Hello buddies!!!! I live in Thailand now. WHAT. That’s a sentence I’ve been looking forward to saying for a solid 11 months now since I got accepted to the World Race back in November. I kinda wake up in disbelief every day that this is my freaking life. No more waiting! WE’RE ACTUALLY DOING THIS THING PEOPLE.
A lot has happened since I blogged last so I am going to try to seperate stories into different blogs over this week so I don’t overwhelm you guys haha.
A week has passed since I left the country and said adios to my sweet amazing friends and family. It was hard. It was tear-filled. But it also reminded me that I had become much too unappreciative of the people the Lord has placed in my life, not fully valuing or understanding his grace in giving me people who love me so incredibly well. You truly don’t realize how deeply someone has impacted you until you have to let them go! So yeah, thank you guys. Y’all shake me to my core with your love. And thank you Jesus!!!!
I can’t really figure out to express how I feel about this city my feet walk every day and the people I meet every day and the family I live and laugh with every day. But I know I love it all. And I like lists. So here’s a list of all the things I love about this abundant life I’m living with the Lord::
1:: I live in a 9 story building called Zion Hostel. There’s an incredible coffee shop on the bottom floor and an open rooftop that has showers and a beautiful view of the city. It’s fresh air and free and reminds me that God sees not as man sees. While I see only what’s right in front of me, He sees for ages and ages to come and stands sovereign over it all. He invites me to rest in that!
2:: THAI PEOPLE ARE THE KINDEST!! A few nights ago, one of my squadmates went to get a tattoo and some of us tagged along. While we were waiting for the artist to return from his lunch break, a Thai woman nearby offered us all free corn while we waited. Just for the heck of it. I’ve discovered that they really value hospitality and politeness here. They are always ready to give a smile and wave to a stranger, always putting others before themselves. It’s something I want to carry with me for the rest of my life.
3:: Two words: Cheap. Food. (it’s really glorious too)
4:: There is brokenness here. Right behind our hostel is a street known as the red-light district. While I haven’t walked it yet, our ministry hosts informed us that the street is lined with brothels and clubs, with women who stand outside at night selling themselves to men who do not see them as people but as objects. Buddhism is also HUGE here. While they value respect and honor, they also practice a fake sense of “saving face” to avoid confrontation or conflict. We pass “spirit houses” or altars to Buddha on the streets and they remain a huge reminder to pray for freedom in this city and country. Thailand is 94% Buddhist and 1% Christian. Please join us in praying that Jesus and his freedom would invade this place in the sweetest way!
5:: THE HOLY SPIRIT IS ALIVE HERE.. On the real, I have already been really humbled in the handful of days I’ve been here by how God is moving in Chiang Mai. On Sunday, some of my squad and I went to an English/Thai speaking church called Abundant Grace. A husband and wife duo collaborated to bring the Word in English while the wife translated it into Thai. Yo, it was SO BEAUTIFUL. My jaw dropped at the Holy Spirit’s presence there and the ways that the Word is alive and active there. I think I subconsciously came into this place with an arrogance that I somehow know the Lord better or deeper because I’m American??? It actually sickened me to realize my own conceit and self-importance. I am learning from these people! I look up to these people! My prayer has become this: make me small, Lord. Make me insignificant. Bring me lower and lower each day so that You can be encountered and exalted. My mom gave me a really hard talk before I left about not belittling people. It’s a sin I struggled with without even realizing it. How the heck am I supposed to show people Jesus if I don’t even see them as He sees them?? Anyways, this is honesty about where I’m at right now. I don’t have it all together. I’m just asking the Lord to give me His eyes.
6:: Simplicity. Starting today, we won’t have our phones during the day! This is only for the first month and it is so we can pursue being present and throw off distractions during ministry. I’m actually so so excited. I notice such a difference in my joy and mood when I have access to social media all day versus when I don’t. Being drawn away from my phone makes me so much more aware of myself and my tendencies and I really really love it.
There’s a lot more I love about life currently, but for the sake of time and my typing abilities, I’m just gonna leave it at this. I will be posting another blog in a couple days about what my ministry will look/is looking like and just some really cool things the Lord is doing on the daily here. I will also be posting a blog about some things the Lord has been teaching me that will hopefully encourage whoever reads it.
Geez. To every beautiful person who has prayed for me, encouraged me, supported me financially—PLEASE know that your obedience and kindness is changing my life and I am so grateful for you guys. Please leave a comment just to say hey or leave anything you need prayer for! I want to be praying for you and building you up. I love you guys, even from 8,000 plus miles away.
Fundraising update:: by the grace of the Lord and you guys, we’ve raised $12,660. WAIT WHAT. THATS ACTUALLY INSANE. Before I left, I prayed a bold prayer that I could be 75% funded before I left the country and He faithfully got me there and beyond. I only have $3140 to go. I know the Lord has people that He has placed it on their hearts to give toward the Kingdom in this way, so I trust Him. If you feel led to give, there’s a “Donate!” button on my blog home that is the easiest way to support this journey. Talk to ya in a few peeps!
In love and gratitude,
KT
