Last week was a week full of relationship building. The Lord has been deepening our relationships with him, each other as a team, with John and Gillian, and the children. It has been such a joy to partner with A Place of Grace and to serve the communities and children. This week was our first week with ministry on Monday or Tuesday. On Monday, I spent time loving on the cutest little boy, A, who loved to dress up in a Batman suit and run around. He was so shy, delicate, and had the best smile. Tuesday I got to see my favorite little man, Titon, who was having a tough day. He was really sad, didn’t want to play, and started crying. I sat with him for a while and comforted him. Eventually, I got him up to play soccer and he was laughing and smiling. I got to see him again on Friday during English lessons. It’s such an honor to get to know these kids, love them, and show them the love of Jesus.
Throughout week 2, the Lord has been placing the word “patience” on my heart. If you know me well, you know I like to have control over situations and to know all the pieces and how they fit together. I want to understand how God works, what his plan and purpose is for me, and what he is speaking to me at each moment. However, he has been making it very clear to me that I cannot do it on my own and I won’t have it all figured out… and that’s totally okay. On Tuesday, I read the book of Ecclesiastes and the Lord was pointing me to verse 11:5. “As you do not know the path of the wind or how the body is formed in a mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the MAKER of all things.” A sense of peace in the unknown is something I am praying about. I have also been praying each morning to be open to accepting whatever challenge or experience God has in my plan. To be open to his guidance and willing to accept it no matter what. Nothing is impossible with faith. I need to be patient and trust him. I need to step back and really listen to what he is saying to me.
Romans 4:20-21 has been on my heart.
“Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had the power to do what he has promised.”
By reflecting over the course of the past 3 weeks, the Lord has been shaking a lot of the complacency in my relationship with him. He is shining light on the fact that I need to pursue him each and every day outside of organized bible studies or church. Without him, every accomplishment, experience, and situation is meaningless. He is at the center of it all and an intimate relationship with him needs to be the utmost priority.
With love,
Kaitlin
