“Life is a journey, not a destination. There are no mistakes, just chances we’ve taken. Lay down your regrets, cause all we have is now.” – India.Arie
Honduras is such an amazing place. The moment I stepped off of the plane, I loved everything from the language, the smiles, the scenery and the ministry I learned I’d be working with.
Gracie Murphree (AKA Mama Gracie) and Papi Lee are leaders of the ministry 4 teams of my squad are working with this month. They are from the United States and felt God tell them to move overseas to start the El Corazon De Cristo- Heart of Christ. Their main work is with young women who have produced children from rape and incest. Mama Gracie ministers to them and teaches them how to love their babies because they are gifts from God… and Mama Gracie knows firsthand because of her own testimony. El Corazon de Cristo is a refuge for teenage girls who have no hope and nowhere else to turn. They do amazing work and I am humbled and blessed to be in the presence of their ministry to see how God is working through them and also in the hearts, minds and souls of these young girls.
Last night, Mama Gracie preached outside under the stars about The Journey. It was a moving message about how she kept pressing on when she did not think she could go on. When she felt all of the walls closing in on her, she learned how to take things second by second, then minute by minute and so on. If Mama Gracie gave up, she would not be in the position she is in now helping thousands of teenage women who would have no help had it not been for her obedience to God. God literally brought her through things she thought she couldn’t make it through.. and she likes to talk about her journeys because they always give God glory to show us how far she has come. This speaks volumes to me.
Mama Gracie’s message made me think of my own journey and my life in general. I am all about accomplishments. Once I accomplish something, it’s on to the next accomplishment. Or once I go through something traumatic or sad, I want to erase it from my memory and never think about it again. If we are all honest with ourselves, we aren’t always present throughout our many life journeys. We talk about all of the good things.. and post Facebook statuses of us in graduation gowns, at the desks of our first jobs, our acceptance letters into our masters/PhD programs, the keys of our first homes, our marriage proposals, etc, but never talk about the failed attempts to pass tests, the rejections from many jobs, the nights we stayed up all night writing (then deleting, then rewriting) essays for our school entry applications, our fight to improve our credit ratings to get that home, the many failed relationships and the journey of finding ourselves, etc. It’s not the accomplishment but the journey that is truly the best part. I am learning more and more to be present wherever I am. I am not sure if that is what Mama Gracie wanted us to take away from her message, but that is what I got from it… and I really thank God and her for that revelation.
Take a moment and give thanks for who you are… in this very moment. Broken? Lost? Irritated? Soak it in and sit in those emotions. It’s not the “end all be all”.. these are the moments that make you grow and enhance your character. God has a plan for your life. Most importantly, know that He is with you. He lives within you. How amazing is that fact? Know that this journey of life is not always easy, but press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling! Start today no matter how small that may look like.
XOXO,
Belle
