i’ve been thinking about what my life looked like around
this time last year. let me paint a
picture for you…
this time last year. let me paint a
picture for you…
in October of 2008 i quit my teaching job, sold my truck,
and left for a five month missions trip to Australia and Thailand. in March of
2009 i returned home and found myself with no permanent address, a temporary
job, and no car. the world has a
word for people like me…�loser.� but my God has another word for me…�obedient.�
i found myself seeing with double vision. the world’s perspective and my God’s
perspective. people said i was crazy, lost, a mooch. and by the world’s standards….they
would be correct. however, i don’t operate within the world’s standards. for
although i am in the world, i am
not of it. i have been renewed by the transformation of my mind. i see
differently. where the world sees me as lost, i know that i am found. where the
world sees me as a mooch, i know i am wholly provided for. where the world sees
me as crazy, i know i am in my right mind.
and left for a five month missions trip to Australia and Thailand. in March of
2009 i returned home and found myself with no permanent address, a temporary
job, and no car. the world has a
word for people like me…�loser.� but my God has another word for me…�obedient.�
i found myself seeing with double vision. the world’s perspective and my God’s
perspective. people said i was crazy, lost, a mooch. and by the world’s standards….they
would be correct. however, i don’t operate within the world’s standards. for
although i am in the world, i am
not of it. i have been renewed by the transformation of my mind. i see
differently. where the world sees me as lost, i know that i am found. where the
world sees me as a mooch, i know i am wholly provided for. where the world sees
me as crazy, i know i am in my right mind.
it took me a long time to walk in such confidence. last year
the Lord allowed me to journey through this transformation process in deep
ways. at this time last year, i only
had four more months of work left. i was provided the opportunity to apply for
a permanent job at the school, however, after a lot of prayer, i clearly heard
the Lord tell me to “wait.� it didn’t make sense, right? why would i turn down
a really good paying job with great benefits? but when God says ‘wait,’ i wait. i remember how i felt
during this time. i was confident in what i heard the Lord say, but i was also
battling insecurity and fear. i vacillated back and forth. i had to continually
give it over to the Lord and trust in His good and perfect will for my life.
the Lord allowed me to journey through this transformation process in deep
ways. at this time last year, i only
had four more months of work left. i was provided the opportunity to apply for
a permanent job at the school, however, after a lot of prayer, i clearly heard
the Lord tell me to “wait.� it didn’t make sense, right? why would i turn down
a really good paying job with great benefits? but when God says ‘wait,’ i wait. i remember how i felt
during this time. i was confident in what i heard the Lord say, but i was also
battling insecurity and fear. i vacillated back and forth. i had to continually
give it over to the Lord and trust in His good and perfect will for my life.
sure enough, just when things seemed like they couldn’t get more
confusing, four months later i found myself unemployed and living with some
dear friends of mine. the world
was no longer calling me a loser, they were screaming it at me. but, you know
what? by this time, i had peace. God said “wait.� and that’s what i did. every
minute, every hour, every day. i waited. and waited. and waited.
confusing, four months later i found myself unemployed and living with some
dear friends of mine. the world
was no longer calling me a loser, they were screaming it at me. but, you know
what? by this time, i had peace. God said “wait.� and that’s what i did. every
minute, every hour, every day. i waited. and waited. and waited.
then the Lord moved. He granted my heart’s desire to “see
the nations,� and opened the door for me to do The World Race. within two
months i watched Him bring in over $10,000 to help pay for the trip. two
months! only God can do that. and the next thing i knew, i was on a plane that
signified God’s fulfillment of the vision He had given me…to see the nations.
the nations,� and opened the door for me to do The World Race. within two
months i watched Him bring in over $10,000 to help pay for the trip. two
months! only God can do that. and the next thing i knew, i was on a plane that
signified God’s fulfillment of the vision He had given me…to see the nations.
as i sit and write this, i am in Nsoko, Swaziland. i am in
freaking Africa! it still blows my mind. who am i that He would send me?
January 6th will mark six months of traveling for me. i have
experienced a lot. orphans and extreme poverty in Haiti, slums and smiling
faces in the Dominican Republic, the green hills (and delicious guiness) of
Ireland, severe oppression in Moldova, the movement of the Holy Spirit in
Bulgaria and Serbia, the beautiful hillsides and dark, sexual oppression of
Romania, the kindness of people and a life-threatening accident in Malawi, and
most recently the tragic affects of HIV/AIDS in Swaziland.
freaking Africa! it still blows my mind. who am i that He would send me?
