34 days.
That’s how long our whole squad of 49 people lived together in close quarters on a compound in Lezhe, Albania. It was a long, but glorious month! We were truly blessed to be able to serve together and live and grow in community while we partnered with Lightforce International. Lightforce serves local children, youth, families, churches and organizations that come in from all over the country to use the facilities for camps and retreats. There was a wide selection of jobs to do around the campus. Each day could consist of anything from teaching archery and wall climbing to serving in the kitchen to guarding the gate, gardening, lime washing, and even pig farming. Yep, that’s right…I said PIG FARMING!! We all really learned how to live with pigs last month! Literally! 😉
On top of daily ministry and long workdays for many, my co-squad leaders and I also took the month as an opportunity to invest in the squad spiritually. I believe that one of the reasons the Lord called me to squad lead again was to disciple others and to give away what I have received. In the process, I am learning more about true discipleship and the importance of extending GRACE and LOVE as people walk through their own process and journey with the Lord. Throughout the month, we offered teachings, sessions, bible studies, prayer time, devotions, and worship. There was so much growth throughout the month in the squad as a whole and it was amazing to see the freedom that was brought to so many by releasing expectations and being open and vulnerable before the Lord and one another.
(Our facilities and living quarters at LightForce International)
(The Activities crew teaching the kids at camp how to rock climb!)
(Me showing them how its done! Lol. ;))
(Last month gave a whole new meaning to “living like pigs” for me. Hehe. They were just so cute though!)
(Me and Flora after serving one of our meals for the day. She was so sweet and wonderful to work with!)
(This cutie was at our last camp with a Baptist Church from Tirana, Albania)
(Lime washing all of the white walls on the campus! Hard work pays off! It looked great in the end!)
(This girl was a significant part of my month! Matilda is the activities director at Lighttforce and runs all the kids camps that come through their facilities. She is a beautiful and strong woman who loves people so well and brings joy to any situation. We truly loved working alongside her at Lightforce!)
The month itself had potential to be a challenge at times and I found myself leaning heavily on 2 Corinthians 12:9: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” We all had that choice to make. Would we depend on His strength and get on board with what God was doing or not. God isn’t always doing what we want Him to do and His work doesn’t always look like what we want or think it should look like. It might even be harder to see Him at work in certain situations, but we always have a choice to look for Him in everything and to join Him at work in all things. We do have that choice. We always have a choice. When life doesn’t go our way, we can keep going forward…or not. Maybe that sounds a little simplistic or harsh, but all too many times we convince ourselves that certain things matter a whole lot when really, in the grand scheme of things, they matter very little. Even Paul, who was imprisoned, beaten, and persecuted, encouraged us to be content in all things. What does that contentment look like when you are shoveling poop or cleaning dirty squatty potties and sweating from every pore in your body? Where’s God in that? Where is the lesson? What does contentment look like when you don’t see a purpose in what you are doing or you don’t understand why life is going in the direction that it is for you? What does it look like when you don’t get what you want or think you deserve?
We must ask ourselves the question, are we focusing more on the problems and everything that seems to go wrong or are we focusing on God? I’m not naïve. I know bad things happen. I’ve been around the world enough to see pain, suffering, injustice, and brokenness. I have experienced it too. There is not a person on earth that has not be tainted by the depravity of human nature and this fallen world. I don’t have the answers. I don’t know why certain things happen the way they do. I don’t know what God is up to in so many cases, but I know I can stand on His character. His goodness and faithfulness. His mercy and love and justice. I don’t always understand His ways, but I KNOW I can trust His heart. He is good and I know His works are good, even when I cannot see the result or the purpose in things right away. I trust in Him because His ways are higher than my ways. {Isaiah 55:8-9} Is it hard to make sense of things when injustice happens? Sure. But God cannot deny Himself. He IS faithful. We live in a broken world where unexplainable things happen. There is evil that surrounds us begging to overtake us. BUT GOD, is sovereign and in control. He WILL get glory. If not by us, then by the rocks and the trees and all of creation!
I found so much encouragement and comfort in the Word of God throughout the month. George, our contact, really inspired and challenged me as he was speaking one morning about the difference between reading the bible and READING the bible. It is a very simple idea that I have heard many times before, but right now it is impacting my life in a new way. The more it sunk in, the more the Lord revealed to me what it really means to READ His Word. It should be a meditation and a dissecting of the Word. It’s not meant to be read all in one sitting. It doesn’t mean you can’t, but if I’m really reading it, my brain might go on overload after a few verses. That’s how much goodness and Truth and teaching are in His Word. It is instruction for life and is applicable every day. It’s not a race to the finish or a check mark on our reading list. He challenged us to really let it sink in and to take our time with the Word of God. It isn’t going anywhere. We have our whole lives to read it and meditate on it. It’s alive and active so it’s always speaking; new and old lessons. Let the Word overtake your life and become a prayer for you throughout the day, week, and month even. Let it run through your veins and when you read a passage that speaks to you or stands out, stay there. You don’t have to rush through. Meditate on it, day and night. Ask the Lord what He has to say to you through it. Ask Him what He is teaching you in it. The Holy Spirit is our guide and our Teacher. John 15:26 says, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.” I want to read the Word and really thirst for it. To truly receive it and HEAR what God is saying through it. Reading through the Bible is not a competition or a badge of honor. It is not like any other book ever written. The Bible talks back. It is a dialogue between us and God. Give Him time and space to SPEAK!! As you read ask the Holy Spirit, “what does this mean?” “What is He saying here?” “Reveal to me your knowledge and truth and insight.” God is revealing things to me through His Word like never before and there’s not enough space in the margin of my bible to write it all down! This is the God we serve! He is infinitely greater than us! His knowledge is never ending and His Word is a fresh revelation with each new day. He is alive and active and ALWAYS speaking! I am so blessed by His love every day and I pray that even as you read this, YOU are blessed by His love and grace that is overflowing from His heart for each of us. Be blessed and encouraged that today, HE is with you!!
(E-Squad at the beach for Sunday morning worship! I love being a part of this awesome squad!)
