‘Ello ‘ello ‘ello. How’s it goin y’all? This snow makin you crazy happy or crazy sad that it didn’t come sooner to cancel school? I for one am sad that it didn’t hold off until Sunday night so Monday would stay at bay for a bit longer 😉
So this post is to the past 4 amazing years that I’ve had, through the ups and the downs and everything that God has brought me through. But it’s mainly to where my heart has been longing to return to since I left last April- Nicaragua. For those of you who don’t know (which I’m pretty sure that most of you do), every year West Ridge Church’s Student ministry goes on a missions trip to Nicaragua. Specifically, we go to a village called The Flags. I have been a part of this amazing trip for the past 3 years and as soon as we left last year, I felt in my heart that I would be going back. As school ended and summer came and went, I longed to be back in the compound with the team and the team of translators we had spent endless hours talking to and getting to know. I longed to go back to cold showers, rice and beans for almost every meal, gas stations for lunch, the weird bugs that attack you and your roommates as you’re getting ready for bed, all of it. Just to be able to spend more time with the amazing people I had built relationships with and who had become as much as a part of my family as I had become a part of theirs.
When sign ups for Nicaragua 2016 opened in September, I was one of the very first people to sign up. At the time, I didn’t realize that God had a slightly different plan for me. About 2 weeks after I signed up, I started looking at the World Race. After a very long conversation with my dad, he had decided that I could do one or the other, but not both. I was devastated. I knew that God was leading me on to the bigger plans that he had for me, but I just wanted one last chance to say goodbye to my family in Nicaragua. I prayed and prayed about it, and I got the same answer every time; The World Race. I very reluctantly gave up my spot for Nicaragua to give to someone who I knew would do great work on the trip. It was one of the hardest things that I have ever had to do. I can still feel in my heart that I will go back one day, but it’ll be a bit farther down the line.
The countdown to launch for Nicaragua 2016 is down to 23 days. The team leaves on Valentine’s Day and they will return on the 20th, I believe is the last I heard. 85 amazing people who have hearts for God and hearts for missions are going to do amazing work and build friendships that will effect them throughout time, even if they don’t stay in contact with everyone. They will forge relationships with people in The Flags that will change them more than they ever thought possible. When they come home, they will be forever changed and will never see our world at home the same again. It will be a trip to remember, and I wish I would be there to see it. But God’s got this, and He’s got me. Even though I wish I was there, He’s going to lead me to amazing new places and people.
To all of the wonderful people that are going on the Nicaragua 2016 trip, as John Silver (Treasure Planet) told Jim, “Now you listen to me, James Hawkins. You got the makings of greatness in you, but you got to take the helm and chart your own course. Stick to it, no matter the squalls! And when the time comes you get the chance to really test the cut of your sails, and show what you’re made of… well, I hope I’m there, catching some of the light coming off you that day.” I wanna hear all of your stories and all of the fun that you have.
Oh and, last thing to those of you who are going, someone make sure to start some card games in the cabana. It’s a great way to have some fun and connect with people.
Following God and His will can be really hard. You have to give up things that are close to your heart sometimes. But just remember, God has something even greater planned for you. “I will not cause pain without allowing something new to be born says the Lord” Isaiah 66:9. It’s hard to see His plans and hard to deal with losing things important every so often, but just wait to see the adventure that He’s planning on taking you on. It’s like Jim Hawkins, he didn’t know what was going to happen on his adventure, he just went for it. A lot happened to him, good and bad, but in the end it turned out for the best. We have to trust that God’s plan is better than ours. That His dreams for us are bigger and better than anything that we could ever imagine.
So, here’s to loving the past, living in the present, and looking forward to the future y’all!
