Hey all you wonderful and beautiful people! It’s been a while since I have had access to wifi, so I apologize for the lack of updates, but God has been up to some amazing things since I last checked in with y’all. We are living in Malealea Valley, Lesotho. Our ministry is walking to the different villages in the valley to encourage, evangelize, and pray with the people. This first week has been absolutely amazing. We have had the chance to meet and encourage many people, we have prayed for and seen multiple healings, and the Lord used us to share His love with a few people who ended up committing their lives to Jesus. The finishing touch on our first week was one that was really special for me. I have been praying for a few years to be given the opportunity to give a sermon in a church, it was actually on my bucket list, and the Lord gave me the opportunity to fulfill that dream this past Sunday.
I have found myself in complete awe of the goodness of God many times this trip, but Sunday morning was one that I will never forget. As I was preparing my sermon early in the morning, the Lord reminded me of how far He has brought me, and how He has led me to a point where I am walking directly in the center of His purpose and will for my life. I am overwhelmed by God’s grace and the fact that He would choose me to be a vessel of His love, joy, and freedom to His sons and daughters here in Africa. There were multiple times throughout the day that I couldn’t help but cry as I thought of how Jesus has completely saved my life and brought it to a place that brings glory and honor to His name.
I had written a sermon and was prepared to deliver it according to plan on Sunday morning, but the Lord had another idea. About an hour before the service, a teammate of mine confirmed a calling from the Holy Spirit that I was also feeling. The Lord was calling an audible, and I was being called to step onto the stage without a plan. He wanted me to completely trust the Holy Spirit to guide my words, and allow Him to speak through me in a way that I could not plan for. So after I tried to be stubborn and fight Him for a few moments I remembered how He had never let me down in the past, and He promises that He never will. So I stepped onto the stage to deliver my first sermon without any idea as to what I was supposed to say.
As promised, Jesus showed up. He used me (and a translator) to deliver a message to His people who needed to hear it that day. It may not have been what I had planned, but I know for certain that people left church that day having heard what it was that God wanted to tell them. It is so comforting to know that we do not always need a plan, and when we simply show up and trust the Holy Spirit to work, the outcome will be exactly what it is supposed to be. I am humbled that the Lord chose me, and honored that He trusts me with His life-changing message. This was one of the most powerful and fulfilling moments I have ever been a part of, and truly a day that I will remember for the rest of my life.
