Why Oregano is a Ministry

So, I’m learning that I’ve had a misconstrued view of what serving the Lord and ministering means. Yeah, we’re called to sacrifice. Yeah, it’s sometimes difficult. Yeah, there are periods of time when God calls us to difficult things. I’m gonna be honest. That month in Peru, when we shoveled and wheelbarrowed sand for a month, was kind of awful. It helped to realize all the crazy awesome ministry that would go on in the stuff we were constructing. But I am simply not built for hard labor. But that’s okay. A lot of the World Race is serving in ways that are difficult. A lot of life is about that too. BUT! I truly believe that…

So back to the “mom” thing… most of my month here in Romania is cooking for and cleaning up after 23 people. I used to say, I don’t know how Mrs. Duggar does it (19 kids and counting…) but I actually think it’s ridiculously fun.

just a few of our groceries for a week…

While most people are outside shoveling in the freezing cold every day, one out of the three of us girls stays inside and supervises the kitchen. And cooking on the World Race is NOT like cooking at home.

8pm last night: put a ton of kidney beans in water to soak overnight

9am: wake up, clean up breakfast, get two chickens into pots of boiling water to cook for a few hours, put the beans on low on the stove.

11am: debone one of the chickens, get together a lunch of chicken salad, egg salad, bread, and leftovers.

12pm: clean up lunch

1pm: cut up onions, peppers, garlic, and tomatoes, and put them in with the beans.

1:30pm: put in a ton of spices

2pm: sit around for a few hours (and love it), adding spices, stirring, listening to sermon podcasts, etc.

4pm: debone 2nd chicken, add meat to chili

5pm: add more spices, let simmer for an hour. cut bread and set up dishes.

6pm: feed 20 people chiii.

7pm: finish up dinner dishes

I love that other people can have the time to go dig ditches, hang out with families, hang out with the kids, take people into town, have deep conversations with hurting friends, and do whatever else they need to do, and not worry about what they will eat that day. I love empowering other people to minister in ways that they love, while I serve them in a way that I love. And I am learning that God is pleased with me in this.

I now can make cream of potato soup, chili, whole chickens, pasta fagioli, baked ziti, alfredo, red beans and rice, brownies, and a bunch of other stuff from scratch. Like, RAW scratch. For 23 people. On $46 a day.

And. I. Love. It.

For a while, I kind of felt bad, like I shouldn’t be doing something I enjoy. Serving God is about giving up what you enjoy to do His will, right? Wrong. At least it’s sometimes wrong. If what you enjoy is something that hurts others, takes advantage of others, is lazy, or sinful in any way, we need to GIVE IT UP and get in gear. The World Race is about that challenge, but also about experiencing new ministries each month so we can see what we enjoy and how God wants us to serve Him longer term.

And this is what I’ve realized. I want to serve Him by cooking. By having a home. By providing for my family so they can serve how God calls them. By opening up my home for people that don’t have one. By taking in a missionary who’s on sabbatical and providing them a free (cheap?) place to live. Or a 16 year old girl who got pregnant and has nowhere else to go. Or one day (hopefully) a husband, so he can serve in whatever way God has called him to serve.

I enjoy being hospitable. I enjoy cooking. I enjoy making it aesthetically pleasing. I enjoy having hot cocoa ready for the people who come in out of the cold. I enjoy making things taste good by knowing how much garlic, oregano, or chili powder to put in. My family here has sold almost all they own, are living out of backpacks, and working hard. So my ministry this month is to bless them in any way I know how. And I’m passionate about it. It gets me excited. And it’s God’s will for me this month.

So if your passion is kids, serve them with all your heart. If it’s hospitality, do it with all your heart. If it’s counseling, counsel with all your heart. Whatever it is, do it with all your heart.