Hello my dearfriends, family, and appreciated strangers!I have some time and wifi and thought I’d take some time to update everyone on the life here in Quito, Ecuador. (Don’t worry, I’ll be quick)
In case everyone is not caught up to date on the past recent events. I have lost a backpack full of everything important I own (2 phones, laptop, journal, written works, passport, kindle, Camelback, and my Bible), I was just recently possibly mugged or lost of my license, credit and debit cards, and just last night said goodbye to my cherished brother, Tanner, who went home of his own will. Oh, and did I mention I was mugged at knife-point on the beach to where I lost the remainder of my cash? Everything that has happened I keep thinking, ‘this is the last straw’, and ‘that’s it, I’m going home’. Believe me, it’s been hard to have any motivation to do anything or to continue for that matter. Of course with all of this, I’m still having fun with my manual labor ministry (which has now finally changed) and having internal spiritual battles with God.
I’ll be honest with you, my prayer life has been miserable, my daily time in the word is minuscule and I lose focus often, and I’ve found myself ignoring God in so many instances. I’m weary, and I wish I could just get all the answers. I wish I could see God face to face and challenge him, ask questions, but alas, how can we meet God face to face ’till we have faces! (That was a C.S. Lewis ref. (:
But for real, I’m struggling.
Fortunately, I’ve have not given up and intend not to. I’ve taken it upon myself to read through the Bible as best I can (on 2 Kings right now), and now trying to memorize Paul’s letter to the Ephesians! Also, prayer has been on the increase, as now I don’t have all this technology, and so I now fill that time of what once was wifi time and watching shows with prayer, books, and thought.
I will say, I should have seen this coming. I knew at the beginning of the Race I asked The Lord to break me down before him, so that I could devote my time to him. He’s been gradually breaking me since day one, and with everything I have received the comfort and love of Christ so that I may give him deserved glory. What an awesome God we love.
I was venting to my mother about this all, cause who better to rant to, and in the midst of it she did the classic mother thing by giving me a bible verse to memorize and pray over. It is Paul’s prayer for spiritual strength: Eph. 3:14-21
“For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”
So I read that and I instantly read it at least ten times more, and then I had my own prayer for spiritual strength, forgiveness, love, grace, and thanksgiving.
I feel lost so so often, and I search for what the Lord is trying to say.
Sometimes I wander, but as my dear friend J.R.R. Tolkien says, “Not all who wander are lost.”
Now I wander in the spiritual realm, the mysteries of the Gospel, and sometimes they are revealed, and sometimes I keep wandering.
I wonder what is to come!
Nevertheless, I am so thankful for those prayer warriors out there for me and I desperately ask you to keep it going and to fervent. My heart is full with the love and prayer I’ve received, as I feel as though my mission would be so much more difficult without that strong intercession back at home.
Pray that I can finish strong. Pray that all glory may be given to Him. Pray that I may grow in my own humility and kindness. Pray for my squad, as we are hurting for various reasons and truly going through some tough stuff right now. Pray that His protection be upon us, as there have been quite a few muggings and knife/gun threats towards our lives!
Thank you so much and may God’s grace and peace be upon you!
(And as always, Photo credit to Bradley Newton)
