Hello from Cambodia!
My team and I arrived after a couple of very long travel days around 2am Tuesday morning. We are getting settled nicely in our home for the month. Ministry is a mix up of many different things and we are getting eased into it. Overall the team is doing wonderfully, becoming aware of how they are feeling, and expressing that with such transparency and grace. Going from a very busy western culture to a slower Asian one can be a big adjustment. Learning to get up and go to bed with the sun has also been an adjustment with a massive shift in time zones. There has been some middle of the night snacking going on for sure. Also, squatties and bucket showers with lots of little creature friends are a new experience for some.
Prior to launching September 1, we spent three days together worshiping, training, getting to know one another, and learning things like healthy feedback. I personally spent four days before that receiving my leader training. That was a roller coaster in and of itself. Breaking off the expectations I have a natural tendency to place over myself as well as understanding the true weight of what I am stewarding these three months.
My team is made up of six incredible women who are beautiful inside and out. They all come from different backgrounds, but I see a little bit of myself in each of them, in places I’ve grown from and places I grew to. They actually could do this on their own which has given me a lot of freedom to explore new things to share with them and lead them to. They are curious and open to new things from the Lord and are HUNGRY. Seriously, their desire to grow and know more of the Lord and the way He operates has blown my mind. They have also given me so much freedom to be myself, have hard days, and have checked on me often along the way which has been the biggest blessing. I genuinely feel like I’m just doing this whole thing again, with a few extra responsibilities.
Personally, I am doing pretty good. During our travel days I was hit with a pretty bad case of nausea which lasted up until the second morning we were here. I was quickly reminded over travel days how much my body hasn’t recovered from my race yet. I am currently doing a lot better. I also have been battling a bit of anxiety, which is part of my story, but hasn’t reared itself like this in a long time. Each morning I’ve woken up with heavy anxiety, which has been soothed by spending time with the Lord. He’s been so good to lead me to specific scripture that speaks into exactly what I’m feeling. Honestly, three more months in the field has felt daunting at times. I think the weight of this “yes” may feel even a bit heavier than my 11n11 trip. I am believing the word “rest” that was spoken into this season to me to come to fruition and being intentional in seeking that out in the presence of the Father. He has reminded me over and over that this season is for me to rest in Him, and the overflow of that gets to pour out to the women around me. I’ve also been intentionally seeking out how to walk that out from the beginning. I think a lot of times I “know” what I’m supposed to do, but do things my way for one reason or another, and then have to go back and correct to how I was supposed to walk from the beginning. I’m doing my best to just walk how He’s asked me to from the beginning. Producing the most fruit for myself and my team.
I’m expectant. Light switches are already going off and ministry opportunities are being explored. We have visited a temple and for a lot of the team, experienced spiritual warfare in this facet for the first time. We are being proactive in that area and are reminding one another often of the authority we carry over the enemy.
Ways you can pray for myself and for the team:
- Peace. A lot of us are experiencing a lot of anxiety and racing thoughts.
- Spiritual Warfare
- Healthy Bodies
- For me personally, pray that I live and lead this team from a place of overflow. This is a new area for me and I don’t want the “new” to spiral me back into old tendencies of pouring myself out to a place of empty. You can also pray peace over me, that I remain heathy and hydrated (it’s v hot and humid here), and walk in authority over the enemies attacks against my head, heart, and body.
