God's a funny guy.
He throws me a curve ball when I least expect it.
and I love it.
We spent Friday afternoon at the park for ministry, we broke off into different teams and started the afternoon doing a scavenger hunt inviting random strangers to join us, by the end of the game we gathered them all together and shared with them a word from the Lord.
I sat next to my teammate Jess after the game was over and caught her glance, she was staring at an old man across the park.
I asked her what she was thinking and she said she felt like she needed to go pray for him because she saw him limping.
I trusted the spirit in her, so, I encouraged her to go.
We gathered a few translators and made our way towards him.
As we got closer, his eyes began to smile.
He was welcoming.
We introduced ourselves, made ourselves comfortable around to him, and explained why we were there.
He began to tell us his story,
We learned his name was Jorge.
Jorge had a series of seizers 9 years ago and after these seizers his wife left him.
He spent a month in a wheel chair before he decided to try to walk again.
His right side worked fine, but his left side was completely limp and unresponsive.
I was expecting a healing.
We spent the next moments praying, and praying, and praying again. After our prayers we asked how he was feeling, he looked down as his limp arm, hand, and leg and tried to move them. Nothing. No response.
It's easy to have pity on this man, things weren't going well for him.
But, his response threw me a curve ball and left me encouraged…
He looked up at us with a smile on his face and said,
"I know God will heal me one day, I have faith that He can heal me. I'm not sure why I'm still like this, but I know it's for a reason. So, I have to keep persevering, I have to keep walking."
In the midst of my trial, Jorge reminded me of something.
Our God is faithful, trustworthy, and true to his promises.
Life is just shitty sometimes.
yeah… even on the race.
Sometimes, we have to let things go and walk into unknown circumstances and feel unknown feelings.
Sometimes, people disappoint us.
Sometimes, life is just not fair.
Disasters happen. Loved ones die. People leave us. people physically get hurt and damaged.
it doesn't make sense.
But, Jorge reminded me of Gods faithfulness.
He reminded me of Gods promises.
He reminded me that good things happen to those who wait on the Lord, who trust in the Lord, who lean into the Lord, who press into the Lord, who dwell in the Lord.
He reminded me that God gives joy in the pain.
Something God's been teaching me these last few weeks, finding joy in the pain…
but that day, I had forgotten that promise.
I had instead felt that heart break pain in the pain.
God didn't do a physical healing that day, but, instead, like the great Physician he is, he healed me spiritually and emotionally by helping me find joy in the pain again.
I listened to a podcast from Christine Caine about God's favor;
"then people look at it and go woah Christine, look at that month you just had in January!
Yep. that month that I had in January was pretty awesome, it took 23 years. 23 years. and it was a supernatural month, couldn't make it up if i tried. took us to a different level in Gods favor. but, you know, 23 years is a long time, i could have given up at anytime in those 23 years."
We may not understand God's timing in things.
But, it makes sense when the time comes.
He knows what He's doing.
You have to keep persevering through the trial.
You have to keep walking through the fire.
Jorge has faith, we can too.
I believe Jorge will be healed physically one day.
I believe his testimony of perseverance, endurance, and faithfulness to the Lord will touch and encourage many like it did me.
He taught me a valuable lesson that day, one i still am trying to process through even today,
Keep hoping.
Keep believing.
Keep expecting.
God is in control, so don't lose your passion.
I'll always remember Jorge's words,
"I have to keep persevering. I just have to keep walking. I have to have faith."
Will you?
I would like to remind you all that by my next deadline I will need to be fully funded at the end of July. As of today, I have 12,236.14, PRAISE GOD! In order to stay on the field, I still need to raise 4,017.86.
Would you please consider making a faithful, monthly donation of $50, and/or consider a one-time donation to my race. Join me as my support team. This is our journey, Church Family.
Click here if you feel led!
