So, I could go into details about a lot of things. The gnats that attacked us. How precious the children are. How beautiful the view is. But I just want to write about how faithful our Lord is.
At training, we went into our last night of worship. To put it simply, I was just burdened. I felt attacked and as if the devil was wanting me to experience all the hardships that have happened recently in one night. I was in tears and not in the mood to worship. I went off to the side and just sat on the floor of the chapel. I tried worshipping, but I could barely get words out. I just felt so heavy for really no reason.
Then, Jesus showed up. I felt his presence so heavily in that moment. It was as if he was sitting before me bearing my burdens with me. Crying with me. He overwhelmed my spirit and began to take the burdens away. The weight began to lift off of me. And then, I experienced pure joy. To the point where I was sitting there laughing. Laughing with my savior. It was indescribable joy and I do not want to live another day without it.
"You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; you have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever!" Psalm 30:11-12
Then, we got to Nicaragua. I would be lying if I said the transition was easy. But God was right there with us, faithfully bearing those burdens alongside of us. He showed up in so many ways, but the biggest was the answers to prayer we received.
We prayed the bugs would go away, and the next day there were hardly any left. We prayed for healing, and our team members were healthy again. I prayed to make deep connections with my teammates, and ended up bonding over brokenness with a precious girl on this team (Katherine).
Everything human within me does not want to give God the glory for these things. The bugs went away because they don't live long. People feel better because they take medicine. Katherine and I bonded because we have similar stories.
How dare I belittle God's faithfulness to something as small as a coincidence. How foolish I can be sometimes. But even then, He is faithful and gently reminding me of all the HE is doing…and nothing that my own strength could provide.
"For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things". Romans 1:21-23
I don't want the above verse to be my spiritual life. I want to give God the utmost glory when and how He deserves it. He is worthy and He is faithful. Tap into His joy today.
