Coming into training camp I had an idea in my head of what I thought it was going to be like. It’s the same in life..we always have expectations for things even if we don’t mean to. Sometimes we even tend to get angry when our expectations aren’t met. When we focus on our unmet expectations we miss the other opportunities the Lord has for us. As Americans we tend to become comfortable with our rights…we always feel like we have a right to everything. Example: personal space. Pretty much everyone would agree that sometimes we need our bubble of space. Am I right? But sometimes we think more about ourselves and our own comfort that we forget to put others before us. As it says in Philippians: 2:5-9 : Have the same mindset as Christ.
African travel is definitely a test of this. Our travel consisted of: 16 hours on a plane, 5 hours waiting at a bus station in Nairobi, 7 hours stuck at the Kenya-Uganda border, and 31 hours on a bus. If you love going “off roading” then riding on a bus in Africa is for you. Bumps out the wazooo. Sleeping on a bus here is almost impossible. But that’s why I am so thankful for sleeping pills : ).
Even though it wasn’t comfortable I have been praying that throughout this whole trip being comfortable wouldn’t be an option. That my team and I would always be open to new and crazy opportunities. That this would never feel normal. That miracles and prayers are preformed and answered still today and that the Lord WILL do such things if we have faith. I am praying hard that we will see the Lord move in Radical ways..that people’s lives will be saved…that the sick will be healed…that pain will turn into hope…that the blind will see…that the fatherless will soon hear about their Heavenly father…that addictions will be broken…and that the Gospel will be alive and moving throughout the city of Uganda. Where there is pain and brokenness I pray that the Lord will start to fill the heartaches.
All of this doesn’t just apply to Africa. It applies to each and every one of our lives. In our lives.. we all at some point have experienced things such as, hurt, anxiety, regret, loneliness, rejection and brokenness. Holding on to these things become spiritual, emotional, and sometimes physical baggage. It keeps us from straining towards the perfect plan the Lord has for our lives. The Lord says that his perfect love casts our fear…he knows all of the stars in the sky and the hairs on our head. Who are we to think he can’t take away our baggage and heal us of the past? The Lord wants us to surrender everything that’s holding us back. Take it all to the cross and leave it there!! The Lord will never take away something from us that he doesn’t replace with something better. All of our anxious thoughts that go through our head are not from the Lord. Satan knows what things hurt us and what can break us down. Satan is constantly trying to keep us focused on our pain in the past rather than the hope the Lord gives us for the future. He freely gave up his son to die on the cross for us..so we should freely give our lives to him : )
Love everyone so much! Sorry this blog wasn’t very organized but I promise the next one will be better!
