Other things that I’m continually learning up to this point: 1.) Life is ministry and ministry is life. You don’t have to be living overseas or working in a church to be doing ministry- your every day life is ministry. Your workplace, your home, coffee with a friend… all of these are places of ministry. 2.) God only needs a moment to change a persons heart, including mine. Yes, I’m in these countries for short periods of time, but God was here before we ever thought about coming. His seeds have been planted and are growing and we have been tending to those. The weight of “saving” people is not something for us to be carrying. It’s not our job. We are to love and continue on the work that the Lord started long ago. One day I will be in Heaven and will see all of the people who poured into my life, each at different stages of time, and will get to thank every single one of them for being a small or big part in my journey to becoming a follower of Christ. Likewise, I will one day get to see all of the people whose lives I was able to touch at some point, and all of those who did a work in their life in leading them to Jesus. How beautiful a day that will be!
Merry Christmas from Jordan! We just wrapped up our Month Four M-Squad Debrief in Amman and it was a busy few days of processing and transitioning. I was able to explore, try all the foods and take in everything that the bustling city has to offer during this time. I also had to say goodbye to the team I’ve been with the past four months as our squad was mixed around and placed into new teams. I’m excited for you to get to know all the ladies on my new team these next three months or so! They are a group of incredibly strong women. Before, I was one of the oldest on my team, but now I’m the baby of the team! The Lord has made it clear this is a season of refining, so I’m so excited to grow and walk alongside these women.
With this transition has come new responsibility. We’ve known leadership changes would be coming in December and I remember voicing to my last team that I would not want any role for fear of being distracted and missing out on what God has for me. Well, I’ve recently learned that speaking out loud what I don’t want usually leads to doing what I don’t want to do, so of course I was asked to step into a new role. Initially convincing myself I should turn it down, God provided clarity and peace that this was a role I needed to step in to. So, now I am the treasurer of my new team- a role I never ever wanted. I am the one responsible for my teams finances and I budget out our money for the month so we know how much to spend on groceries, transportation, supplies, etc. My team has been so supportive and I haven’t messed anything up, so we’ve started off well! Please pray that this role will provide a lot of growth, that I steward our finances well and that I will be kind to myself.
Please also be praying for M-Squad as we spend Christmas away from family this year. We are going to do our best to celebrate! We head to Israel right after New Years, so until then my team will be traveling around Jordan to explore and do the work God is leading us to do.
Something that more recently has been on my heart has been the concept of self worth and the worth of those around me. In my last blog update, I told you about the jazz concert in Beirut that we went to with the band students at the church we worked with. Well, on our way back from the concert that night, one of the teenage boys who had expressed his interest in me stood up in the back of the bus and yelled to the front where I was sitting, “Austin! Austin! I love you…” His profession of love was made in front of a large group of students and adults, so I was slightly embarrassed. My team laughs about it and LOVE to tell me “Austin! Austin! I love you!” all the time. Last week, my friend and former teammate Taylor wrote me a farewell letter. In the letter she wrote, “Never forget you are worth standing up in the back of a big bus to shout for all to hear that you are loved- a lot!” With tears in my eyes, I reflected on that line for awhile. I am worth that profession of love. Aren’t we all? Like the teenage boy, I don’t want to be ashamed or embarrassed to tell someone how loved they are no matter what the situation is. The greatest profession of love was when Jesus died on the cross for us. Surely I can get over myself and share, really share, how loved each person I come across truly is. To you, my friend reading this blog- you are loved and worthy of being told how loved you are. If I’m ever on a big bus with you, I’ll be sure to confess my love to you in the same way.
I pray this Christmas season is an incredible reminder to you and your family of the greatest gift we have ever been given in Jesus Christ.
Merry Christmas to you from me!
Austin
