Immanuel – Hebrew word meaning “God is with us.”
This is what I have felt continually over the past week in ChiangMai, Thailand. God is with L Squad!
I am currently living my second month in Northern Thailand of my life – something I never thought I would say – and it has involved a BUNCH of walking. . . because we walk everywhere!
here are a couple of numbers to give you a good idea:
- we walk over 4 miles to get to the temple to do monk chat and the slums to play with the children for ministry
- I have recently successfully jogged all around the moat that surrounds the old city, which ends up being over 5 miles
- we walk over 25 minutes to hang out at a public pool for our off days
- we walk over 30 minutes to buy groceries at the Chinese market for 1/2 the cost of the markets nearby
- we walked 7 times around Wat Chedi Luang, we call it a Jericho walk, for ministry one day
- we walk to the Night Market and the Sunday Night Bazaar, at least 15 minutes, from our hostel in order to get cheap food
- we walk to 7-elevens all over ChaingMai in order to find the one that has Slurpees (I have found 3 so far!)
We walk EVERYWHERE! It’s crazy!
But the one thing that never leaves is the overwhelming sense of the Lord’s presence. He is in the walks to ministry as we discuss what the Lord is teaching us. He is in the walks as we pray for the monks’ curiosity to know more about Jesus. He is in the silly team time where everyone shares their favorite dane move. He is in temples that we circle. He is in the smiles of the children we make bracelets with. We walk, and the Lord is with us. He is always constant.
I have caught myself a couple of times this month simply stepping back and seeing what the Lord is doing – and I am amazed! How is the Lord with you in your everyday life?
*We have been partnering with Emmi and Lighthouse Ministries for over two weeks now! I am partnering with two teams that were given the opportunity to participate in monk chats as well as love on children in the slums of ChiangMai. Some days are long, some days are short, but every day I get to see and experience God in new ways whether that is in the ministry or in the teams. God has provided for us here in ChiangMai beyond my expectations, and I can only continue to wonder in awe at how much more the Lord will grow us as a squad in the next few months!
