Half. Way. Some days it feels like this journey will never end and other days it feels like it is going by way too quickly… Regardless, I am seriously in awe of all that has happened and expectant of what is to come! The power of Christ has been evident not only in my personal growth and interactions, but also in the growth of my squad-mates and the people we love back home. I’m honored to be walking alongside you during this journey and I’m so grateful to those who have been reaching out with their prayer requests and praise reports. I couldn’t do this without you!
We took advantage of all that Jordan has to offer by exploring Petra, one of the New 7 Wonders of the World, and camping in the Wadi Rum desert. While in Petra, I personally experienced physical healing. A few days leading up to our trip, my right knee had been throbbing and really bothering me. I wasn’t sure why or how this had all of a sudden happened. The day we got to our hostel in Petra, my teammate Na Jelly and I befriended a man who is spending the next few years biking around the world. We had a lovely dinner with him and were walking back to our hostel afterwards when I noticed he was slightly limping. I then had the urge to ask him if he had pain in his knees from biking, and he said he did, but one knee in particular was bothering him. I asked him if it happened to be his right knee, and he said it was. He showed me the part of his knee that was hurting and it was the exact same spot that my knee was bothering me. I asked if I could pray for our knees and that any pain or discomfort would be relieved. We prayed and said goodnight as we both had early mornings ahead of us. The next day as I was climbing and exploring around Petra, it occurred to me that I had zero pain in my knee. I praised Jesus for relieving the discomfort in my body, and while I don’t know if my new friend was still experiencing pain in his knee, I prayed that he too had experienced relief and healing. Either way, God is good and I do believe our paths had crossed for that moment of prayer.
After our adventures, we headed to Madaba, Jordan. My time in Madaba was some of the sweetest I’ve had so far. When my team arrived to the AirBnB we would be staying in during Christmas, we were pleasantly surprised to find that our host had decked out the apartment with Christmas decorations and left us Christmas cookies on the counter! We were all near tears because we had not realized just how much we were truly longing/needing some semblance of home and Christmas spirit as we were preparing to be away from our families this year. Not only did our host provide for us in this way, he also invited all of us over to his house to spend Christmas dinner with his family. It felt like we were apart of their family as we all enjoyed an Arabic meal and homemade cocktails together! It was the absolute sweetest time and more than we could have imagined for our Christmas away, but as we have found ourselves continually saying, “Won’t He do it!” God has been providing for us in ways we never imagined.
We all had such a wonderful time together that they invited us over again the next night for their extended family Christmas celebration. 30+ cousins, aunts, uncles and children were gathered in the home, eating and celebrating the holiday season. It was so fun and meant so much to us, and their family kept thanking us for being apart of it all. God delighted in us and gifted us with this family while we were away from our own families, so this for sure will be a Christmas I will always cherish!
While still living at this apartment, we met a woman named Nora on the way to the grocery store one day. She invited us over multiple days for coffee and Mansaf (an Arabic meal), so we spent time getting to know her and eventually becoming her “American daughters.” Saying goodbye to her was my hardest goodbye yet, but it allowed me to realize that I am opening myself and my heart up more to those that I am having the privilege to spend time with. While it is hard, it is so worth it to not hold back and to love this deeply. Nora and I talk regularly on WhatsApp and she loves getting pictures of all of us on our adventures! I thank God for the random run-in on the way to the grocery that led us to relationship with her.
About a week ago we left Jordan and traveled to Palestine and Israel for a few days of reflection, worship, and exploration. We stayed in Bethlehem at a hostel owned by an elderly couple who loved to share stories and the history of their homeland with us. We visited the Garden of Gethsemane, the place where Jesus was praying before He was taken to be crucified, Golgotha, which is the hill that He was crucified on, and the Garden Tomb, where He was buried for three days before He rose again and defeated death. I was speechless in every spot. While it was incredible to visit these places, I am more in awe of what Jesus endured, what He overcame and what He is doing now and will bring to completion on the day of His return. Israel and Palestine are both beautiful, but what is more beautiful are His promises to us. I can’t even put into words what this week meant to M-Squad.
If you’ve made it this far, thank you for reading my long update! So much has happened and I’ve only touched the surface, but I wanted to include all of the highlights. Thank you so much for your prayers throughout this season of my life. We are en route to Armenia, where we will be for two weeks before heading to Georgia (the country) for a month. Please be praying for safe and uneventful travels!
I love you and YOU are constantly in my prayers.
Austin
