I am sorry that I haven’t posted a blog in awhile. Since Laos is a closed country, our host asked that we refrain from posting any blogs until after we left so as not to attract too much attention to them.
This month in Laos my team and I worked with a family that operates a Eco-Lodge/Resort. I was mainly working on construction and landscaping projects with the full times staff at the resort. I have learned so much from my time at the resort over this last month. I continued to learn how to live with a constant mindset of missions even in every day tasks. Since I didn’t really get to leave the resort that much, except on off days, my main ministry was to talk to and build relationships with the staff that worked alongside me. I learned again how I can share Christ and glorify God through my actions, attitude, and even when a language barrier stops most communication. I got to see again how the hope and joy we have in Christ can be seen by those who do not know Him and how they are attracted to that light. I relearned how if what you’re doing is done to glorify God and if every thing you do is done as if to the Lord then you can find joy, purpose, and contentment even in tasks most would label mundane.
However, I think perhaps the biggest lesson that I learned this month was the Lord’s protection over my team and I, and how we walk in His favor. Besides the fact that we are in a closed country and not allowed to be missionaries or doing any mission work, I have seen the Lord’s favor over our team nearly every day in what we do. During our construction and landscaping, I have almost been bitten by poisonous scorpions and snakes, fallen through the rotten and rusted floorboards at the dock and into the river, and nearly been completely engulfed by fire. But all those potential situations where kept at a distance from us.
Psalms 139:9-10 says, “If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.” I have experienced God’s grace in a whole different way this month. Not only can I see the Lord’s grace for my entire life through Christ’s sacrifice for me, but I have also seen His continual grace for me in each moment of every day.
I have gotten the privilege to see the Lords love for me in all the little things. We are never that far from the Lord’s love and protection. And though we are eager to forget Him and wander off, He is constantly there with us to protect us. Hosea 11:8 says, “How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hang you over, Israel? How can I treat you like Admah? How can I make you like Zeboiim? My heart is changed within me; all my compassion is aroused.” We belong to the Lord. We are his chosen and beloved people and He will be faithful to deliver us, protect us, and keep us through this life and into His Kingdom. All the things this month that should have hurt me or put me in the hospital or killed me were kept at a distance from me. I was allowed to see the danger in them but I was also allowed to see how the Lord protected me from that danger. I was allowed to see how great the Lord’s love is for me and my teammates through is constant and unfailing hand of protection that never left us.
Every situation and everything that has happened throughout the race, over the last month, and throughout my life have been opportunities for me to see the Lord’s hand over me and His favor over my life. I think that there are so many situations we just take for granted and label as coincidence or luck or being in the right place at the right time. I have just seen how thoughtfully, lovingly, and perfectly the Lord works in all the things in our lives. We all get the opportunity to see the Lord show us His love for us and to glorify Him for that love and favor.
Thank you so much for all your continued love and support! You are all such a blessing to me and I am so grateful for all of you who are supporting and praying for me and my squad! Please continue to pray for the people of Laos and the countries we have visited! Please also be praying that the hearts of the people of Thailand will be open to our message. Lastly, please continue to keep me, my team, and my squad in your prayers. Thank you all so much again!
Glory to God!
