I see the boys doing things to make us proud all the time. They are little things, like putting our tea cups up when we’re done drinking or making us fancy cards, but all the same they seek our approval and love. It got me thinking about how the Lord feels about all of his children when they seek out opportunities to make Him proud. I adore these kids with everything inside of me and it breaks me just thinking about leaving them after seeing them come so far, but I will never love like God can. I can’t, it’s impossible and it makes me more in awe of Him than ever. I pray that I would seek out all opportunities to make him proud, to bear good fruit and to bring glory to His name.
These past couple of weeks I have been learning how to rest in the Lord in a number of ways:
India is a spiritually dark place, far darker than I have ever imagined, but when we do face spiritual warfare I rest in that God has already won and there is power in Jesus’ name. We are overcoming many different struggles with lack of sleep, really messed up dreams and just fear in general in Jesus’ name. Praise God! We’ve also been struggling as a team with insecurities and believing lies that are not from God. Before we went to bed the other night we did “Declarations” and basically it is just speaking truth, from the Bible over yourself aloud and with authority. It was probably one of the most powerful things I’ve ever done. I don’t realize how much God thinks of me, how He delights in me, loves me unconditionally, cherishes me, and knows how many hairs are on my head. There is power in knowing that truth from the Lord and I am finding rest in that truth.
God has also been speaking to me about where my real home is. For months before getting here I have longed to be in India and now that I am here I have been missing Louisville. I love India and am so grateful for the opportunities He’s given us here, but my flesh just isn’t satisfied. In this discomfort I’ve cried out to the Lord for rest and he’s given it to me. My spirit is resting in Him. My home is in the Lord and my heart is in His hands. Yes, I still miss Louisville and my team is still facing spiritual warfare, but I am more at rest than I have ever been in my life. Jesus tells us that we are going to face struggles; we are going to be hated, but not to fear because He has overcome the world. In Mark 4:35 Jesus’ disciples are crossing a lake when a fierce storm blows in. The disciples are freaking out and then they look over at Jesus to find Him sleeping. The waves are busting into the boat filling it with water and Jesus is sleeping. So during these storms that are inevitable I will remain at rest, like Jesus. I will not fear and I will not crumble.
“We prove ourselves by our purity, our understanding, our patience, our kindness, by the Holy Spirit within us and by our sincere love. We faithfully preach the truth. God’s power is working in us. We use the weapons of righteousness in the right hand for attack and the left hand for defense. We serve God whether people honor us or despise us, whether they slander us or praise us. We are honest, but they call us impostors.”
2 Corinthians 6:6-8
