Hi friends! We made it to Zambia and have started our ministry here this week! We are working at a school this month. I’m teaching in the grade one class which is the same as our kindergarten in the states. Let me tell you I have a new found respect for teachers even after just a couple of days. Having pencils thrown at you by screaming 5 year olds while trying to explain how the number two is different than one is quite humbling 🙂
Last month in Malawi was incredible in challenging in so many ways. I could spend hours writing about it but I’ll save it for some conversations when get home 🙂 But, I do want to share with you all something that God was teaching me last month. It’s something that on some levels seems so easy and elementary but he’s deepened my understanding in during my time in Malawi. It’s trust. It’s something we hear in church so much from the time we are little. Trust in The Lord with all your heart and a thousand other similar verses. Trust God with your family, trust God with your finances, trust God with your health, trust in him to provide, trust in him for your future. All of this is great and definitely a part of our faith. But what does it look like to trust God RIGHT NOW? Literally in every moment. I trusted god and left my home, my job, my family and my security to come on the Race and all of that seemed so huge. But what I’m finding is that my faith is tested and deepened when I’m in a place where I must trust him moment by moment. I found myself several times in Malawi thinking, “God where in the freaking world are you in all of this because I can’t see you AT ALL? Why in the world would you have me in this place? How are you going to use this because I can’t see any fruit?” And then boom. He would show up like only he can. I think God sometimes puts us in places or situations that seem hopeless so that we can see that he is the only hope. When we don’t have the words, that’s when he is most able to speak through us. When we have to fully trust him to work that’s when we see him the most and that’s where he gets the most glory. We can’t take credit for any of it because it’s only possible through him.
I remember learning when I was little “I’m and weak but He is strong.” Well, I’m calling crap here. We got it all wrong. 2 Corinthians 12:10 “when I am weak, then I am strong.” Hello??? Jesus said “my grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9. “When I am weak, THEN I (I, me, you) am strong.” Someone needs to change the words to Jesus Loves Me 🙂 when we are at our weakest in ourselves that’s when we are strongest in Him. That’s what I learned this month. In the middle of Malawi with not a clue how God was going to use me or my time there He grew me the most. Although there were a lot of struggles, I saw God work in a way I haven’t seen before. I have a deeper understanding of his love, his grace, and his power. The gospel is messy. Jesus stepped out of his kingdom to come into ours to do the work of His father. I have to remind myself sometimes that that is the reason why I’m here. To do his work, not mine. He’s always working, always moving forward and it’s our privilege to walk in that and watch him work.
