Two themes have been very much on my heart and mind in the last week: serving and letting go. These two concepts are being re-introduced to me in such new and enlightening ways. I feel as though the Lord is teaching me the “art” of how to walk them out. Not only that, but He is helping me learn how to find the beauty in it all.
Serving- It’s funny… I have always been taught to serve and put others before myself. I have always understood that Jesus didn’t come to be served, but rather to serve. I have always thought that I had fully grasped the meaning of serving.
While I have known these things for all my life, I am just now realizing that I have SO much more to learn about the art of serving. It’s honestly so hard for me to explain, but I genuinely believe and feel God expanding my understanding of all this and how to actually walk it out.
This has all been happening as I have been washing hundreds upon hundreds of dishes in the Camp Hope kitchen (special needs organization), caring for handicapped children who are completely unable to care for themselves and literally painting, cleaning anything and everything for our partner organizations here. What am I re-learning? It‘s not about me. It’s about serving God and His people with my whole heart- no matter how tired I am, no matter how I feel, no matter how many hours it takes, no matter what. I am just experiencing the art of all of this in a challenging, yet beautiful, new way.
Letting Go- Sounds kind of cliche, right? Well, yet again, God is using this commonly used concept to grow and stretch me in deep ways. It goes beyond the natural and into the spiritual.
While it has been hard to leave behind my family, friends, my bed (haha), and any of my ”well thought out plans”, it is all with so much purpose and intention as God is just calling me to simply follow Him. What He is teaching me is that in following Him, I must not only let go of these things I have already mentioned, but to let go of worry, the fear of people‘s opinions/the future and let go of control. This all probably seems like a “no-brainer“, but these things have truly been such a struggle for me in my life.
It’s time that I truly learn the art of letting go. God is teaching me on how to go about this through the following: by focusing on the “Kingdom Journey” that the World Race stands by. It’s the kind of dependence on God and God alone where I obey Him despite my discomfort with having no guarantees about anything in my life except for the fact that He is GOOD and His presence is with me wherever I go. **Deep breath** Hard, but some life-changing stuff right there.
The Beauty- Highs, lows, blessings, internal struggles, laughter and tears have all been apart of this journey so far. It’s not been perfect and I have not mastered these concepts whatsoever…but man, God is opening my eyes and stretching my heart in ways I didn’t truly know were possible. I am thankful for God’s hand reaching down and gently guiding me on how to see the beauty in living out the art of serving and letting go!! <3
-SO thankful for all the continued encouragement and prayers!!! As you can probably tell, I need it (haha)! Mucho love and gratitude all the way from Ecuador!!-
