I am back in America! I have been home for 3 weeks, and God has been teaching me a lot!
A song we just sang at my church has been ringing in my mind the last few days. I’d like to relate it to how God has been helping me in my transition back home. It’s called Hymn of the Holy Spirit by Pat Barrett.
“Holy Spirit, guide my vision
Help me see the way You see
Always Jesus, ever Jesus
Christ in all is Christ in me”
In some ways, it was difficult coming home. The enemy was skewing my vision the first few days. I was in worship at church, and realized, “Lord I am miserable being back home. Why?” He said to me, “You have such a deeper friendship with me. Remember what I have been teaching you all year: Life is ministry, ministry is life. No matter where you are in the world, I am your best friend! The World Race was not meant to go on forever, but I will be with you forever. Let me be your everything.”
“Holy Spirit, guide my speaking
Words of grace in truth abound
Let my lips be filled with stories
Of the mercy that I’ve found”
Although I have many stories of things my team got to do and amazing people we met, my biggest takeaways from this past year have been in my relationship with God. Understanding his love on a deeper level—that I was made to be loved by God, which takes away all legalism or feelings of obligation. What it means to receive his Grace and his Mercy.
“Holy Spirit, guide my hearing
Wake my ears to words You speak
In the thunder and the stillness
Let Your voice be clear in me”
After spending about half of my Race doing open ministry/Ask The Lord, I have learned so much more what it means to listen to and obey Holy Spirit. Truly letting him guide me. This includes little decisions like which road to take and on up through every other level of decision.
“Holy Spirit, lead me onward
Walking through the great unknown
Trusting, leaning, holding, clinging
Till the day You lead me home”
Right now, I don’t have an answer to what I will be doing next. But I am trusting God to lead me and open doors for me in his time. (I can also tell you that Japan is still deeply embedded in my heart!)
Holy Spirit, lead me on
I still plan on putting out more blog posts about my past year! I am thinking of writing a blog post answering some of your questions. Please ask me any questions, whether spiritual, mundane, or silly!
