Welcome to the World Race where essentially nothing happens according to plan or at least the plan that you’re thinking of- everything happens according to God’s plan. And honestly, life is like that too.
So, as many of you know, my team and I have been planning this fast called “Fasting for Phonics” to raise money for our hoss and daughter to go to school. Today was finally the day! I even staid up until midnight and chugged a Dr.Pepper at 11:59 to begin the fast. I was fully committed and ready to do this thing.
And then God swooped in, crushed my plans and inserted His own.
Nichol had met an awesome woman at church on Sunday and had the chance to pray for her mother who had been unable to attend the service due to illness. After talking to this woman more, she found out that her mother had been sick for 20 years! Nichol being the amazing human that she is had the idea to go to the woman’s home and pray over her mother. So, this morning, Nichol, Paxtyn, and I headed to her home.
The next hour was absolutely incredible. This family welcomed us with open arms and it was clear that each of them loved the Lord. We talked, read scripture, sang, and prayed with all of our hearts for healing. And then, the part that really derailed my plans- we ate. We were supposed to be fasting of course but one does not simple refuse a Cambodian grandmother- or really anyone who invites you into their home and gives you food. God evidentially wanted us to eat.
We got to talk to this sweet woman and she talked about living through the Polpat regime and the Khmer Rouge. She said she found Jesus at 16, got lost, and recommitted her life to the Lord in 1993. Despite her illness, she is incredibly faithful and I truly believe that God intends to use this woman for big things. She spoke so easily and confidently of the ways that God had acted in her life and the ways He had spoken to her. She kept thanking God for bringing us to her home and she shared with us a message that God had given her to spread to all of Israel.
She told us that the church needs to be connected, not divided. God told her that we need to unite around Him and put aside our differences. We are one family in Christ and that is what matters, not all of our little doctrinal squabbles. She said that God gave her this message and had told her to share it but she wasnt sure how. She said that He would not heal her until she shared the message and she felt like today, she was finally able to do just that. She encouraged to tell all of the pastors and church leaders we meet on this trip as well as our churches at home about God’s message. We assured her that we would.
There is a stirring happening in Cambodia. The people of God are rising up and they will not be silenced. This place is filled with the presence of the Lord and the Holy Spirit. The less than one percent of Cambodians who are Christians are sharing the love of Jesus and I cannot wait to see the incredible growth that I can feel coming in the Cambodian church.
So, the fast didn’t exactly go as planned but God did some incredible things in my heart today.