January 6th will mark six months of traveling for me. i have
experienced a lot. orphans and extreme poverty in Haiti, slums and smiling
faces in the Dominican Republic, the green hills (and delicious guiness) of
Ireland, severe oppression in Moldova, the movement of the Holy Spirit in
Bulgaria and Serbia, the beautiful hillsides and dark, sexual oppression of
Romania, the kindness of people and a life-threatening accident in Malawi, and
most recently the tragic affects of HIV/AIDS in Swaziland.
i am overwhelmed sometimes at all the crap and evil in the
world. at the same time, i am overwhelmed by God’s goodness and His beautiful
creation. there is nothing special about what i am doing. it’s what He is doing
that is special. i recognize that without the Lord, i am inadequate…what do you
say to the child who has lost both parents to AIDS? what do you say to the
mother whose husband is out all night drinking knowing she will be beaten when
he returns? how do you comfort all the animals that are abused, starving and
diseased? how do you re-energize the missionary and aid worker who are burnt
out and exhausted from years of pouring into a community? i am inadequate. but
my Lord is not.
world. at the same time, i am overwhelmed by God’s goodness and His beautiful
creation. there is nothing special about what i am doing. it’s what He is doing
that is special. i recognize that without the Lord, i am inadequate…what do you
say to the child who has lost both parents to AIDS? what do you say to the
mother whose husband is out all night drinking knowing she will be beaten when
he returns? how do you comfort all the animals that are abused, starving and
diseased? how do you re-energize the missionary and aid worker who are burnt
out and exhausted from years of pouring into a community? i am inadequate. but
my Lord is not.
i believe that the Jesus in me is enough. i believe that a
simple, “i’m sorry you lost both your parents� and a hug is enough. i believe
that a simple prayer of protection for a mother in an abusive relationship is
enough. i believe that adopting a stray kitten and asking for healing for
countless other animals is enough. i believe that listening to the burdens of
missionaries and aid workers and then being the extra hands and feet is enough.
simple, “i’m sorry you lost both your parents� and a hug is enough. i believe
that a simple prayer of protection for a mother in an abusive relationship is
enough. i believe that adopting a stray kitten and asking for healing for
countless other animals is enough. i believe that listening to the burdens of
missionaries and aid workers and then being the extra hands and feet is enough.
i have five months left on this assignment and i find myself
praying the wise words of the Apostle Paul, “that i will be clear minded and
self-controlled so that i can pray. that i will love deeply, because love
covers a multitude of sins� (1 Peter 4:7-8). and that “i live my life worthy of
the calling i have received,� (ephesians 4:1).
praying the wise words of the Apostle Paul, “that i will be clear minded and
self-controlled so that i can pray. that i will love deeply, because love
covers a multitude of sins� (1 Peter 4:7-8). and that “i live my life worthy of
the calling i have received,� (ephesians 4:1).
if you feel led to help me raise the rest of my support,
that would be awesome. i only have $1,668 left until reaching my goal of
$14,300. i have no doubt that it will all come in. my God owns the cattle on a
thousand hills! however, the people back in the states that are responsible for
keeping tabs on my finances need to know by January 4th whether or
not i will be fully funded. that means i either see all the money come in
beforehand or people can pledge to give monthly (indicating i have money coming
in). you can support me by going to my website: www.juliettesteele.theworldrace.org
and clicking on the “support me� link.
that would be awesome. i only have $1,668 left until reaching my goal of
$14,300. i have no doubt that it will all come in. my God owns the cattle on a
thousand hills! however, the people back in the states that are responsible for
keeping tabs on my finances need to know by January 4th whether or
not i will be fully funded. that means i either see all the money come in
beforehand or people can pledge to give monthly (indicating i have money coming
in). you can support me by going to my website: www.juliettesteele.theworldrace.org
and clicking on the “support me� link.
thank you for journeying with me. thank you for taking the
time to read these words. i look forward to what the second half of this journey
will look like. i covet your prayers and LOVE your words of encouragement! xoxo
time to read these words. i look forward to what the second half of this journey
will look like. i covet your prayers and LOVE your words of encouragement! xoxo
