Wowie wow wowza and zoo wee mama!! I can hardly even believe that it has been one whole year since I left for the world race! One whole year since I landed in Romania with only the clothes on my back (hehe our bags got lost). One whole year since I started getting know some of my closest brothers and sisters. One whole year since the Lord begun teaching me what radical abandonment to Him looks like. One whole year of falling deeper and deeper in love with Jesus and His goodness. It is so wild for me to think about the incredible ways that the Lord has revealed Himself to me over the last year – His goodness abounds. One of my teammates Morgan wrote this in her most recent blog post, “It’s hard to believe it’s been a year. It feels like 10 minutes ago and 10 years ago all at once” and I truly don’t think I could have explained the feeling better. One year later and now I am here in Georgia back with Adventures In Missions discipling a team of 4 young women as they begin their World Race journey. Wild, right? God has brought me through and taught me so much over the last year, and I couldn’t be more grateful for the depth of intimacy with Him that He has pulled me into. It’s crazy for me to look back through all of my blog posts and journal entries from throughout the last year and think about all the things Abba taught me, so today I wanted to share some of them with you.
- Jesus is constant. Yeah, yeah it is easy to say, but do you really believe it? Each time over the last year when I left my family, my friends, each of my homes in different countries, my physical comforts and many other things, the only constant I had was the Lord. He was always there holding my hand and captivating my heart.
- The Church of God is alive!!! What a gift it is to be a part of the Body of Christ. Over the last year I have seen the Bride of Christ functioning like never before. Listening to God’s voice, loving His children, edifying one another, and fixing our focus on our King Jesus. And let me tell ya, it is one of the most beautiful things I have ever witnessed and been a part of.
- The crushing of my flesh is painful and also so worth it. It is God’s kindness that leads us into conviction, repentance, forgiveness and reconciliation with Abba.
- Closeness with Jesus is everything. We have the opportunity to know Him as our Father, protecter, provider, hiding place, refuge, joy, abundance, Spirit, comforter, best friend, Holy fire worthy to be feared, vinedresser, and sooooooooooo much more. What a gift.
- We have the ability to enter into the Throne Room of God with confidence AND with fear and trembling.
- God CHOOSES to use us as His vessel for bringing Kingdom.
- The freedom of being a kid is found in the humility of knowing who your Heavenly Dad is!!!!
Abba has been incredibly faithful and kind over the last year to draw me deeper into His arms and I can’t wait to keep knowing Him more and more. Thanks Jesus for being you, I love you with my whole heart.
- Emalani <3’
