[written yesterday morning]
Debrief Action!
I am sitting here in
Starbucks in Zurich, Switzerland
where eight of us have a six hour layover before heading to Madrid.
The last several days have been spent in a place called Badplaas, a
small town in South Africa. God did amazing things during our time
there. We have had a chance to just soak
in the Lord’s presence surrounded by glorious scenery of mountains, valleys,
sun, and just peacefulness. Tom and
Cindy Sipling, Michael and Lynn Lobsher, Pastor Gift, and Gary Black poured
into us each day through one-on-ones, group debriefs, meeting times, and having
fun together.
(We stayed in those things – I don’t know the name.
Christie and Gary having a one-on-one.)
(This is the view Traday and I had on our walk!)
God has been speaking to me,
stretching me, convicting me, and growing me a lot recently. He has used other people to speak to me as well
as His own voice. He’s been talking to
me about serving my team, dying to myself, listening to His voice, freedom,
giving me a longing for MORE of Him, self-control, relationships, going back
home, and the list goes on. Our God is
full of His endless love for us. The
more I learn the heartbeat of my God, the more I long for MORE of Him, the more
I realize how little I am and how BIG He is, how amazing His!
(I climbed that thing (all the way to the top)!!
Ministry during debrief has
mainly been ministry to each other and time for God to just completely fill us
up. A time to process Africa. To look at what has been done and what needs
to change. A time to serve each other
and pour into each other as well. We
were in little round concrete building type things and I was so excited to live
with some different people from our squad and just spend time with them. There were many laughs. I was able to go on a walk with Tra-day one
day and just talk about how we’re feeling about leaving Africa
and how things are back home. It was a
great time. (I love that girl!) There
were even quality moments with Megan while doing dishes and talking to people
while making dinner one night. I got to
sit on a jungle gym with Caitlin and have a good conversation and pray for
her. While I was climbing a mountain
behind where we were staying, I had good times with Seth, Mark, and
Michael. I had to stand in awe of God’s
amazing creation on top of that mountain over looking fields and cities and
mountains and valleys. There were so
many moments like this.
(Traday and I on a walk)
(The four that made it to the top – Mark, Me, Michael (Black), Seth)
Then I had the chance to
meet a whole set of new people and get to know them for the first time. The World Race squad that left in January
this year was able to meet up with us.
We had some amazing worship, singing, prophesy, words of encouragement,
and a time where the Holy Spirit was at work!
It was an indescribable feeling to have two completely different groups
who have been to different places and are at different phases of the race come
together and just fall before God in unity, to listen to words He wants us to
give to each other, to live everything we’ve got up to God in reverence, and to
praise with all we’ve got!
(Having some fun with the G squad!)
5 cities, 4 continents, 3 days: We headed for the airport in Johannesburg on April 20th flying
out in the evening. Many of us were very
sad about leaving Africa, but hopeful and looking forward in anticipation at
what God has planned for our time in Central America. We’ve traveled to Zurich, Switzerland (6 hour
layover for 8 of us), Madrid, Spain (26 hour layover), Bogota, Columbia (12
hour layover – where I am at this current moment as I post this blog), and our
final destination tomorrow is San Jose, Costa Rica where we plan to spend a
month doing ministry!!
(Zurich, Switzerland – it was nice to be back for a few hours)
We have three more full
months ahead of us on this race and we’re heading full force into it. We will not let the end pass by ‘just to make
it to the end.’ We will make the most of
it and finish strong not regretting a moment God has given us this year in this
experience.
(Madrid, Spain – for a few hours)
Please pray that we would
give our all these last few months, our ears would remain open to God’s
prompting, ministry contacts to work out smoothly, team unity, those we will
minister to, our preparation and processing for home, us to continue to be
learners and let God grow us, and for our hearts to be broken for every person
we meet.
(Me, Cameron, Traci, Traday – ready to go out!)
“Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love
endures forever. Let the redeemed of the
Lord say this…We wait in hope for the Lord; He is our help and our
shield. In Him our hearts rejoice, for
we trust in His holy name. May your unfailing
love rest upon us, O Lord, even as we put our hope in You.” ~Psalms
