I want to start this blog off with a little exercise. I want you to imagine that the person you love the most, just ask you to move with them to a far off place. Your so excited to go spend the next year with the person you love the most in a new exciting location. Once you arrive in the far off place the person who came with you left, and is no where to be found. You feel all alone and your not really sure what your first step should be. Should you stay put in case they come back? or should you go looking for them?
This little exercise was a little tool I wanted to uses to show you how I felt. My team arrived in Serbia 3 weeks ago. I was so excited getting on the plane and flying across the world to this land. I felt the Lords presents with me the whole journey. But at some point once we were here I felt like He left me. What? are you kidding me? Lord you brought me here to a far off place and you decided to leave me?
I couldn’t really understand what was happening. Why, couldn’t I hear the Lords voice or feel His presents.
My faith was becoming weaker and weaker by the day. I was confused because I didn’t know what the next step should be, or what I should be looking for.
Every morning I sat down and spent 30-40 min in the word, worshiping, and praying. But I still felt so alone. My prayer was simple “Lord if you hear me let me feel you”.
I was so frustrated, and nothing seamed to be going right.
One morning I woke up and headed to do my daily quiet time. I randomly opened my bible up to Hosea 2:14
“ Therefore, Behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak tenderly to her”.
Later I was talking with my team about how I felt like I couldn’t feel God and it was really eating at me. One of the girls told me it was like the Lord was leading me into a the wilderness so He could have some alone time with me to speak His truth to me. (Apparently I really needed to hear that verse.)
Later that night we were sitting at a families house getting ready to leave. I had this feeling like I’ve never had before. It was a burning feeling in my gut and a voice in my head that just kept saying over and over “Pray for this family”.
I knew that the Lord wanted me to pray for this family. In the moments we spent praying over the sweet family I felt so much relief and joy. I had here the Lords voice again.
Ministry Update:
During the last three weeks my team and I have done a variety of ministries in the community. Our main focus has been with the teens from the local church and their friends. We spent a week at camp with them and had the opportunity to share our stories with them; and to hear theirs in return.
Over that last 3 weeks we’ve cried and laughed, we’ve eaten meat, and we have eaten fried bread with ketchup. We’ve played ninja to many times to count, we have sang songs, danced, But most importantly we have all grown closer to Christ.
Some of the teens at camp
As much as we have given to the kids, they gave back. The teens who we have been spending our time with have validated that this is where the Lord wants us. Knowing the kids want to spend time with us is so special.
Our feet may hurt from all the walking, but our hearts are overfilling with the Joy we are experiencing here in Serbia.
We only have 4 more days left here in Novi Sad, Serbia. In these next days we will be spending time at the river with the kids, probably eating more bread, running around the city some more, and Loving the kids with every last inch of love we have left to give.
This month went by way to quickly. But I’m so thankful for every breath I got to take in this wonderful country. Serbia I sure hope I get to see you again soon.
~E
Some of the teens with us in the city
I’m still $1,338 short of my goal. I ask that you might prayerfully consider helping me reach the goal.
