In less than 24 hours we went from expecting 6 weeks of doing ministry in Chichicastenango, Guatemala to only spending the night there. Because of the virus spreading all over, we and every other World Race squad has been sent home. We are absolutely heartbroken.
So, I’m back home in Colorado. Surprise! I got here last night, and laying in bed on Facetime with my team is the only thing I can get myself to do right now. It has honestly been such a rough and numbing past few days, and I am really having a hard time working through how to handle it all. It is a lot. Something though that has been so evident through all the pain and tears and transition is that God is still good all the time. Leaving halfway through our trip was never in our plan, but it definitely was in God’s.
Sometimes we are told that missions are only international, but I know that our Father knew we needed to be home so we could be missionaries in our own states and spread His light in the fear and anxiety spreading in the United States faster than COVID-19 itself. God knew this virus breakout was going to happen and He knew we would be sent home because of it, so He is going to bring beauty through it. I have no doubt.
In my grief, I’m invited into joy. In my heart break, I’m invited into love. In the unknown, I’m invited into familiarity. In my desire to be with my team in Guatemala, I’m invited home.
Now that I am home, I have decided that I am going to keep myself in my house for the next 2 weeks to self-quarantine. Honestly though, the word quarantine makes me very uncomfortable. It does not settle right with me. It makes me feel like these next two weeks will be very restricted and lonely. So God has given me a new word and a new perspective for this time. We are renaming my next two weeks Sabbath. These days are going to give me so much rest and time for reflection and being silent with the Lord. I have found such a love to just sit in complete silence with my Father. He brings so much peace and so much understanding. I am taking these next two weeks to reset and refocus my path as my path and expectations that I had for myself completely crumbled in the past week.
So if you are wondering, I will be in my room, sabbathing. I will be putting away my social media, my Netflix, and any other distractions that take me away from a deeper intimacy with the Lord. Whoever is wanting to see me now that I am here, I promise I’ll see you soon. For now, I am going to focus on finding rest and delight in the Lord.
I want to pray over all you reading this that you have a spirit of rest and not anxiety. I pray He gives wisdom and understanding in such an unusual time. I pray you are blessed with perfect love and an abundance of peace that only comes from Him. I pray that God removes your fear and replaces it with hope!
