Hello from Romania! We are in month 2 of our race here in Alba Iulia, Romania, which is in Transylvania. We are staying at a ministry center here, and working with a church called Flame of Worship. Derek and I LOVE this church, they have already opened their homes to us, and have set up an entire month of different ministry serving the body.
So ministry on Wednesday looked like bouncing a beach ball with this beautiful Gypsy family.
Back story here.
I was having a super rough day. I woke up just not feeling it. I wasn’t feeling alot to be honest. I didn’t feel drained, I didn’t feel full. It’s starting to hit that life goes on, even when we are on the mission field.
We started our ministry that afternoon. Our team split into two smaller teams for home visits. We met with this woman here. She is the mother of one of the elders. We were able to share some stories from our time in Serbia with her, and see pictures of her beautiful, Godly family.
I was asked to pray us out of that meeting, and to be honest I didn’t want to. I personally don’t like praying out loud. Why? I don’t know. I can be very shy in my prayers outside my head and quiet time. It’s such an intimate thing for me, talking to the Lord. But I’ve been praying through that, and as my pastor growing up always said when talking about the fickleness of emotions…”Happy happy joy joy, chill bumps up and down my spine.” It’s a good reminder that my feelings can change for no reason. SO ANYWAY I don’t normally back down. I push through.
I’m glad I did.
From there we left to be with this family.
We were invited into their home,and we sat down with the grandmother. She goes to Flame of Worship church. She started sharing about her story, and to be honest, this little girl held my attention. She would pass by the door and catch my gaze. I could just see Jesus in those dark eyes. I would curve one side of my lip up in a half smile, and she would beam back at me.
Finally, in a mouse like voice I squeaked, “Can I go play?”
(I know most of you don’t believe me when I say I had a mouse like voice. Bethany Dameron is very different from the Thompson version.)
Derek ministered to the matriarch, and I kept winking and waving at Jetta, their 8 year old daughter. I don’t speak a lick of Romanian, but she let me and Shannon play with her brother Loli, her dad, and her mom.
In the narrow courtyard we played for who knows how long. She was so patient with her brother, I admire her so much for it.
We learned “Opa” and Bravo!”, exchanged high fives and fist bumps, and I felt as if we were friends.
I know Jesus was playing with us in that moment (especially when the ball should have gone over the fence, and didn’t), and through His STRENGTH, He pulled me out of that funk.
Thursday, today, is the first day I have felt like myself in a while.
Jesus is so real y’all. He meets us exactly where we are at. In a funk, in a numb state, in a shy state, in a courtyard with a beach ball. He loves us so much. He allowed me to serve Him, even when I felt like I couldn’t. THAT is so essential in ministry.
Derek and I are on a marathon. There will be so many days that Bethany can’t serve because she, quite frankly, isn’t supposed to do it. It’s Jesus, through Bethany.
Same for you. I encourage you, my dear friends, let Jesus meet you exactly where you are. You can feel whatever you’re feeling. He will hold your hand every step of the way.
