The Lord has been speaking His peace over me throughout the race and specifically though out this last month. Here is how the Lord has spoke that to me along with a little over view of our month in Bulgaria!!
A little back story: At the start of the race, we were all given keys, with a word engraved on them. The keys were prayed for and given to each of us, all with different words. My key says “peace.” At this point on the race the Lord had been speaking peace over me, but still trying to figure out exactly what that meant for me. The Lord has been teaching me about His peace and showing me how I can rest in His peace. How there’s a peace that comes from a life completely devoted to Him and His will. I know the Lord is calling me into ministry full time, but to think of a life in the mission field for the rest of my life, can bring anxieties. With that the Lord has been speaking His peace to me. When I think about the future and the discomfort that could come, I find myself in this place of peace, completely satisfied in the presence of the Lord, without the need for other things.
This month we have been in Dobromirka, Bulgaria. Dobromirka means “Good Peace.” Knowing the Lord had already been speaking His peace over me, He would (sarcasm) plan to confirm that to me in the very town that is named peace. Our ministry in Bulgaria was partnering with Mission Possible, which is an international mission’s organization. Their ministry in Bulgaria is based in Sofia, but they have a retreat center in the small village, of 629 people, Dobromirka. We stayed in Dobromirka, working at the retreat center throughout the month. Our host Emy and Val, also worked at the retreat center and soon became our Bulgarian parents. Bulgarian churches and pastors will bring groups to the retreat center for conferences and camps throughout the year. Our job was to simply serve. To clean, cook, and serve our hosts along with the people that were there for the conferences. We were surrounded by beautiful lush green Bulgarian hills and the peaceful noise of the birds chirping and the sounds of creation. This was restful. This was peaceful and exactly what my team needed ending our time in Eastern Europe and before heading to Africa.
Throughout the month we helped out with two conferences, we milked a cow and became friends with the local lady who allowed us to milk her cows, we celebrated with the town a lady who was turning 100 years old at the local elderly home, we performed a “musical” at the local town library and then were blessed by an accordion performance from some of the locals, and we had the opportunity to travel to Greece for a few days of relaxation on the shores of Thessaloniki.
Our time in Greece was so amazing. We got to spend time relaxing on the beach, having fun as friends, and relishing in the history of Thessaloniki as we read Thessalonians. While in Greece the Lord continued to speak his peace over me. A calming rest in His presence, was sure to be felt by the vast ocean, the calm of the water hitting the sand, and the smell of the salty air. The Lord knew that. As his rest and peace were washing over me as I lay by the water, I was reading Psalm 131.
“O, Lord, my heart is not lifted up; my eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me. But I have calmed and quieted my soul. Like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me. O Israel, hope in the Lord from this time forth and forevermore.”
I had been trying to figure out what this place of peace and purity with the father was. I keep feeling it, but in that moment, something about this Psalm spoke to me and confirmed the place of peace the Father had been taking me to.
A little while later, I walked with the two of my friends around the curve of a cliff along the sand. I found myself sitting on a rock, looking out at the water, thinking to myself I am in Greece right now… wow. I sat there listening to the sounds of the water and taking in the vastness of God’s Glory that is portrayed in the ocean. I rested in the presence of the Lord. All fear was gone. I was at peace. No fear of the future. All desires of a life not fully devoted to the will of the Lord; gone. I longed to rest in the Lord’s will for my life. I rested upon the chest of my Father and was at peace.
That night, our last night in Greece, my team went out to dinner. As we were finishing up our Greek gyros, I went to the front desk to ask for the check and asked for the lady’s name who was checking us out. Her name was Irene. Before I could even say that was a beautiful name, she told me her name means peace. Are you kidding me, Lord??!! Immediately I knew this was conformation from what the Lord had previously been showing me. I felt the spirit telling me to share something with her. I wrote on a piece of paper how the Lord spoke to me through her name and shared a verse with her. As soon as I began sharing these things with her she asked if we were Christians and said she was too! We both began encouraging each other in the Faith. She told me she really needed this encounter and that the Lord brought us there for a reason. My teammate, Katie, asked if we could pray with her, so we did. She asked for prayers for her job. She has been working hard as a waiter and is asking God what is next. After mutual encouragements, me and Katie, left the restaurant. This was such a sweet gift from God. Please join me in continuing to pray for Irene. For her job and for her to feel the Fathers love for her more and more.
Back to Psalm 131…
I know the word “weaned” might seem a little weird, but when you realize what the psalmist is saying, it is so beautiful. It is a place where I long to be. And we, all, as children of God, long to be. A weaned child “is a child who has submitted his will to his mother’s will.” In that moment that is what I experienced was the peace the Lord was taking me to. “Contentment of Soul that is based not on my circumstances but on my unshakeable restfulness in God” (Desiring God).
Like a weaned child in Psalm 131, the Lord had taken away things of this world from me. Slowly riding me of my own desires (a specific part of my testimony throughout college) and satisfying me more with His desires. The weaning process is not comfortable. In fact, it is very uncomfortable. But once the weaning process is over, and you realize that the new solid food that you are now able to taste of is a lot more satisfying than the milk the you used to receive. Though the weaning process will continue, until the day of sanctification, there is a place the Lord will take us, a place where our soul is calmed and quieted when we are satisfied resting in His presence and in His will.
