Before I came on this adventure, God and I had a weird relationship. I normally would talk to him when I needed something. Kind of like the friend that you know will show up when no one else would. I kept him close at all times, but not to close. I carried him around with me everywhere I went and just knowing that he was nearby was enough for me. The bible was a place I would go when I was searching for answers that words of affirmation from others wouldn’t cover. I would recognize God speaking to me but depending on how I was feeling, it could either be Gods “signs” or just coincidence. I’m ashamed to say, I put God in a box. As I sit here and write to you about this month. It gives me goosebumps to tell you what it looks like to let God out of the box!!!! My team and I (5 other amazing girls, all of which i’m completely in love with) traveled around the Philippines. We were responsible for listening to God’s direction to find ministries to connect back to the World Race for possible ministry sites for future racers. As we set down for this month, we all were a little anxious to see what this month would look like. So let me tell you, God took us some places!
-He took us to a church that took us in like their own. They took us to the slums of the Philippines and showed us the children there. They invited us for fellowship and spent a LONG time praying for us!
-He gave us the confidence to walk into a well established mission alliance and sit in a professional meeting room explaining who we were and what our cause was.
-He made us hop on a 5 hour bus ride, take a tricycle (a motorcycle with a side car) down a gravel road to a treehouse where we slept in hammocks each night.
-He led us to a church off a gravel road there and after 5 minutes of conversation we were preparing to do door to door evangelism. He showed up in the eyes of the men, women, and children living in complete and total poverty as they listened intently to what salvation is and what it can do for them. We also attended that church for Sunday morning worship and were able to see the different beliefs and views people have.
-He gave us angels. A man that two of my teammates met on the bus to the treehouse invited us to a private “jeepney” and a tour of the beautiful countryside. He took us to dinner and blessed us! The Lord also blessed us with a woman that gave us directions earlier that day and randomly met us at a restaurant later. She poured love into us in a variety of ways!
-He gave us the opportunity to hand out signs of love to women of all ages to let them know how BEAUTIFUL they are!
-He kept us safe at bus stops at 2 in the morning. He kept us safe as we were carrying our 45 pound backpacks down a busy street at 330 in the morning.
-He had us travel on boats, buses, tricycles, jeepneys, and cabs.
-He allowed us off days to spend time and grow together.
I struggle to even find the words for this month! I kept God in a box in the past and he showed me what can happen if you let him out and just TRUST. We did that and we honestly didn’t even have to worry about where we would go, because he was in front of us, beside us, and behind us loving and guiding us the entire time. We were able to find contacts, pour into people, pour into each other, receive blessings, and find the beauty in all situations. We weren’t at one particular ministry site this month and that was PERFECT. God let us discover him, ourselves, and what it looks like to trust him 100%. He lead us to places we could’ve never found ourselves. He set the pace for this race and i’m very proud to say that I SET GOD FREE and in doing that, I SET MYSELF FREE.
The funny part about all of this is, he was never in that box. I was the one in the box. I put all of the limitations on myself and he’s always been there waiting with love and encouragement.
Whether your ministry is traveling the Philippines, working a 9-5 job, pouring love into your family and/or children, etc. DONT BE THE PERSON in the box. Feel his love and let him guide you to places you could never get to on your own. LIFE is good and GOD is extraordinary!!! We are leaving for Thailand on Monday and I promise to update my blog way more often! Thank you for the love, prayers, and just continuing on this journey with me! I love you all!!
XXX
