I’ve yet to fully wrap my head around the significance of this month, but I have an overwhelming conviction that it will go down in my life’s history.
This January, I did a hand full of things for the first time—or at least for the first time in a long time. After a regrettably overindulgent month in Malaysia, I knew full well that I’d need to inaugurate new expectations for myself as we entered not only a new month, but a new year and a new continent. I’m grateful for the natural reset that a new year provides, and for the self control that Holy Spirit fortified me with that’s so necessary when life presents such merciful and serendipitous resets. And I’m grateful that discipline provided opportunity when I was so sure it would limit me.
After sharing a room with only one gal for a portion of last month, I was grateful to learn I’d share an even smaller room with five others this month. I was only slightly less grateful to learn we’d hand wash our laundry and have running water only once in a while. It’s on for now, so maybe I ought to shower while I can. When it’s off, I fill a bucket with a couple gallons of less safe water from a tank in the yard and pour it over my head using a mangled milk carton. I’m grateful that I’m less of a cold-water wimp today because of it.
To be honest, a majority of my overindulgence last month—and really most of my time in Asia—was in the name of caffination. I love coffee a lot and am fully convinced that Jesus lays in bed every night, thinking about how thrilled He is to have a cup of coffee and some chats with me in the morning, just like I do most nights. Nonetheless, we both took the month off from our coffee drinking, knowing that it would be a great way to celebrate my freedom as we entered into 2019.
In other news, we were WiFi-less for the most part, which beckoned me to read far more than the typical Adria would. I couldn’t tell you the last time I finished three books in three weeks, but it was done…for the first time! Woohoo for doing things for the first time!!! If you keep reading, maybe I’ll tell you what all that reading produced in me.
Aside from minimal living conditions and my coffee cleanse, we were unspeakably blessed by our ministry opportunities. We preached in the hospital every morning, prayed for patients in each ward every Friday, and prepared and served them food and a message every Tuesday and Thursday. We got to preach and share testimonies at the prison every Wednesday. And not to mention, we gardened practically every day. With the end of our month coming up, we’ve counted SEVENTY salvations during our time in Mokhotlong, Lesotho!!! PRAISE GOD!!!
So as of January 2019, here’s a quick list of some things I did for the first time, or for the first time in a long time:
– Preached at a prison, a hospital, and multiple churches
– Went a month coffee-free
– Went to an African church that’s likely 100x more hype than you’re imaging
– Ate a lamb that was in the front yard two days earlier
– Read three books in three weeks
– Blew a tire driving through the mountains
– Hand washed my clothing out of necessity rather than choice
– Wrote my first “chapter one”
My whole squad and I are headed to South Africa on Sunday to debrief for a few days, then heading to Swaziland later next week. Please pray for some big time refueling as we rest/debrief as a family. Also, for my heart going into next month. I’ve learned that I generally struggle to maintain intimacy with God during transitions between months just due to the dozens of hours we spend in travel, sleeping in multiple towns throughout multiple days. After such an amazing month receiving from the Lord, I cant afford to take any amount of time “off”.
Love you each,
A
