I made it to Peru!!
After 4 long days of travel (and a little altitude sickness) my team and I made it to Cusco, Peru! The city is 11,152 feet above sea level and after being here a week I still get out of breath from just walking to the bathroom. This month we’re doing ministry with a local church that was planted by local missionaries just 4 years ago. When sitting down with the pastors we wanted to be intentional with blessing their ministry in the fullest capacity possible. We asked how we could best serve them which prompted the question,
“Well, what are y’all good at?”
And it just so happened that each one of us had a gift for something that they really needed. For me that was the ability to sing and play guitar. They currently don’t have anyone to lead worship at their church, which just leaves the lead pastor as the only one to play and sing before he has to preach. This month I get to take part of that load off of him. I love how beautifully God orchestrated each one of us to be here at this specific place, for this specific time, to meet these specific needs.
God has been revealing himself to me a lot in this season as the God who shows up. And I’m so undone by that. He literally doesn’t have to come, but he always does. My first week here was definitely not the easiest. I felt like I had already been here a lifetime after just a few days and already desperately wanted to go back home, which quite honestly surprised me.
I knew everyday wasn’t going to be easy and that there would be times that would be really tough, but when these feelings came so early it was a little discouraging. And I wrestled with it, wondering how I could make it a whole 11 months if I’m already feeling this way in week 1.
But then God spoke to me and said,
“Just one day at a time, April.”
And the beautiful thing is that in that struggle, sorrow, and desperation, no matter how silly I felt because of it, God showed up. And he reminded me that no matter what I experience, no matter how big or small, it’s important to him.
He loves to show up.
I look back at my life and I can see how there’s never been a moment when he didn’t show up for me. No matter what season I was in, no matter what I was walking through, no matter what I was in need of.
He. Showed. Up.
And the incredible thing is that he always will.
For every fundraising goal, he showed up.
For every concern I’ve had, he showed.
When I was lonely, he showed up.
When I felt like there was no way, he showed up.
When I’m sad, when I’m happy, when I’m confused, when I’m frustrated, he shows up.
For the lady we met on the bus, he’s showing up.
For the girls at the orphanage down the street, he’s showing up.
For the man who’s working in Peru to get his family out of the turmoil in Venezuela, he’s showing up.
for the lady I prayed for on the street corner, he‘s showing up.
For the needs of the church we’re working with, he‘s showing up.
And for you my friend, he’s showing up. I encourage you to lean into him today.
