I’m really behind on blogging, but there is just so much to say. It’s been a few days, but there are lots of things that have stuck with me from our sessions.
Firstly, we’ve had time to learn about the importance of introducing the gospel in a way that will not only be clear to some, but in a way that could maybe relate their culture to the character of Jesus. For example, if someone came from a shame based culture, they would clearly understand the concept of shame. They would understand that Adam and Eve felt shame when they disobeyed God, BUT God pursued them. He pursues his children, and he pursued us enough to reconcile our sins on the cross, even when we feel full of shame from our sins. How beautiful is that? And how cool is it that everyone understands the implications of the gospel in different ways that may speak to different parts of their culture or their upbringing. That is good news for everyone.
On Monday, we also talked about the difference between believing in God and trusting in God. Trust in God is active belief. Belief in God is not the standard for salvation, because the demons even believe in the name of our God, but they don’t fear him or have any active trust in him as their savior.
Another thing!! The coolest thing ever: we are apprentices of Jesus. Just as Jesus has learned all of his ways from the Father, so can we absorb all the knowledge and character of Jesus. As the teachers of the law in the New Testament learned about the teachings of the scriptures, they were taught to imitate that of their teacher, and the ways he spoke and read and learned from his teacher. This gives us so much hope, that when we put time into studying and imitating Jesus, we will start to reflect him. I want to act, and speak, and respond like Jesus my teacher and my savior. He imitates the Father, and I want to imitate him.
On another note, our team is trying to work on unity. Unity as one body to represent Christ, and one body to uplift and remain steadfast. In John 17:20-23, Jesus says: “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”
When we are walking in Him, and we have unity that is rooted deeply in Him, the world will see Jesus in that. In the way we love each other and know that we are loved by the Father.
It feels like we have been here for a week or two already, but it’s been really good. I think we’re all super excited to go to Colombia, but it’s just as important to be here, and there are many many more things to come.
My bag is disorganized, showers are chilly, we are tired, I am not eating nearly enough vegetables, but throughout all of the small changes, I have found so much joy in living with my team, and learning to know them closer. Each of them are inspiring to me, and genuinely I could talk to any one of them for hours. We laugh a lot, and I’m so thankful that we’re learning to have harmony with all our differences.
We learned more about our ministry partners yesterday, and we are so so excited to be there, and to meet our partners wherever they need. Our partner in Colombia is called Ciudad Refugio, (https://ciudadrefugio.org) and our partner in Ecuador is Dumamis Foundation (https://dunamisfoundation.com). Casa refugio is a Refuge house for people to come if they need restoration, food, or shelter! Dunamis provides education on sex trafficking, housing to children and women who are survivors, and justice to families and people who have been affected by the trafficking industry.
Both of these ministries are so so important, and I ask that you would join me in praying for them and thanking God for the work they have already impacted many with!
it’s breakfast time, I’ll write another post soon! Thank you for reading, thank you for encouraging, thank you for praying 🤍
