Ministry is life, life is ministry.
We heard this phrase a decent amount at training camp, but obviously it becomes more apparent what that actually means out on the field (which, the whole world is “the field” of missions and ministry, but I digress. That’s a topic for another blog!).
This past week has moved from adjusting to what life looks like for us in Guatemala to now adjusting to what ministry can be or look like, especially as we lean into a lifestyle of ministry. So, on
MONDAY, we went to a prayer and worship meeting in downtown Antigua, and then participated in house of prayer training afterward. This was such a potent reminder that our first priority should be the Lord – that our hearts should be focused on Him so everything else may flow out of that love (Proverbs 4:23).
On TUESDAY, we were back at Prayer Mountain! We had the opportunity to go to a local village and meet with different families, talk with them, encourage them in the Lord, and pray over them. This was such a humbling and beautiful experience.
WEDNESDAY we got to be hosts in a sense, as Team FROG, Worship Room, and the Prayer Mountain team all hosted a short-term mission trip team from South Carolina. We got to work with them to get lots of construction tasks done around the mountain – step by step preparing this place to be the spiritual retreat it will one day fully be!
Then THURSDAY we got to be part of an amazing moment – representing Dar Para Dar and telling a family that, by the goodness of God and the generosity of His people, they were going to be provided with a house built for them! (See what happened here: https://www.instagram.com/darparadar/p/C3I1anhPwA6/) This was a beautiful way to see the provision of the Lord and gave us the opportunity to see how much it matters to be the hands and feet of Jesus on the earth. That night, we got to be a part of a prayer meeting and a worship night in Antigua put on by Worship Room (with the rest of the squad, yay!).
FRIDAY was different in that it was our sabbath, our rest day – ministry not toward others but ourselves, in a sense. We spent the day back on the mountain and simply spent time with the Lord. For me, it ended up looking like a lot of listening to worship music, journaling, and reading Scripture. With so much going-going-going (at least for introvert me, haha), this was such a helpful pause – you can’t pour out what you’re not filled with, after all. I keep needing that reminder very frequently!
Then SATURDAY we had an early morning leaving the mountain and heading into Antigua. We got to join a house church and worship meeting in town that afternoon, and the learning and fellowship we got to engage in was such a blessing!
There’s no doubt even more kinds of ministry in the coming weeks, but I am grateful for the tastes of this past week and the ways we got to see the ministries’ impacts. After all, this is why we’re here – to minister as the Lord’s vessels, sharing His love and light and truth! And if anything, the ministry theme this week was a reminder that our first love should be not service, not missions, not anything but JESUS. When our hearts are focused on loving and serving Him first, everything else comes out of that overflow. When our heart is for Jesus to be our life (Philippians 1:21), ministry will then be our life, for simply life as His disciple will lead us into ministry. Cultivating the right heart posture for the rest of this trip – and the rest of my life, as a follower of Christ – is critical. I’m so grateful that, from the start, we’re intentionally not just focusing on service but consistently coming back to the source of WHY we serve. I pray that you do the same, whatever your service or ministry in life may be.
