I’ve been living in Costa for six weeks now and just three weeks left before we head to Colombia.. Costa might not be my favorite place I’ve had the privilege of traveling to but some of the memories I’ve made here are.
From finding Kyle the jungle cat and giving him a new home on the farm, to investing into new friendships with my squad-mates I haven’t had a lot of time with, to crawling through a barbwire fence to roam a field with cows to have some alone time, to stepping into more inner healing and reclaiming what’s already mine while stepping into the anointing the Lord has presented to me, to sleeping with baby mice under my fitted sheet on my mattress, to picking wildflowers everyday, to meeting Gap Year students on the beach in Jaco for worship night.. The farm in the middle of nowhere Costa Rica has been nothing short of living in abundance.
Each memory, each laugh, each tear, each trying time or situation has brought me to a place of peace. Being separated from WiFi and civilization has realigned my spirit to run to the Holy Spirit for strength, safety, support, and joy… to run to the Father first.
But that’s how it should be, isn’t it?
He should be my go to, my first call for help, my first visitor into the deepest, hardest parts of my heart & life & mind.. My lifeline.
How sweet of the Lord to bring me to this sacred place of realignment? He saw a way to pull me in closer and He fought for it. He was persistent. He was relentless. He was gentle. He never yelled or got angry when I wanted to fight against him. He constantly whispered His promises to the most tender places of my heart and held me close. He woke me up with a fresh dose of His joy each morning just because He can. Just because He loves me.
He knew I wouldn’t love the process but I would love the fruit of the process.
I share all of this to say, that’s exactly what life with Jesus is like. You might not love the season you’re in or it just might not be your favorite season, but you love the fruit that’s come/ is coming. I’m grateful life with Him isn’t a bunch of “doing” so He’d see me, notice me, love me, or pick me. He’s pleased with my being. He takes pleasure in me: in noticing me, in loving me, in picking me. He delights in my being. Life with Him is simple. It’s restful, it’s rejuvenating, it’s releasing & choosing to listen. Life with Jesus is sweet.
So, no.. Costa might not be my favorite place but these memories with Jesus are.
He’s faithful to redeem and bring beauty from ashes.
