To give you a little recap of the month, I will take you back to debrief.
Something I am grateful for about the World Race program is how intentional the staff is and things arranged for us are. For instance, at the end of month one, we spent a few days in Granada, Nicaragua for a debrief. This included one on ones with leadership, a time to connect with our other squad mates, and a few days to bask in the colonial town of Granada. After being on the field for a month, you need a little refresher!
Debrief was incredibly special. A big shout out to Chrissy and the Mayo’s for flying all the way to Nicaragua to pour into us! After a few days of debrief, our squad took a school bus for a few hours to Chinandega, Nicaragua. Did I mention it is all squad month? That means living and serving with all 46 of my squad mates! Let me tell you, it has been AMAZING. I didn’t realize how much I missed these friends of mine!
This month our squad is serving with Vision Nicaragua. Ministry has looked different from day to day, but always reflecting the main goal, to bring others to Christ. Our teams have gone to remote villages and gone door to door, sharing why encountering Jesus’ love has radically changed us. Together we have prepared dramas, messages, testimonies, and worship. It has been beautiful watching my squad mates serve and step into things that stretch and grow them.
Along with sharing the Gospel and preparing messages, our team has celebrated some down time as well. That includes everything from watching sunsets at the beach, hiking a volcano, to spontaneous worship sessions. Living in this community is draining at times, but overall, growing and beautiful!
As the month begins to conclude, I have been asking myself, what I have learned? For some reason, it has been challenging for me to pin point exactly what that is. As we were going door to door, I realized that in order to tell people about this beautiful relationship with Jesus, I needed to truly think about my own walk and what God has done. If I really look at my relationship with Christ, I should be oozing with excitement to tell anyone and everyone! If I have this special, free gift, I should have joy not only on my face, but in my heart! Yet, I found myself in these homes almost nervous to speak. Nervous that I might offend. Scared to say the wrong thing. WHAT?! These people in remote villages might not have ever heard of Jesus or met someone who has encountered his love, and I’m scared?! Y’all, how much do we do this even at home in America. How we are too scared to speak out because of offending someone. What is so offensive about Jesus and him DYING for you and me? This month, I had to sit with God. Like really sit with him, and ask for confidence and boldness. That the joy of the Lord that overwhelms my spirit and soul on a Sunday morning to raise my hands and worship, that that same joy would overwhelm me in a small tin shack with people who don’t speak my language. The Bible says it over and over again, that we are sent to bring the good news. You don’t have to be in a remote village of Nicaragua to do this. It can be with your waitress at Red Robin, or at the post office, why not while you are getting your Starbucks? I don’t ever want to get in the mindset that the Gospel is only worth preaching across borders, because that is a lie from the enemy. Despite you reading this hundreds of miles away from me, I encourage you to sit with God, just as I did. Pray for the same boldness, the same confidence, and to be reminded why you love Him. Reflect on how he has changed you, and why that is worth sharing with every single person you come in contact with. We can waste our entire life keeping this beautiful gift to ourselves. It is a GIFT, not a secret.
