What’s the difference between just surviving and really thriving? That is the question that has defined my last month.
I know I can get myself through just about anything on sheer will power and for most of my life that is what I have relied on to simply endure circumstances or experiences that I would not have picked for myself.
But this month I felt the Lord telling me, I was never designed to live in survival mode. He assured me that He had given me everything I needed to thrive in all situations. That I don’t need to fear the valleys or give too much credit to the mountaintops because His grace simultaneously allows me the opportunity to be sharpened and refined through both. With that, He also called me to “live a life worthy of the calling which to I have received” (Ephesians 4:1).
Throughout the month, He highlighted regular rhythms and disciplines in every area of my life where I had the choice to either settle or grow, survive or thrive. To let you into the practical side of things I listed some of them below:
Physically, it has meant giving my body everything it was designed to need to run at its highest level including sleep, healthy diet and exercise.
Mentally, it has meant reading more and deeper research of my ideas and thoughts.
Spiritually, it has meant making sure to fight for Sabbath rest regularly. Getting away with Jesus for extended amounts of time consistently no matter what is going on in order to allow Him to minister to me.
In community, it has meant not staying at a surface level but being intentional with going deep and being vulnerable.
I found out very quickly that this is not easy. In all these areas, it requires more of me to thrive, and already there have been plenty of times when I have wanted to passively fall back into old habits. Honestly because it’s just easier, and I know I probably won’t get called out for it.
But I am no longer content settling for a life that is less than all He has for me. I am not OK with walking through life only allowing the situations and the circumstances that I deem favorable to push me towards Jesus.
I want to thrive not just survive. I want to choose the profitable over the easy.
So whatever the circumstance or whatever the challenge by His grace I will seek to glorify God by thriving in His promises. Not to earn what I’ve already been given but to live in such a way that best unleashes the glory He has placed inside me for His own exaltation.
What this month looked like:
This month my team and I stayed in central Myanmar in a town called Pyin oo Lwin. Our contact was a Burmese orphanage owner. We spent a lot of time hanging out with the kids and each night we got to worship with them. It was a truly humbling experience to watch 50 Burmese orphans worship with the passion they had.
We were invited to dozens of Hindu and Buddhist houses where we were give opportunity to share the Gospel with many who have never heard. This is a Buddhist shrine in one of the houses we went to.
We were also given the opportunity to teach English to some of the older kids at the orphanage.
During our last week in Pyin oo Lwin, my team hosted a 4 day missionary conference for 25 Burmese missionaries from all over Myanmar. This is me teaching in a traditional Burmese skirt.
This is my team crossing the Thai/Burmese border on foot.
My team stopped in the ancient city of Bagan for a day on the way down to Rangoon for our debrief.
