Hello again! This is the Third part of the Social Media blog series! If you already follow my social media accounts, this will all be a repeat! If you don’t, I am excited to share a glimpse into a side of my time on the field outside the blogs I already posted. Next blog up is the Costa Rica blog!
December 14, 2019
We have officially been in India for about a week now. When I first arrived I could feel my soul start to ache as I remembered all the memories and stories my heart still holds from when I was in India month one of my race over two years ago. The journey from then to now is almost jaw dropping in my own eyes. I was on the race for 9 months, arrived home and then moved to Georgia 3 months later, attended a Leadership/Discipleship course for 5 months, arrived home and then went back on the field a month later for 3 months in the Philippines solo leading for Semesters, arrived home and went back on the field 3 months later to come Squad Lead World Race Gap Year for 9 months. From month one of my race to now has held a journey I never saw coming. As I look back I am reminded how important it is to keep a yes in your spirit and to obey the Lord. The biggest stressor in the past few years on this journey has been when the Lord called me to obey in the “next steps” and the “what nows?”. But every time I had to push aside the lies of the enemy and press into the voice of the Lord and where he was leading me. And in every instance when I obeyed the Lord, his plan kept multiplying in goodness and it has lead me to where I am today where I am able to stand here and reminisce on the beauty of the journey the Lord has walked me through. I am also reminded of all the times, even little times, when I walked astray off the path and the Lord was so faithful to bring me back to his heart and to let me try again. This is the beauty of our God. India, I am excited for these next 3 months with you and I am even more excited to see where the Lords leads in this season.
December 18, 2019
Sweet sweet kiddos. Every day they hunt me down to place flowers in my hair. Sometimes their hands are sticky, most of the time they are dusty, on good days they are wet from water, but everyday it brings me so much joy.
December 23, 2019
This is my team for the sweet season of Squad Leading I am in! Together we lead and steward 42 humans into daily missions and discipleship! We are vastly different, but in the best way. Where I lack I know someone thrives. I pray everyday that we model the different parts of the body of Christ well and that we model the beauty of healthy friendship well. (I am also forever grateful for how they always make sure I have an extra blanket or sweatshirt so I don’t get too cold here in the chilly Northern India… what great humans they are)
December 26, 2019
The past couple of days have felt like this picture. Off centered, foggy, and oddly bright in a way. Life as a Squad Leader never gets easier, but it continually has been more and more sweet and rewarding as this journey progresses. Continually laying down my agenda and plans to be the hands and feet of Jesus for my racers when they need him the most. It’s been a joy to have my plans be wrecked in order to be invited into his kingdom work right in-front of me. Wether that’s intentional conversations, being a shoulder to cry on, digging in at ministry with them, or spending countless hours in a hospital room loving on them when they want their families the most. This role allows me to LOVE BIG and LOVE OFTEN. Hard, but so worthwhile and sweet. Christmas this year was one of those moments, and that’s okay. Learning that the Lords plans are far greater and far more beautiful than my own… and it’s an HONOR to serve the Lord at this capacity on a day that is decided to his birth. And with that I say, Merry Christmas!♥???
December 28, 2019
Today was a breathtaking kind of day. So thankful the Lord opened up just enough time to come and see this beautiful artistry. Soooooo beautiful!!!
December 28, 2019
This past week has been a whirlwind and I am so thankful for the Lords provision and his amazing faithfulness. OUR GOD IS A GOOD GOOD FATHER! This lady and this week is proof of that. In the hardship, the Lord provided and prevailed. When we prayed and asked for joy, he provided and prevailed again too. Goodbye New Delhi! Next stop, back to YSquad! (We can’t wait to be reunited with y’all again!!)
