We are currently in Bangkok! We were originally supposed to be spending our month in Chiangmai, but due to Severe air pollution, and Health concerns, we ended up staying in Bangkok. It is gorgeous, the people are wonderful, and domesticated cats are as far as the eye can see. I love it here.
Because we are no longer able to stay in Chiangmai, our ministry plans drastically changed, and we are currently doing our first ATL month.
“What’s ATL?”, you may be asking. Well. It stands for Ask The Lord. The shortest and easiest way to explain it is this, We Ask God what’s next, where to, and sometimes how to, then we say, “Yes!”
It can look like many different things, but it often starts with, continues with, and ends with prayer and intentional listening of what God is saying to us. Sometimes it can look like the story of Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch(Acts 8:26-40) where we have bare minimum information to go off of. We feel the spirit telling us to go to a place, and with no plan, we go. And like with Philip, God puts that one person in our path He wanted us to talk with.
Other times it looks like praying, and having a ministry put on our hearts. We can reach out to them and support them for the month we are there. Sometimes it can look completely different than either of those things. It’s an exciting time of faith and trust.
ATL is an important time because ultimately, the Race is going to end. Many of the racers will no longer be plugged in with giant organizations who can send us to be lights in the darkest places of the world. We will no longer be traveling from country to country. We will be at home, and during that time, what will our ministry be? Well, everyday of our life will become many our ministries. For many of us, trusting God with every part of our day is honestly difficult. This month we are truly learning to listen for His voice, and being bold in saying yes to what He asks. If God asks you to drop everything you’re doing, and walk over two miles to a sports store, would you? Do you trust Him enough to go without a plan, and simply obey? Outside the race, I couldn’t imagine ever doing that. After the race, I could still see myself struggling with it, but life is ministry and ministry is life. Our impact isn’t limited to scheduled ministries, and neither should our obedience. This month I in Thailand I am being taught to try to live in that obedience. Even when it’s my “off day”. Even when I had a different plan. He is teaching me a lot this month, and when I feel unsure what’s next, I know I should probably ask the Lord first.
