I haven’t blogged in a while. Again..
I’m torn; I have a short time to write a blog each week, but to put in the effective effort after 7 hours at ministry is not always feasible, as well as being somewhat less update requiring. I want to share with you all my journey, and yet I also want to be fully present in just living the journey.
Ministry has been different the last few weeks. We have been shoveling dirt to lay the foundation in apartments for single mothers. Every Wednesday,Thursday,Friday my team goes to the Abraham Project and shovels dirt for 6 hours with a 1 hour break in the middle. Saturdays have alternated from attending youth ministry activities, presenting the Gospel at a boy scouts meeting, and street evangelism. Mondays have been a time of discipleship in the morning and then the afternoons have been very similar to our Saturday street evangelism. Saturday and Monday have seen much fruit in the forms of gospel conversations, praying over broken people, and lifting up the community in prayer. The manuel labor of shoveling dirt has been repetitive and at times difficult to find joy and purpose in, yet through all of the work my team has had opportunity to pray, to challenge each other in our faiths, and to build relationships with construction workers.
I have spent hours this week relaxing after shoveling dirt by transcribing scripture to small squares of paper, making them into origami lilies, and just praising the Lord in the beauty of His creation and in his words. I have been chasing every feasible way to praise the Lord because I intend for my life to be a living sacrifice, an offering acceptable and pleasing to the Lord.
While my ministry update may sound a bit like “He just shovels dirt.”
I aim to give some insight into my personal growth. I have been pouring over scripture every day reading as much of the word of the Lord as I can inhale in a day. In doing so I have found the heart of the Father in shoveling dirt. Yes, dirt may not immediately impact the kingdom, but sheltering the widow and orphan is very much a part of His calling. I have had to seek the love of the Lord in living in a large community, seeing those around me as his children and serving them as such. I have learned to better bow in awe at the small things He has provided me. I have found joy and energy in and indeed to spite my exhaustion. I have learned to better communicate with my team in all aspects from budget, growth, service, to dirty clothes, and restroom use. I have learned that God truly does whatever He wants. I have learned to praise the Lord in little actions. I have learned that missionary living is going to call me into greater and drastic sacrifice that I might give more of myself to the Lord. I have found that the only way to find the Lord is to never stop looking. I have that I wish to follow Jesus wherever,however, and whenever He decides to go.
