This month we have had the privilege of staying on a beautiful ranch styled property in a house that’s we’ve affectionately called Refuge (or the Hot Box because it’s 100 degrees here).
Coming in the front doors, into the living room, there is a wall with people’s names. These are the names of many people who have come and helped out at this ministry. It is their mark, their “I was here.” We were confronted right as we entered the room with the legacy of the the past, and it helped define our future here. We heard stories of how previous teams and interns have impacted the quality of this ranch, and the hearts of the people who spend their lives here. There is always this tendency I have to feel intimidated, like are we going to have as much influence here as the other teams did? First off, it’s good to recognize the pride in that thinking because it’s not about my recognition at all. Second, the Lord has a great way of flipping thinking like that on its head and showing me his view. What might that view be?
God: A tree.
Me: A tree Lord? That’s pretty cliche.
God: Maybe, but you know the best lessons sometimes come from cliches so go with it.
So we did. The tree is not finished yet so this blog is just part one of all the things connected with this tree. Here’s a sneak peak of what we’ve been working on so far and then you’ll see the final product when it’s completed. The Lord teaches me so many things from simple activities like painting a tree on a wall. One of them is that I love to paint and be creative! I love starting a project and seeing it to the completion, and I love seeing it bringing people together for a common goal. Stay tuned for next week when I’ll show you the final product and all the connections/lessons the Lord showed me through it.
Keep the faith,
Malia
