At training camp and launch for the World Race, we were taught about different seasons we would go through in our relationship with God. There are times when I will feel God’s presence everywhere, and there are times when He will feel more distant. The couple of months leading up to the World Race, I was in a season that was filled with endless blessings. God provided all the money I needed to go on the World Race, He surrounded me with amazing people who were so supportive of my upcoming adventure, and He placed little blessings in my life each day that filled me with joy.
I knew a more dry season with God would eventually occur on the World Race, but I didn’t think it would begin on day ONE. I was so excited to begin the World Race and be in Belize, but I noticed I wasn’t feeling God’s presence around me as soon as I arrived. As I mentioned in my first blog I wrote in Belize, I decided to try my best to surrender whatever I was feeling each day and trust God anyways. Midway through the month, I was getting a little annoyed because I felt like no matter what activity was going on around me (intentional quiet time with God or a church event), I wasn’t feeling God or hearing from Him. I couldn’t help but wonder if I was doing something wrong or if there was a big sin in my life that I hadn’t asked for forgiveness for, that was causing me not to hear God.
BUT then God began putting all the pieces together. One of my biggest prayers has been for me to be able to hear God’s voice. Throughout this month, I’ve had so many resources helping me to learn this. I’ve been reading a book about listening prayer, a book called “Secrets of the Secret Place” was recommended to me by my squad mentor that’s about quiet time with God, AND a guest pastor came to speak at the church here and he spoke specifically about how he learned to hear God’s voice. This month while praying, I also received my first vision from God. I’ve also seen God working through me to answer other people’s prayers and vice versa. After thinking about all this, God showed me that He HAS been speaking to me this entire time, but just in different ways than I’m used to. He’s teaching me that even if I don’t “feel” Him all the time, it doesn’t mean He’s not there. God is always there, always by my side loving and guiding me. He’s growing and stretching my faith by teaching me to trust Him even when I don’t “feel” Him around. I’m so grateful for God’s work in my life. Even when I thought I wasn’t growing and God wasn’t doing anything with me this month, I now see that He was definitely moving.
My team and I are leaving Independence Village, Belize tomorrow and heading to Caye Caulker, Belize to meet up with our whole squad and leaders for debrief. Then we are off to Honduras for all squad month! Please pray that me and my squad will all be obedient to how God is planning on using on this next month 🙂
