I’ve always known that I was born to love with a burning passion. Deeply, and wholly, and honestly? With a true gift of unconditionality that I’ve realized I haven’t seen in everyone. It was a part of my DNA to just see light in people.
But with my heart on my sleeve kind of honesty? I hadn’t had any clue how to do that well.
I thought I did, but the truth is that Satan twisted Gods intent for my ability to love at such a young age, and in turn I ended up stepping into the same sin and unhealthy patterns again and again throughout my entire life.
Satan does this thing where He can see our potential for good, and he has an uncanny ability to turn those things into the most unparalleled of disgusting lies that we eventually believe, and in turn start to live out.
I won’t hit all the details of my life story for you today– because I want to get to the point.
Good for us, God warned us of that in Ephesians 6 when he tells us that we do not fight flesh battles here on earth, but that instead- ALL of our battles are against rulers and principalities in the darkest of places.
Satan can make us so ugly.
But at the end of the day- we get the choice to see that, and to fight him well.
Not only do we get the choice to partner with God and change our own actions, but we get the choice to look past other people’s actions- and to instead see the light and dark at work in others, and to choose to exemplify the light, and to hit your knees to fight the dark.
Question.
When you, your friends, your kids, or anyone you care for are sick- Do you condemn them for being sick? Or do you take them to the doctor, and try your best to fight the sickness?
What happens when the illness doesn’t get better?
What if, in contrast, it actually starts to spread?
What if you realize it’s lung cancer, and it’s no longer contained in their lungs, but has spread into their entire respiratory system and the literal airways that should filter their breathing have become toxic?
Do you say “Well, gosh.. why’d you go and get cancer? Don’t you know that that stuff kills you?”
HECK. NO.
You create ‘gofundme’ pages to raise money for their radiation treatment, and facebook prayer groups and get all your friends to hit their knees every hour on the hour to fight the sickness that is overtaking the person you love!
You see sickness as an attack on your loved one and you fight well.
I believe We have gotten sin so wrong, and I also believe we have gotten love wrong.
We condemn the sinner (in others and in ourselves) instead of fighting the illness so we can start our pilgrimage to find the Miracle Man, and in the midst of that condemnation? We find ourselves living out the opposite of how God tells us to love in 1 Corinthians 13.
Adventures in Missions is an organization that wants to send forth ambassadors for the gospel, to heal the nations- but it is also a discipleship ministry for the racers themselves.
I believe that God is sending me on this journey for the sake of Love of others. To meet with sinners in every corner of the world. To walk the path that the first disciples walked: feeding the hungry, healing the sick, and hearing the voice of God.
But I also have a deep knowledge that He is sending me on this adventure for the sake of Love for Him and I together. So that he can take me deeper and farther than I would even know how to wander on my own.
That has been my heart cry for a while- and when I got to know the heart behind Adventures in Missions and the World Race- I knew it was for me.
I realize that not everyone wants to pack their home around the world in a knapsack for eleven months. So for those of you who see my vision, and want to join me on this adventure of Love, but don’t feel called, or aren’t in a season where you can pack up and go? I would ask that you would partner with me in the most extraordinary act of faith and love, and donate to my trip.
I’m a fair way off from the $18,100 I need to raise for my journey, and that doesn’t include my gear that I need to have by mid October, or anything extra (vaccines, passport, etc) that will come up.
Your partnership with me DOES make a difference- and I am grateful for everyone that has already donated, as well as those who will. Thank you. <3
So much love, and all the hugs ^_^
***All contributions can be made directly on my blogsite and are tax deductible.
any contribution made by cash or check directly to me for my excess needs are also greatly needed and appreciated, but are not tax deductible.***
