate and do ATLs with us. Now he’s teaching English at the ministry to those kids. He’s my age and already he’s gotten so involved in his community to serve Jesus.
South Africa… oh man the Lord taught me so much. This place felt like home to me. The community there really discipled and poured into me. Working under a Christian business and seeing how they allow the Spirit to lead business choices was something that impacted me and shifted my view of how I want to make any decisions work related in life. I experienced healing there. God really took me through a time of teaching me how to be content, to take my thoughts captive (overthinking in a less anxious state), to walk out in courage when He puts someone on my heart. The Lord blessed me in being able to see the fruits of what happens when you are courageous, which was super cool and Im so thankful for all the cool things that happened. This country I saw my true worth for the first time. God gave me so many promises in this country over my life. South Africa was a very sweet season with God.
Thailand I learned how to keep seeking God in the hustle of life. Chiang Mai is a very loud place, but I learned how to keep hearing His voice amidst the noise. All the things I learned in SA I got to walk out in Thailand which was super cool. I fell in love with the kids I worked with. I learned I’m actually good with kids ages 10-18 which surprised me big time. Not gonna lie they used to intimidate me. Another big lesson I learned was choosing in to the place you’re at. Gods presence is in the present! Be where your feet are planted. Tomorrow will come and the past is done.
In Myanmar I learned devotion. The community of believers I’m living with wake up each morning and have a time of worship. Then each evening they have another time of worship and prayer. Everyday they start and end their day with the Lord. The kids I got to live with (probably around 70) have so much passion for Jesus. It’s inspiring! These kids are the ones whose going to go out into their country and bring the hope of Christ. The kids I had the honor to teach English to and love on. I also saw the passion they had when praying. They’d fall onto their faces and speak each word loud and boldly to the Lord before the whole room. It really hit me how I want my prayers to be like that. To be so focused on God the rest of the room falls away and it’s just me and Him.
There’s countless more ways that people have impacted my life this year. And how other experiences have reshaped the way I think about things. I do feel like I’m going home more confident in who I am in Christ wanting to be the example to others. Seeing just the smallest fraction of the world has made it seem more tangible and real. With God I can dream the impossible!
