I can’t believe that it’s almost the end of month 2. We are headed to Honduras at the end of next week. I wish that I could explain to you each and every incredible moment that I experienced this last month but that would probably be equivalent to a ten page blog. Instead, I want to share with you how the Lord has been working in me these past few weeks.
I have been struggling to write a blog this month. I love to write and have found a lot of redemption through my blogs. I would sit down, prepared to write a blog about my struggles, how he is refining/clarifying them or what God is revealing to me about my inadequacies yet nothing would come. I couldn’t figure out why I was struggling to share with everyone. At the same time, I was diving into Scripture and came upon this verse in Psalms.
“You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent. Lord my God, I will praise you forever.”
Psalms 30:11-12
At the time, I loved the verse but I didn’t understand that I would then have a few divine encounters over the next few days that were absolutely orchestrated by the Lord. First, the word joy kept coming into conversations, my quiet time, and prayer. I would wake up with this immense amount of joy and gratitude for each day. I couldn’t explain where it was coming from. Second, we were asked last week to take some time to pray over the land that we had been working on this past month. Our team and another team decided to take some time in the morning and at lunch to do just that. I wish I could explain the freedom and peace I felt being out on that land shouting and singing praises to our great king. This picture pretty much sums it up completely. True and utter joy.
Third, on Monday, we had team time at a café in the city. I was explaining to one of teammates how difficult it had been to write a blog and that I thought I was focusing on the wrong thing. It hit me like a brick wall. God didn’t want me write about my struggles. He had been giving me my topic all along. He wanted me to write about the joy I had experienced and the freedom in that joy that I had found. So here is what I have learned about joy.
Joy is infectious. Joy is not just being happy. Joy is still struggling and being ok with it. Joy possesses a heart of gratitude. Joy is smiling a lot more. Joy is dancing in the dirt. Joy is laughing uncontrollably. Joy is singing at the top of your lungs. Joy is lifting your hands in the air like you just don’t care. Joy is warm sunshine. Joy is a cool breeze. Joy is seeing the beauty in the mess. Joy is overwhelming. Joy is unexplainable. Joy is redemption. Joy is freedom.
The Lord has clothed me with joy each day. I hope that each of you get to experience this type joy at some point in your life. When you realize that joy lies within you, there is no way to contain it and you can’t help but spread it to others.
Here are some pictures from our month here in Nicaragua!
Our family we stayed with while on the Island.
Headstanding in Nicaragua!
Our property we have been working at outside of Grenada.
I am still about $2000 aways from being fully funded. My goal is to be fully funded before I move onto Asia at the end of November. If you feel led to donate, go to the support me tab and donate online. All donations are tax deductible. Thank you for your continued prayers, thoughts, and words of encouragement!
