Because of Him

It’s not because I went on this mission trip put together by a nonprofit organization that I experienced Jesus in wild ways.

I’m writing to you from Jeffery’s Bay in Eastern Cape, South Africa. It’s month 11 of my 11 month mission trip and with there only being 33 days left of my race, my team has been reflecting a lot on this past year and all the ways we’ve seen the Lord show up. Something that’s come to my attention is the terminology that we’ve been using and it’s been laid on my heart to share with you what the Lord has brought to my attention.

As we’ve been reflecting, I’ve noticed we’ve been using words like;

“Because of the world race, I saw Jesus do…”

“Because I went on the world race, my relationship with the Lord grew…”

“If I never went on the race, I wouldn’t know how much the Lord…”

 

At first, I didn’t think much of it and to be honest, I was one of the ones saying that exact thing. But this morning, as I was having some quiet time with the Lord and praying over these next 33 days and for the days to come when I return home, these words came to mind and I began to get fired up about it.

 

Before I dive in, I feel the need to share with those of you who don’t know me super well, one thing you should know is that I’m an extremely passionate person… and I mean extremely passionate. It’s a beautiful gift the Lord has given me and I have loved learning how to steward this gift well. Something that comes with being passionate is the tendency to get really fired up about a topic or principle or person (or terminology for this instance). Because of the Lord’s faithfulness, His gentle loving-kindness, and grace, I’m learning how to steward my passion well!

 

So, as I began to feel myself get fired up, I paused and asked myself “Why are you getting so fired up over terminology? You need to calm down. It’s just words.” but that’s when I realized why.

A recurring topic the Lord often brings to my attention is “the words you speak have the power to bring life or death.” Back in my ‘Starbucks Barista’ days, the Lord spoke vividly and directly to me that what I speak over my job, over myself, and over my customer, has the power to bring life into my day or the power to bring death. I noticed on the days I focused on speaking life, I naturally seeked out the joy in everything. I had the perspective of, if I spilled a latte on the floor, I had the opportunity to make a better latte for my customer AND bless them with a free gift card for a latte on us the next time they come in. If my coworkers were burnt out and stressed about life or finances, I got to cheer them up with my loud and quite obnoxious singing or I had the opportunity to hear them out and encourage them. When our regulars came in, I had the desire to go the extra step and make sure they felt seen and loved over their cup of coffee. Whether it was writing a note of encouragement on their cup or stopping my work to ask them how they are and if there’s anything I can do to help them or having their coffee ready by the time they stepped through the door so they wouldn’t have to wait, they walked away with a smile on their face because the Lord encouraged me to speak life over my days which overflows onto those around me.

What does that have to do with the terminology I opened up with?! Well, I’m so glad you asked!

While there might not be anything “bad” about those sentences I mentioned, we’re misplacing the credit! We’re giving credit to either an organization or to a mission trip for all the things the Lord orchestrated.

It was always the Lord’s plan to show me just how much He loves me and He would’ve shown me whether I came on this trip or not. 

2019 was a hard year for me. I quit my job as a flight attendant and moved home from Washington, D.C. while walking through a heartbreak. To paint a picture, I was a disappointed, hurt little girl who was struggling to believe she was loved. That summer I heard the Lord tell me He wanted me to be a missionary and I told Him He was crazy. I believed there was no way a broken girl like me could ever be a missionary for a God like Jesus and that’s because the broken girl I once was didn’t know just how much a God like Jesus could ever love her this much. But now I do. Because over the last two years, He kept telling me how much He loves me. He kept showing up in my everyday life and letting me see how much He knows and loves me. While I’ve gained a deeper understanding of his truth while being on this mission trip through AIM, in reality, he was doing this before I ever filled out my application to come on this race because it’s been His plan all along. He was loving me before this race and He’ll love me long after this race.

This mission trip holds no authority over the Lord’s plan to show me just how much He loves me. If I would’ve stayed home instead of choosing to go on this trip, He would’ve used that time to show up in my days and make sure I went to sleep every night knowing just how much He loves me and He’d wake me up just to remind me how much He loves me like He has while I’ve been exploring the world over the past 11 months.

