For the joy set before me…
And so I pack my things and leave once more
Surely He cares for the sojourner
Once again joy is the choice set before me
His beauty found in my sunset orange flowers
So if I was born to run
My home will always be running into His arms
Well my friends we have just passed the 200th day mark on the race, time has flown by and I have learned so many things. I wanted to write a separate blog to share some things I’ve learned and special testimony’s from along the way of Jesus in my life. Thank you guys for y’all’s support and any prayers along the way, I pray God touches and wrecks every single one of your lives in a powerful way!
-Wow!! so this may be a long blog but some of the things God has done is worth writing and reading and my God is amazing you guys!
In The Lions mane will I take refuge
Today God showed His divinity and intentional character! So two teammates and I had a house visit this evening. At the home was a couple and a woman in her thirties with limbs missing and a unique ailment I had never seen. The family had been all Hindu and the man had come to know Jesus last week!
I wish I could explain the whole story but God gave me a message ( that I initially did not feel like writing) for this home visit, but one I actually didn’t understand how the three things He wanted me to share go together until exactly in the moment it was being translated. Over three things aligned with the translator and my friend and I- from one saying a verse God told the other that morning- to one seeing a vision of the thing one had silently asked for.
God really has been stretching me and giving me a new identity in my authority in Christ. In this home God told me to tell the man that He should have no other Gods before Him and take down the idols in his home- which after being translated there was this long pause and the translator started slow clapping. The man said somthing along the lines of God is the only God over His house now.
The whole night was incredible how God operated using each of us.
The vision He gave me is very near and dear to me and I would love to share it in person❤️ Other house visits I have been strongly humbled- recently I entered a situation I thought I would have to lead in because I had undermined the team I was with. Instead God sets me in the back seat and shows me actually no be quiet and listen. How many times have I felt not equipped for a situation and God was the only one who supported me- how dare I not be the first one to submit and listen with a heart to learn?
-Teachers are simply chief learners.
Apprenticeship of Apostleship
In the past few years of walking with God I was certain and had branded myself with my role in the Fivefold ministry’s as a teacher. Teaching made sense- I have always taught wherever I went- I love teaching and kids and it’s an area the enemy has come for me most- so wouldn’t that just make sense?
It has always confused me when God starts branching me into other areas with Him because I was so set on being a teacher and of the perspective that it was pretty much the only thing teachers could do. -Can I just interrupt myself and say how genuinely grateful I am for Gods willingness to be so patient and gentle with me- I could not make it without That Man’s patience.
With all of that said once I realized I had rationalized my way into what I thought all God had for me- once again he shattered my mold!
I had been asking God where He actually had me and he said “ your an apostle” – which I was like out of all five Apostleship has the least obvious description,what even is this?
The ministry I have been serving with has five pastors that each operate in one facet of the fivefold- Teacher, Shepard, Apostle, Prophecy, and Evangelist. Each within their office they have the capacity to operate in each of them and actually need quality’s of each. I have been so blessed to be learning from the apostle of the group and pick his brain at times- love you Pastor Thomas.
Life is not about labels and having some name or “Title” per se, but actually and the end of the day we are all each children of God. God does say that we each have a part in the body of Christ- and if ministry is life and life is ministry to you- it can be so sweet to walk in what He has called you to walk in and the full authority of Christ.
-You were created on purpose for a purpose❤️
Price of being moldable
In Guatemala Jesus was really teaching me to be moldable and stay in His hands. He was showing me if I grew and tried molding myself at my own pace I would crack under the weight I put myself under. What God actually had for me is a life of relationship and refinement from walking with Him at His pace.
For several years I had my heart set on a specific tattoo and had planned on getting it in Guatemala. Once I got to Guate God gave me a vision of this one 👇 and of me dancing in Georgia with it- it has since faded and is mostly gone.
-Like clay in a potters hands will I remain in my fathers intricate safe grasp. The art of a broken vessel glued back together results in a more beautiful and strong piece of art. Being completely shattered in the artists hands is worth the brokenness once you see the beautiful restoration He had in mind.
Efficiency is not actually effective
The Enemy of God is hurry. Take a moment to consider that.
Traveling and experiencing other cultures where relationship comes first has completely changed my perspective on life. How many people and moments did I miss in my hurried life before? Being so concerned with being punctual and efficient I actually missed and under appreciated moments with people because I was concerned with the next thing and not the opportunity to love and be loved directly in front of me. Guatemala had a beautiful culture- you could stop a random person and talk to them for half an hour without them rushing off to something. This sometimes results in “Guatemala time” but the impact of intentionality and relationship results in a completely different culture and beautiful community.
On our way to Africa we had a layover in Florida and were treated negatively- from aggressive hurriedness and treated very poorly to even being mocked by complete strangers, which would have used to be normal. Honestly it is a sad life to live though- the little moments mean everything to me now and simply sitting is so sweet.
– no day, hour, or moment spent with God is wasted- on the contrary,everything the world manages produce is waste.
The ideal identity 😉
I am created in the beautiful ones image so therefore I am beautiful.
I have almost always struggled with the way I looked, even as a child I was never content and always comparing. If one thing appeared right to me I would always find something- truly comparison is the thief of joy. About two years ago I started re learning my identity in Christ, I was covering my head for a period at my night job had gotten made fun of and honestly never content no matter how much makeup I wore, negative choices of men I brought into my life or 2am gym sessions, nothing the world produced came close to The love Jesus had for me.
After beginning The Race I struggled and still have times of struggle. A few years ago I gave God the responsibility of choosing a spouse for me ( on my own I’m a poor chooser.) I gave Him whatever He wants to do with my life (once again poor chooser) so why wouldn’t I let Him be the author and dictator of who I am and listen to Him and not the world?
A lot of my life people have commented on my hair and made a whole hoopla about it- this seems so ridiculous even as I write this but it became such a defining thing for me. I had dyed for years when I was kinda going off the deep end and one night in South Africa I decided to remove all of the dead- and have a physical representation of new growth and allow what God has to say about me define me and not my hair or anything but the one who made me
I hope you read that and just hear Gods glory of how good He is to define and reestablish His children. What things in your life are defining you that He never intended to?
-I know who I am because I know Whose I AM.
My God is so good and FAITHFUL! He has been and will forever be! These were a few personal lessons and things God has spoken over my life and I’m so grateful.
We only have a few weeks here left in Malaysia and then we’ll head back to the states. Prayers for the rest of our time here and then our domestic missions back in the states ❤️ Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions, prayer requests, or to catch up! thanks you guys❤️ peace out ✌️
