“When the drive-thru line at Chick-fil-A only took 3.5 minutes…. #blessed”
“When you get a free iced vanilla latte at Starbucks because it’s your birthday….. #blessed”
“When you find money in the pocket of your jeans…. #blessed”
“When you oversleep, but still make it to work on time… #blessed”
“Blessed” has become a word that we mold into any and all circumstances that we are in and the hashtag can be used so out of context.
Blessed
Adjective
1. Made holy; consecrated
2. Held in reverence
3. Bringing pleasure
4. Sanctified.
Noun
1. Those who live with God in heaven
I’ve uttered the phrase so many times… But after traveling around the world for almost eleven months with a budget of $9/day (for food, lodging, and transportation), I can tell you that I no longer view the extra chicken nugget in my Chick-fil-A 8-count meal as a ‘#blessed’ event… Don’t get me wrong; I still thank the Good, Good Father for that little nugget!
I have slept on concrete floors, ridden in overly crowded busses for hours upon end, used the bathroom where I wish no one would ever have to, and eaten extremely unappetizing meals. Whether it be the food, living accommodations, transportation, or just every day life, I am leaving this journey with an entirely different view of what it means to be #blessed.
At the start of the race, I couldn’t wait to see our ministry placements for the following month because I wanted to see what we were working with when it came to our living conditions. As a month-11 racer, I can look back on every single month and say that it’s not the conditions that I remember about the country.
It’s the people.
It’s the way that God revealed himself to me more.
It’s the way that God worked through me to touch the lives of others.
I have seen the Lord bless people while also having the privilege of being the blessing.
I have seen the sick healed and been able to provide food to the hungry.
I have seen God speak through me and people come to Christ.
I have felt the love from others, when no one was even there to love them.
People have insisted on giving gifts, even when they didn’t even have money to buy themselves anything. I have had hosts that stay up extra late and lose sleep, just to make sure my team and I are safe and comfortable. These things are the real blessings.
Tangible things are great, but I’ve come to learn that it’s when I experience the presence of God through others that I truly am blessed.
This month is a blessing. I wake up in the morning to the warm sun shining on my face and the cool breeze blowing through my hair as it tickles my cheek. I go to bed at night staring out my window at the starlit mountain line, and on occasion I’ll see a shooting star. I try to take in the beauty of this place that they call Hope Mountain… but each new day I am more in awe than I was the day before.
Now, yes… I have a bed, a working toilet and shower, a pool, a basketball hoop, 3 meals a day, and hammocks on the roof to soak up the dreamy scenery. But even if all that stuff were gone, I could still confidently say that this month is still a blessing. Why? Because God’s presence is ushered into this place, His word is written on the hearts of all of the staff here, and I am encouraged and provided with opportunities to advance His kingdom. That’s being #blessed. So thank you, Lord for bringing me pleasure this month… for continuing to show me that you are the Holy One… for the sanctification of your son, Jesus Christ. Thank you for, yet again making me feel #blessed.
