Pura Vida: “simple life” or “pure life”
For more than 50 years, this has been the Costa Rican phrase that the locals adapted into their way of life. It’s what they say when they greet someone, depart from someone, or just in passing. It’s also rare to find a mug, t-shirt, or bracelet that doesn’t have “pura vida” stamped somewhere on it. At first, I thought this was a really cool cultural saying that I get to annoyingly over-use for the next month, but then God revealed it to me as something I’ve been applying to my life since arriving in Costa Rica, just with a Holy Spirit twist.
Refinement: “the process of removing impurities or unwanted elements from a substance.” In order to “refine” something, you must put it under fire to melt away the impurities and produce its most true and purest form.
During our debrief period, our squad leader, Rachael centered a devotional around “refinement.” It has had one of the greatest impacts on me since beginning The Race and I feel as though The Lord is definitely taking me through a big refinement process right now.
A key point that my teammate, Alyx made on keeping faith in refining seasons is that “If it’s not good, God’s not done.” I would come to apply this in my walk towards stronger intimacy with The Lord later on.
Upon Rachael’s many many amazing points in her teaching, one thing that stuck hard was when she said “It might be hot, but don’t get out of the pot.” Meaning, that no matter how unbearable things become in life, to stay in it because that’s where God is going to grow us the most but also where our dependency in The Lord will grow astronomically. Unfortunately, I got out of the pot, and I didn’t realize the impact it would have on me until I started The Race.
Today marks 3 months since I lost my cousin, Clark. I thought that I had grieved and I was past it but it hit me like a pile of bricks when I realized I hadn’t. I probably used the phrase “it just doesn’t feel real” a million times when in reality I think I was just pushing those feelings away because I was too afraid to feel them. I’ve come to realize that this is not something you can just move on from; It’s something that I’m going to always carry with me. I mentioned in a previous blog that at training camp, they made us very aware that the time in between training camp and departing for The Race is the most vulnerable time where the enemy will attack us hard. Knowing that, I was on guard for the obvious ways the enemy would attack. Steven Furtick, the head pastor of Elevation Church worded best what I learned the hard way. I listened to his sermon this morning on Choosing Your Chains and he phrased it as “the enemy is not going to come at you with a chain, he is going to come at you with a choice.” While God was trying to refine me through a devastating time, I “chose” to get out of the pot. I lost faith in trusting that God would refine me. Acknowledging all of this now, it’s like I was wandering around in a dark room, looking for the light switch, and I finally found it.
By flipping the switch, I’ve began to find healing through prayer and vulnerability with my team and God is preparing my heart as I choose to step back into the fire. While I don’t know what that will look like, I am trusting that the Lord is good and will refine me in this healing process.
Romans 8:28
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
Thank you all so much for reading and journeying along side of me! I love sharing my exploration of these countries, but I love even more sharing with you my exploration of the Holy Spirit within my heart.
