Saturday, June 13th was seemingly just another day at the rehab center. The morning was spent taking care of the children and trying to figure out what they liked to do with each other.
Meanwhile, in my head – I had been feeling like I hadn’t heard from the Lord in a while; feeling a little unseen. There is a lot of time to think when you don’t really speak the language of the people around you. Something one of my teammates encouraged us with from the previous month popped into my head, “what are you asking for?” The conversation that quote stemmed from was about how God can do immeasurably more than we ask or imagine. So what was I asking for? On June 12th I wrote in my journal “I really want to go swimming. Lap pool and goggles.” Swimming is something I have realised is a huge source of rest for my soul. And I hadn’t swam since December. And this week I needed more than physical or spiritual rest – my soul needed rest.
The usual was on the menu for lunch today, potato soup and tea. Then 2pm rolls around and our translator says who wants to go swimming today?? I looked around in shock… “UH.. yes!” I changed and ran to the van. We drive about 3 minutes and pull over on the side of the road. I am thinking is swimming the same thing in Latvia as it is in America? I don’t see any water. We get out of the van and walk through the tall grass and it clears. There is this beautiful pond and it looks to be about 25 yards long! I smile and start to thank Jesus for this amazing answer to prayer. The water literally took my breath away when I got in but as I swam around my body numbed and got used to it. I started telling my teammates about how cool God was for answering this small innocent prayer and I mentioned – except He forgot the goggles. Sure enough, my teammate says Jordan has goggles and throws them out to me!! UHHH?! What just happened? My God just answered my prayer for swimming & goggles! – He cares for my soul and not only that He loves my soul and what makes me who I am. Now comes the immeasurably more part.
After we got back from swimming our hosts tell us to be dressed warmly and ready to go somewhere at 9:30pm. It’s a surprise. I love surprises!!!! So we are ready to go; they pack us into the van and we drive about 10km through the countryside and then through the forest and we stop as we realise where we are; The Baltic Sea. I love oceans!!! I had been waiting for the opportunity to go to the sea! Not only that but we got to watch the sun set; which mind you didn’t happen until 10:45. While we were all frolicking around the beach like 5 year olds our hosts bring down 2 large trays of fresh strawberries! My favorite fruit. Then they pull out chocolate sauce and whipped cream…..and cover the strawberries! I was overwhelmed by how much my God loved me in this moment. I had always known but this time I experienced it first hand and knew in my heart that this was just for me. An act of love from God that made my soul cry out for its Creator in love and thankfulness.
This day was the beginning of many eye opening experiences of God’s love for me. My passion comes from knowing and experiencing Him. In the past month my God has loved me better than I have ever been loved. I know He loved me in the past too but in my process I have allowed Him to love me now I am finally receiving this love. I am healing from past loves that have let me down, or not loved all of me especially my soul. Jesus is the lover of my soul and healer of my scars. I can trust Him with everything and I know He will always be faithful and loving.
