"The LORD will not allow the righteous soul to famish."
– Proverbs 10:3a
Starvation of one's spirit is undoubtedly the worst type of hunger imaginable; to constantly have a feeling of hunger and thirst for the more you cannot attain, the enemy preying on you with no relent, would be downright agonizing. This must be why Jesus asked, "Of what gain is it to have the world's approval but lose your soul, but be a weak and hopeless spiritual skeleton?"
Truly, the tragedy of our day is not physical poverty, starvation, violence and crime, human trafficking, disease, or broken-down morals. The tragedy of today is the incredible amount of spiritually starved persons that wander about the earth, floating by on nothing more than selfish motives and hopes to survive. If we give a hungry child food, but do not introduce them to Jesus, he is still hungry spiritually; we have done nothing. If we pull a young woman away from sleeping with ten men a night, but do not introduce her to Jesus, she is still used up spiritually; we have done nothing. If we give children medicine, even if they are cured, if we do not give them Jesus, they are still spiritually sick and exhausted; we have done nothing. If we convince a thousand people of why this-and-that is wrong, but do not give them a desire to honor God with their choices, they are still demoralized; we have done nothing.
Our team has taken a few pretty big hits spiritually over the past few days; in addition, we heard last night a little about what is ahead for us… ministry in Thailand is notorious for pushing your buried issues to the surface, for opening you up to spirits such as that of comparison, and evading you with struggles of seeking God's hand rather than His face. We press ahead with courage and confidence in Christ rather than fear and timidity, standing on the promise that, no matter what personal issues we ourselves are addressing, no matter what evils we see before us, no matter what fiery darts the enemy attempts to throw at us, the Lord will not allow our souls to famish.
Spiritually, we are victors, not victims. We are strong, not weak, and we are full and satisfied rather than hungry or thirsty. Thank you, God: starvation is not in my future.
Please pray for our team as we say goodbye to the precious girls, caring moms, and new friends that we have grown incredible close to. Truly, Cambodia feels like a new home to me and leaving will not be easy. However, please also pray for us as we prepare to enter what will be the biggest fight spiritually that any of us has had to endure. Thailand will be a place of new obstacles, but also of new territories won.
I love you all from the bottom of my heart. Thank you for your constant support; I am so thrilled to share what is coming with you!
