“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.” 1 John 7-8
Love, something I receive everyday. I wish there were words for the endless and vast love our Lord has for us. Seriously, if my tiny little human mind could wrap itself around His love, Id never shut up. His love is so crazy, I could never understand the love He has for me. But this week He gave me a glimpse of His love, a tiny ray of hope.
Living on a mission trip is often discouraging and lonely, weird, I live with five girls and I can be lonely. Loneliness is what happens when I seek people instead of my Father. But our God knows me and loves me enough to continue to seek me out and come closer to me even when I’m too distracted to see Him.
Before our squad debrief I prayed furiously for God to always place me where He wanted me to be so that I could grow in relationships with my squad, but more importantly with Him. And what do ya know, the Father that created me in Heaven knew exactly what I needed. So, He blessed me like crazy last week. Every minute I’m alive in Him, I am being blessed, and my earthly mind is blind to His love. This week, God wanted me to see His fruit, He wanted to show me His love through other people. Ahhhhhhh, love languages, if you were wondering I receive love best through physical touch and words of encouragement, and the One who made me knew this, so He spoke. He spoke through my squad mates (whom I love so dearly), my squad mentors, squad leaders and our coaches. I was constantly being encouraged by my squad and it seemed like I always had a hand in mine.
In the beginning, I knew God was blessing me with these people and for their love for me, but quickly God showed me who really gets the credit for all the nice things people were saying. My Father who cares deeply for me choose specific people on my squad to become vessels for His words for me. Now, I respect my squad mates for listening to the Lord and having the courage to encourage me, but I know where their thoughts stem from, my God, my Father. The One who loves me the most, no love compares to His love. Its boundless and vast, it cant be understood or appreciated in its fullness. I’m so grateful that I have a Father that knows me so well and that can hear the thoughts I didn’t know I was having. That I have a God that provides for me, every little thing that I need before I say a word.
So, friends, I am full, full of the spirit, full of joy and life and Jesus. All I have to thank is the One above who resides in me. Along, with all His many blessings. For love is from God, not from people. People are vessels, God is love.
Your sister in Christ, Katie Jane
UPDATE: I have begun our last 10 days in Thailand, I will meet up again with my squad in Bangkok on November 6th, so that we can begin our journey to Cambodia for Month Three of my race!
ALSO: feel free to post encouragement on here or email me, so that I can take more of His words with me daily!
