We’re in our last week here – time has absolutely flown by. I want to share with you about one of my favorite ministry nights here in Haiti!
The first activity we did with the young women in Montrouis was a Beauty for Ashes night led by my dear friend, Alexa. We talked about the story of Esther (with a pretty great improv skit going along with it) and how she was crowned and saved her people due to her faithfulness and trust in the Lord. We then spoke about how the Lord crowns us with beauty rather than ashes (Isaiah 62) and that He gives us new names as His daughters.
Both Racers and the young ladies in the community spoke about names the world had given us. Worthless, too short, unworthy, unlovable, ugly, unwanted, too black, not enough. We listened to one another and praised God for His faithfulness to redeem our stories and our hearts.
We took construction paper, crayons, too-few scissors for the group of 25-ish there, and began making our crowns. We each prayed what new name the Lord was giving us, rather than names the world had given us. Looking around, I saw both Creole and English words encompassing who we are as God’s children: “daughter,” “victorious,” “worthy,” “chosen,” “beloved,” “regenerated,” “influential.”
When I was praying for what the Lord saw in me as a new, redeemed creation, He brought me to the verse “In Your presence there is fullness of joy” in Psalm 16. The word “presence” especially stood out. During the Race, and for the past decade, I’ve struggled with presence. I’ve often felt distant and absent from my own life, my feelings, my friends and family, and those surrounding me. I felt like the Lord was reminding me that regardless of how or what I’m feeling, His presence still brings fullness of joy. That was a sweet and comforting thought, and I’m so thankful for that truth.
But He didn’t let me stop there. Not audibly or anything, but I felt the Lord telling me to step into that, as well. That as His image-bearer, I can and should be a place of full joy for others when they are in my presence. This wasn’t as sweet and comforting for someone who struggles with dealing with her own emotions and often feels overwhelmed, but I felt the Lord calling me into it nonetheless. That’s one of the cool things about God. He knows us and our hearts and what we need and desires our abundance and His glory over our comfort.
So that’s my prayer that the Lord grows me in this year and for the rest of my life: that in my presence, others will be reminded of the fullness of joy that comes by being in communion with the Lord.
