Along the race growth is abundant yet most do not understand the pain in which exists with such growth. As a child I can remember waking up late at night with a terrible pain in my arms or legs, some nights it ached so terribly it seemed unbearable. The throbbing pain kept me from sleeping no matter how hard I tried and through the emotions I would burst into tear. Then I would rush to my mom crying in agony feeling as tho my leg or arm were to fall off. My Mother would wake up calmly and ask what was wrong and through the tears, and pain I would say my leg or whatever was “KILLING ME” and instantly she knew what was wrong. Calmly she would sit up and say “it is just growing pains the pain won’t last lets get some Tylenol” so I would take my shot of pain medicine and my mother would cuddle me back to comfort reassuring me that the pain only meant I was growing. Certainty I no longer wake up bawling due to physical growing pains, but I still have such growing pains not in a physical way but emotionally. As I deepen my faith in the lord often God challenges me and puts me in situations or reminds me of insecurities and issues that hold me back, but through these I experience growth. Through the discomfort, the pain, and unease I learn I am growing. Certainly god test me and helps me grow I know now that I must have a deep dependence on him as I did my mother not only in the times of pain but always. Now as a man I have a deep dependence on the lord that is most necessary for my life. When I come into challenging times I never question the lord with why me, I try to ask questions such as what are you trying to teach me lord? Or through this how can I become a better man of Christ? By accepting Jesus into your heart and lifestyle you aren’t promised an easy life but you are provided with a prosperous life and eternal life in heaven. So never hide from pain follow the lord into the pain to conquer and achieve growth
Update
One Sunday at Hope for the D.R. we had all the churches come to the property where we were staying and we had some worship, a sermon, lunch and just hung out the worship stood out to me the most it’s crazy how present the Holy Spirit was and the experience was amazing god really blew me away during this time. My good friend joe said it like this “We weren’t able to understand the words but you could focus so much more on the presence of the holy spirit and your own emotions.” And that was the case it was amazing
Another day we had clothes and food to hand out in a city and we walked around some areas where the hurricane and flooding had really struck the devastation was unexplainable the people, the houses, and the area was obviously affected big time. We prayed for the people listen to their stories and invited them to come and receive some food and clothing. Stories of houses being washed away people standing on top of the house to escape the flooding. Although there was a lot of hurt in the area the sun was shining and god was present and smiling down blessing the people
Also we did a prayer walk which we go out in the community and pray and do house visits. We really use this time to allow the Holy Spirit to do its work. Right before we left I saw a butterfly land right next to me it was very beautiful and I felt the spirit was asking to follow the butterflies. We walked for awhile and finally we saw a house with two large blue butterflies decorations hanging by the door we stopped in and talked to them and prayed for there family and also the mother was experiencing a lot of pain in her leg and the husband in the lump on his face we prayed over it and I know the lord will heal them. The next stop was an older couple I had not seen any butterfly but someone felt called to stop and pray for them so we did when we were there in the sole of the older woman’s flip flop there was a butterfly it must have been the brand but defiantly was supposed to be there. Finally the last place we stopped there was a small flip flop probably for the younger daughter there was a small butterfly plastic gem on the strap. The Holy Spirit was walking with us that day and it was so amazing to see the work and joy we could bring
Finally I just arrived in Haiti and it is beautiful we are surrounded by mountains and there is a bay so every morning the sun rises over the mountain and every night is sets over the bay. We do a lot of door to door ministry the poverty is heart breaking but Jesus brings hope to all of the people and me. I am super excited to see god countinue to work.
