It’s true. I told my mom she had nothing to fear, knowing that I was going into a place that was so dangerous we had to bring the Colombian army with us.
The brigade was four days long and I slept stuffed into a one perdon tent with another one of my roommates. We showered with buckets and drank water from plastic baggies. The region is a high risk area for malaria and I just happened to forget my bug spray. Oops.
This was one of the best risks I have ever taken in my life.
I made many friends this weekend and got to encourage many adults but I think my favorite story is about an eight year old boy. He was the oldest brother and his two younger brothers were the crazy kids in town who fought everywhere they went… but it was like playing?
He didn’t say one word to me for the first two days. Literally. His brothers actually told me he couldn’t speak.
But he has the warmest smile I have ever seen.
Night two he was sitting by me in praise and worship and he wouldn’t stop stareing at me while I was praising my Father. You know that awkward moment when you can just feeeeeel the eyes on you. I opened my eyes and winked at him and asked where his brothers were…
”They are at home.”
I was shocked to hear him speak because for two days I believed he was mute! I legit thought God had performed a miracle!
“You can talk?!”
We sat together and I started to ask him questions and here’s the story I got.
His mother passed away when he was young, and his dad, who is very nice to him, married another woman and had two more kids. I don’t think the step mom treats him like a son. He doesn’t talk because everyone makes fun of his lisp And no one takes the time to listen to him. So he chooses not to talk.
All he wanted was to be asked a question.
In that moment I felt like we act the same way as that kid. We don’t talk because we believe the lies that the world or people have said about us. We think we have something wrong with us.
Our Father wants to ask us questions about ourself but because the world is throwing lies at us we don’t believe he is interested. We feel shame, regret, failure, immaturity… we feel stupid, alone, unwanted and not enough.
Jesus died on the cross so hose things wouldn’t be our identity. When he died on that cross he said, “Madison now you are confident, now you are pure, now you are redeemed and free!”
I told that little boy to stop believing the lies people were telling him and I am telling you and myself the same thing. Stop believing the lie you are being fed. It’s not real.
You are enough. You are strong. You are good. You are purified. You are redeemed. YOU ARE WORTHY. You are kind. You are selfless. You are patient.
The list goes on and on because I am 100% sure these are truths BECAUSE of the blood of Jesus. If you have given your life to Him and confessed he is your savior he gives you a new heart. Even if you sin… even if you judge someone, I know your true identity is love, because of Holy Spirit in you. Even if you lie, I know your true identity is truth because Jesus paid the price for your lie.
I love you, and hope today if your sitting in the chair thinking you have a problem like my little friend, that you look to the left and realize Jesus is sitting right next to you trying to ask you questions and tell you who you really are.