Realising that, the Lord brought to my attention that I came on this race expecting to see Him move. I intentionally looked for Him every single day because I’m on this mission trip and I expect Him to show up if He is making me live out of a backpack for a year. But what if you approached every single day like that? What if you woke up expecting the Lord to do something powerful or wild or beautiful in your mundane, everyday life just because He woke you up for it?

If the purpose of our very existence is to commune with the Lord and if everyday is a gift from Him, why wouldn’t He want to do something powerful in your day? Why wouldn’t He show up in a way so beautiful that it overwhelms your soul with joy? If His intention behind breathing life into your very bones is to know you and love you, why wouldn’t He show you how known you are and how loved you are every single day?

It’s like when you go to a concert. When I go to a concert, I expect that ‘concert high’ to take me over and I expect to walk out of the venue with no voice and a t-shirt. Therefore going in with that expectation, I get to the venue early so I can buy my t-shirt before the show and I yell at the top of my lungs every word to every song to make sure my expectations are met. Why not walk into your day with that same expectation? Expect that the Lord gives you such joy that makes you feel like nothing can bring you down (because nothing can when you’re rooted and grounded in Him). Then go into whatever He’s calling you to with an open heart to seek out and receive the gifts He has for you.

When you listen to a motivational speech, you silence the world and chaos around you, you clear your mind and listen intently to each word, making sure you comprehend it all so you can be motivated by the end. What if you intentionally spent your mornings doing that? Took the time to silence the world and chaos around you, clear your mind and intently listen to the words Jesus wants to speak over you each day to make sure you fully comprehend the truths He created you with so you can walk confidently and boldly into your day, ready to fight off the enemy’s attacks and claim the victory that’s already yours.

You see, it’s not about going on a trip called the World Race. It’s not about showing up at church every Sunday morning. It’s not about volunteering at every church event that causes you to have an encounter with the Lord or that gives Him the privilege of showing up in your life.

It’s about intentionally making room for Him to sit at the table with you. It’s about staying quiet long enough for Him to speak to you. It’s about letting go of your tight schedule and letting Him interrupt your day so you can be a tool He uses in His miracles because yes, the miracles you read about in scripture are still capable of happening today because the God who is described on those pages is still alive today and He’s given us His Holy Spirit to live among us.

Don’t get me wrong, go on mission trips! Attend church every week! Volunteer! Get involved! But don’t limit the encounters you’re created to have with the Lord, Jesus Christ, to ‘special occasions’ or Sunday mornings only. And don’t think He will only show up when you participate in a mission trip because that’s a lie from the enemy himself.

You are created to commune with the Lord. He loves you enough to speak to you directly every single day and He desires to show up every single day. Whether you’re traveling the world, volunteering in different communities or you’re working the same job everyday, He’s ready to show up. You just have to let Him.

Friend, Life wasn’t given to us for us to go through the motions and live for the weekend.

The Holy Spirit wasn’t given to us for us to depend on someone/something else to hear from Him for us and relay the message or rely on a mission trip to experience His presence.

Life was given to us so we could experience Him firsthand. The Holy Spirit was given to each of us so we can rely on Him and Him alone and personally work alongside Him.

It doesn’t matter where you are in the world or what season of life you’re in, He has plans for you and He’ll go to the ends of the earth and atmosphere to see to it that His will be done for you.

 

Because the Lord loves me, I had the opportunity to travel the world and experience His goodness with fellow believers.

Because the Lord is faithful to show up, I witness healing from depression and anxiety on my World Race.

Because the Lord is faithful to speak and direct His sheep, I was able to be a part of a miracle in my friend’s life. The Lord used me to raise money to buy a camera for my friend’s ministry.

 

It’s all because of Him, not because I signed up for this trip.

Every good thing is because of the goodness of Jesus and you have the opportunity to experience it right where you are.

 

---

 

L I F E  U P D A T E S

Many of you have asked or will ask “What do you plan on doing when you get home?” and I wanted to share what my next steps are.

I am going back to Pensacola to live with my dad and sister. I plan on being involved at my church and hopefully get involved with the missions team. I plan on taking time to be still to process my time on the field and pray for the Lord’s direction as I seek Him out!

I am looking forward to being back home and to reconnect with my family, friends, and church family!

This year has been incredible but I’m excited to see all the ways the Lord continue to move and show up in my life while my surroundings may change!

Still declaring “Here I am” no matter where that may be!