“Do we have anymore cereal?” This was the question asked my squad mate and I immediately was frustrated with the situation. Knowing that we had bought enough cereal for the day and it had already been eaten.
The Lord has given me a training and skill through culinary school to fed large amounts of people. This started with my 3 summers working at Fort Caswell in the cafeteria (youth camp in NC), a culinary degree, and my work with Compass Group for 3.5 years before the Race. On the Race my squad mate Phil and myself have had the opportunity to serve our squad through preparing meals. This includes having a $5 a day budget, planning the menu, buying the food, and organizing the preparation of meals. It is such an honor to use the skills the Lord has given me to serve my squad. This has been quite the journey and the Lord has taught me so much about serving through these experiences. But still today I find it challenging…
While serving the squad there have been many questions that have arisen along the way. I have learned that I take questions personally and I think I haven’t served the best I could have. We (Phil and myself) put so much effort into planning, buying, and organizing the meals that when questions are asked I take them to heart. I always think that these questions are pointed to me but in reality there is no need for me to take these statements so seriously.
I know that I have done my absolute best in making decisions about how much to buy, what to buy, what is available, and taking it all into account with how much money we have to spend with our budget. It wasn’t until this morning that the Lord revealed to me that my heart has not been right in serving my squad. I’m not really sure what I expected when I said I would serve in this way but I know now that I should never expect anything in return. I am called to serve those around me and to do this like Jesus does. Jesus’ love never expects anything in return instead He continues to lavish His children in all His goodness. So today I have given this to the Lord and ask Him to change my heart in how I serve my squad. I know He doesn’t want me to have these feelings, thoughts, worries, or anxieties, instead He wants to show me how to serve my squad as I would serve in His presence.
So how do I learn to serve like Jesus did?
“Even as the Son of Man (Jesus) came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:28
I take these words from the Lord to heart and go before the Lord to ask Him to do a work in my life. To truly allow Him to shape, mold, and open my heart to learn to serve like He did. To put me aside, to serve those around me, and to give my life as a living sacrifice to service. I am asking for your prayers as the Lord is teaching me so much more than I could ever have imagined about how to serve selflessly. Right now this moment I come before His presence asking for Him to mend my brokenness and to daily remind me of how Jesus came to serve this world. I am called to be like Jesus and to be His example to all those I encounter. There is no way I can be Jesus without truly learning to serve without expecting anything in return.
Christmas Dinner for Q Squad
Thanks for your prayers and all the continued support you offer me while I am on field. May these next 2 months be more about serving Jesus than anything about me. I pray to be broken, and molded more in the image of Jesus. This is not possible without Him and seeking Him daily to do a work in my life. He is the reason for my existence and why I am in the nations to tell of His wonderful love!