January 2nd, 2020
Started the New Year with this little cutie at ministry and my favorite Lentil curry with Puree. (SO GOOD) This past year I have taken big leaps, been entrusted with much, and have seen the Lords faithfulness more than ever before. From leading in the Philippines, to settling back in NE for a bit, to coming out on the field again to Squad Lead for Gap Y. This has been one of the sweetest and most rewarding seasons I have walked through and I owe it all to the Lord. This has been a year where prayers were answered radically over and over and over. The Lord told me this past year would be a year where he would call me into Boldness and as I look back, I have seen his faithful hand in every inch of every detail. Why would I ever say no the the Lord when his faithfulness is so great? When I think the Lord has surpassed all my dreams and expectations, he keeps on blowing my mind in where he shows up next. 2020, I can’t wait to see what the Lord does within you this year. I pray RADICALLY this would be a year of more breakthrough and revival here on earth for your kingdom.
January 24th, 2019
I posted a blog about Obedience with the Lord!!! I am so passionate about this topic! Obedience with the Lord sometimes feels like these pictures. Getting into boats that may or may not tip and venturing down a river to ministry that may or may not be what you were expecting for that day. Sometimes obedience is scary and sometimes it is easy, but it is ALWAYS worth it. Go give it a read. Go live passionately my friends.
January 28th, 2020
One of my sweet racers took this photo and I am so grateful. In this photo I was reading Hebrews 11 over a group of Indian school students. I am in the yellow. As a group we came to preach, worship, and share the word with them. It was SUCH a sweet time of gathering in the Lords presence and I am thankful. While on this race in particular, I have been so present where my feet are that I forget to take pictures and document even the most EXCITING and life giving parts of this journey. Being on mission overseas has become my sweet spot and my reality (thank you Jesus) and so I forget sometimes to document and share with the world what our God is doing!! I am thankful my sweet racer took this photo so that I could share with you all about this beautiful day where the Lords word was spoken passionately on the ground of India where they hold the title of 10th most persecuted in the world for Christianity. praise Jesus.
February 4th, 2020
Meet Dara (the man climbing the coconut tree). He cooks for us selflessly. He attempts to get us coconuts when they are ripe. He makes us Tea everyday. He hangs out with us and has become one of our favorite people. Dara can’t climb the coconut trees very well but he does show us how to love very well. Blessed by his jokes, great food, and friendship.
February 8th, 2020
Just me and my 30 closest friends!
February 8th, 2020
This is my favorite. I love that my main ministry here is being a part of their team times and getting to do life amongst them and pour into them. I love going deep in the Bible with them. I love worshiping with them. I love debriefing their week with them. I love speaking into them. I love them! I love that the Lord has called me here to pour into these powerful teams on this squad and that part of my ministry is just being apart of life with them, even simple moments like this in a team time and pouring love out over them. (They were doing worship in this photo… that is why they were dispersed)
February 9th 2020
God sometimes calls us into seasons or situations that feel SO EXCITING in the moment, and then as time passes becomes a little less appetizing.This is how overseas missions has felt to me at points. This is my third year in a row devoting my heart and time to overseas missions work as a full time missionary, and even though in the grand scheme of things that is very very short, it has been hard. Recently the Lord has been showing me my heart and the transformation it has had. From overbearing excitement, to daily surrender and trust. From an abundance of anticipation, to daily sacrifice and humility. Putting myself second and putting my God first. Joy always follows these actions. Missions is hard and missions is messy and missions is almost never what it seems to be. It is daily knowing my wants and putting them last as I sleep on the hard floor again, go without running water again, go another holiday way from family again, and eat the same meal again that makes my stomach hurt. As I surrender my physical self, I see my God come through and meet me here and use me now… radically! As I raise my hand for the hundredth day in a row, he never fails to use my willingness and choose me as a vessel. He extends his down and gives me comfort that far surpasses the comfort this earthly world provides. He sends me out again and gives me a tasks I am honored to be apart of. He invites me into a deeper walk with him. He lets me be apart of radical transformation and beautiful kingdom work. He lets me be part of lives restored and reconciliation now. Everyday the Lord continually asks me if I will continue to raise my hand to be used by him not only in the big radical moments of when someone accepts Jesus into their heart or I get to be apart of a beautiful healing, but also in the most simple and mundane when the fruit isn’t shown as clear. I am thankful being a full time missionary has become hard and not glamorous anymore. It has turned into a beautiful daily choice. I am overjoyed in my weakness and failures, the Lord still lets me come alongside him here and now. And I wouldn’t have it any other way. Thank you Jesus.
