Ill start by saying that Swaziland has been a time of simple and quiet living, much learning and growing, freedom, and discomfort. There were many things that really pushed me. There were moments I broke down crying in the middle of the common room, days I really didn’t want to walk an hour to ministry to have kids hang on me all day, comparison and frustration within my team, and much more. These three months have been challenging and stretching and growing in ways I’ve never experienced in my life. Which is also why I think they have been the best months of my life. In these last three months i’ve never been more intimate with God, have heard his voice more clearly than ever, grown leaps and bounds, and have experienced his miraculous wonders in powerful ways. I’ve learned so much about myself.. too much to fit into one blog post! But I want to summarize in 21 bullet points some important lessons that have grown me and pushed me closer to God. So get ready.. set.. GO!
- Trying to find acceptance in people who are not perfect will only lead to dissatisfaction.
- Let the realization of how sinful we are push us closer to God as we see our vital need for his love and grace. The enemy often has a funny way of turning that into shame when we look to ourselves and not to God.
- Every gift and talent I have was given to me by God to bless other with and holding back for fear of failure or lack of confidence is hurting both me and the people around me.
- When people give you feedback don’t try to defend yourself but simply say thank you. It’s as hard to give it as it is to receive it and they’re doing it cause they love you and want to see you grow.
- Be considerate of others, putting them higher than yourself. The first shall be last and the last shall be first.
- Freedom comes by confronting your past, entrusting others with it, and allowing God to heal your brokenness.
- Be still.
- Stay present. It’s easy to always be looking to the next big thing but when we do that we don’t appreciate how good the here and now is.
- Don’t be so self consumed that you don’t notice anyone else when you go about your daily life. When other people become your priority you bless others and others end up blessing you.
- Assume the best in people.
- Don’t downplay the gifts that God has given you. Confidence is beautiful and confidence in him is even more so.
- If your passion has died, if your fear is overwhelming, if you want to grow more, if the cage your living in is still locked, if you want a desire for God… ask him. He is faithful and he gives to those who ask.
- Meet with God daily. He is the source of our life.
- Sing a new song to the Lord!
- The pain of letting the lies and dirt of your past go is almost worse than letting it all stay but the moment God strips it all away is the moment of healing, wholeness, and freedom.
- Tune out of the world a little bit each day.
- Get creative with worship. Write a poem or a story, paint a picture, go dance in a field, take a walk and thank Him for everything you see, just be still and sit with him.
- Being content with how you look doesn’t come from changing how you look. It doesn’t even come from accepting how you look. It comes from forgetting how you look. When we become more and more consumed with God we become less and less consumed with ourselves.
- The Holy Spirit is a comforter and when we are surrounded by comfort we don’t need a comforter.
- Narnia- “But after one glance at the Lion’s face he slipped out of the saddle and fell at its feet. He couldn’t say anything, but then he didn’t want to say anything, and he knew he needn’t say anything.” It’s okay to just sit with Him. He delights in our quiet presence. And when we don’t have the words he knows our heart.
- Take a Sabbath and let God fill you. Why skip it and drain yourself and then complain about how tired you are when he’s been commanding you to take a break since 1400 B.C.
I hope at least once of these you can relate to! God is the one who speaks through me when writing these blogs and I’m always praying that they’ll mean something special to someone he has in mind. Comment below which one stood out to you or was your favorite!
