I witnessed a miracle. It happened right before my eyes. It was beautiful. It was an answered prayer.
I experienced a miracle on a church floor in India.
Month 4 was a tough month for me. We were in India and not allowed to leave our house during the day (we were in a village where it was unsafe to leave by ourselves), our ministry didn’t start until 5:30 pm every day (meaning we had ALL day free), I got sick for the first time on the race (oh yeah, ED stands for Explosive Diarrhea if you read THIS POST and had no idea what I was talking about), we had a lot of down time (which I don’t do well with), my team wanted to have quiet time every day until after lunch (I am an extreme extrovert, so no, just no), and I had emotionally checked out from my team (I knew team changes were coming at the end of the month).
My team experienced a miracle of healing in India and I was the lucky one God chose to go through some hard places to reach that healing. Oh wait, maybe lucky isn’t the right word….
At the beginning of the month I sat in the quiet for what seemed like hours upon hours, and only negative things filled my head. Why God did you put me on this team? Why do these people like quiet time so much? Why does no one on this team understand me? Why do I feel like I have to explain every sarcastic comment I make? Why am I the only one on the team that gets feedback? Why do I feel like I don’t know my teammates after 4 months of being together ALL THE TIME? Why do they want so much alone time because I think I am about to go crazy without talking alllllll morning?!? Why doesn’t anyone on my team give me hugs?
If I’m being honest, I checked out. I didn’t want to be on this team anymore. I was mad at God. I was tired of explaining everything so literally. I was done. I wanted a new team.
So I told God that. In my quiet time, that I loved so much.
I’m pretty sure He laughed in my face. I’m pretty sure He said, “Oh Kelli”. I’m pretty sure He nodded His head saying He was happy I said all these things to Him.
Wait, What?!?
Then He told me, “Tell your team everything you just told me.”
Not going there. Not opening up that can of worms. No way Jose, wait Jesus.
I sat on that one for 24 hours trying to convince myself that I didn’t need to listen to that still, small voice. I sat for 24 hours convincing myself I was going crazy. I sat for 24 hours thinking of how easy it would be to not listen to Him, to just finish off the last few weeks in India in peace with my team. I sat for 24 hours knowing that if I never told my team, they would never know.
24 hours later.
I told my team everything.
I was crying. A lot. I was fearful that they would say I was over-reacting. I was fearful they wanted me to have a solution to this problem. I was fearful the last 2 weeks in India were going to be dreadful now that I had opened up this can of worms.
I was wondering how my team was going to react.
I didn’t know what else to do.
So I stopped talking.
And then it happened……
THE MIRACLE
I can’t explain what happened except that we allowed Jesus into the conversation. I felt His presence.
We talked for more than 3 hours. Like really talked and really listened. We spilled our hearts to our team. We told each other where we were in our journey. We gave each other hugs. We cried together. We opened up a part of our hearts that we hadn’t touched yet. We joined together. We allowed Jesus into the situation. We became one. We forgave each other. We laughed together. We allowed Jesus to heal the broken parts of our little family. We experienced true community.
I don’t know many people who can say that last part.
We experienced true community.
My team, Nos Amis, got a taste of what community really looks like. We got a nibble of what Jesus wants for all of His children. We reached the top of the mountain that we had been climbing up for 4 months together. Guys, it was amazing.
You’re probably thinking, Wow Kelli that doesn’t sound like much of a miracle to me….
Well it was.
Community is something that we have lost in the United States. Community is something that we don’t care about anymore. Community is a gift from God. Community helps you become better. Community is something you should strive after. Community is hard. Community is a beautiful thing.
I pray that each of you will experience a true and healthy community in your life. That you will get a bite of this sweet, delicious cake. That you will taste it, savor it, and replicate it. I pray that you will have people in your life that are pure iron and they sharpen your iron. I pray that you can experience the miracle of healing. Emotional Healing.
Sometimes little tiny things that God wants you to do will have a HUGE impact on someone else. I had no idea walking into that conversation what God was going to do. All I know is that I was obedient and He blessed us immensely.
God is clever like that. He takes those small and insignificant details and makes them significant. I think that is just one of the many reasons I like Him so much. He keeps me on my toes. Like all the time. He knows that I don’t like being bored, so He keeps me entertained. Thanks for that Lord!
I experienced a miracle in India. After that conversation there was a lightness to our team. After that conversation there was a level of comfort we hadn’t experienced. After that conversation, I fell in love with my team. After that conversation, I felt like everyone completely understood me. After that conversation, I realized that when I listen to God He shines His glory. After that conversation, I experienced a miracle.
I am now in Cambodia and I knew walking into this country that I was going to have a team change. I am just so thankful that the Lord let our team experience that freedom for our last 3 weeks as a team. I am so thankful my team chose to say Yes to having hard conversations. I am so thankful my team said Yes to me. I am just so thankful for my new family and life long friends of “Nos Amis”. Each and every one of my teammates has forever changed my life for the better. Thank You Lord for your perfect timing.
He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”
Luke 11:28
(Jenna, Quincy, Stephanie, Hannah, Reba, and Me)
I would now like to introduce you to my new team! You can call us “Woven”! Each one of us comes from a different background, we have a different story, we are in different spots in our journey; but we have come together to make something beautiful. We are being woven together through the Lord and we are so excited for our ministry in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. We will be working with Shalom International School and will be teaching English and sharing the Gospel to the cutest little kids. I can’t wait to share more stories with you and thank you for always believing in me to do the Lord’s work! God bless you abundantly!