February 16th 2020
I am allergic to Dairy. I am also a full time traveling missionary and I rarely get to choose the meals I eat. The Lord has taught me a lot about surrender and trust when it comes to food. The Lord has taught me a lot about what I NEED vs what I WANT. The Lord has been so faithful to bless me with tiny spurts of joy every now and again in the middle of it all. We had a 15 hours bus travel day two days ago and before we hit the road I came across this banana room. I was able to buy bananas for the road. It was a simple blessing and it just shows how detail oriented and faithful our God really is.
February 19th 2020
Today I worked with some of the racers at a ministry called Agape. It is a drug and alcohol rehab center for men in this country. The man that started this ministry once was a professional soccer player and was very well known in this country. He felt the call to quit his thriving career to step into an area of unknown to start this thriving center that is changing so many peoples lives. This morning we sang songs of praises to the Lord and shared testimonies with these men. Spent the afternoon playing volleyball, a game called “ball ball”, and soccer. Before we left we sang songs together and i taught this man in the photo how to play the Ukulele and he taught me some guitar. We spent time talking about the Lord and hearing each others stories. The past (almost) three months my squad has made some beautiful relationships here! God is here and moving. I love how intentional he is and how wonderfully he works through our obedience to change culture, bring redemption, and point people back to Jesus.
February 20th 2020
Got to walk this road three times a day to get to our meal tent. Everyday I prayed over where my feet landed and that this road would become a road of peace for people. This community was full of Muslim, Hindu, etc. it was an honor to be able to lay seeds of the Lords peace into this place. If we truly believe that the Lord lives inside of us, than how much of an honor and privilege is it to be able to bring him everywhere we go. We get to trust that his presence is felt and seen when our presence is felt and seen. Us being the hands and feet of the Lord here on earth goes well beyond works. It can be as simple as us prayerfully walking throughout our day asking the Lord to use our presence as a culture shifter and brick layer for his kingdom. We may not ever see all the fruit from our seed laying, but I think that makes our daily journey with the Lord even more beautiful. I am expectant that this road will forever be a road that holds peace and the Lords presence.
February 21st 2020
Busy streets. Many colors. Honking constantly. Vendors everywhere. No driving laws. Open sewers. Tuk tuks. An overload for the ears, eyes, body, and soul. Blessed the Lord called me to minister in a country that isn’t in my comfortability again for this season. Laying down my wants and desires gives the Lord even more room to use me as I continue to surrender and be led by him.
February 26th 2020
Me- “Hey Diana! Will you take a picture of me doing laundry? I think it would be fun!” My coleader Diana- “This is the dumbest thing I have ever done. I am so embarrassed for you.” Me- “PLEASE please please” Diana- “Oh my gosh. Fine.”
March 1st 2020
Absolutely the sweetest, most loyal, insanely sacrificial, and influential couple. They have laid down their life to do WHATEVER it takes to give the Lord glory and to make his name proclaimed here and in so many other places. They run a thriving ministry and they are an amazing couple with an amazing family that I look up to. They have modeled long term missions work and balancing a family so well and so beautifully. They have laid down so much of themselves even just for people on my squad when situations arose and for me even when I needed it. They are amazing. They are so blessed. I am so thankful I got to spend 3 months of my life leading and serving alongside them!
March 10, 2020
Two of the homes within the last three months. South East Asia, You were a good ride.
Thank you again for reading! Next blog up is the Costa Rica (Social Media Blog)!
