Another crazy, and amazing week on the World Race! This week we have been at Sharp top cove, a Young Life camp in Jasper, Georgia! Through the week, we have been doing domestic ministry, helping with the landscaping and other small projects that needed to be done. Amid all of this, we have been growing as a squad and trusting the Lord as our area got hit by hurricane Helene.
Through this week, the Lord has also been doing so much in my heart and growing me as I learn to trust Him. Being able to step into actual ministry has been a huge blessing for me as I can really start acting on the things we have been learning about and also work with my team before we head out of the country in a week! But for me, a struggle with doing ministry, especially with manual labor, is finding a balance between getting work done and being relational, getting to know the workers at the camp. I like to mark projects off the list and be as helpful as possible, rather than investing in relationships and really getting to know the people I’m working with. I was also getting frustrated with the work we were doing because it was unnoticeable. For the first 3 days, my team took down cobwebs off the main buildings. And although they look better, you don’t notice it a ton. And because I can’t show off my work to others, it doesn’t feel like it is worth doing. But it is! Through this, I have been able to see how much pride I have, how much I desire to look good in front of others and prove that I am a good person and can do good things. During this week, the Lord has been breaking down this pride, showing me how prideful I am, and how well I mask my pride with doing things in His name. Rather than really doing things for God, I am doing them so that I look better and seem more accomplished. I’m realizing how much this has been an issue my whole life, especially in academics and other more visible accomplishments.Through this, another incredible thing the Lord is teaching me about who He is, is who He is as a refiner. Within one day, I heard or read the word refiner probably 10 times! First in a song, then in Malachi 3, which I wasn’t planning on reading, then in a tattoo design of one of my squamates, and then on a plaque dedicated to one of the leaders of Sharptop who passed away! It was crazy. The Lord just kept confirming over and over how He is a God of refinement. He is going to take out the dirty and unclean parts of me and make me like gold. And part of me is scared to let Him do that. To let him convict me and show me how much I need him. This is because of my pride I realized! I am good as I am, why would I let someone else come and change me when who I’ve made myself to be is already pretty good I would say? Because God has so much better! That’s why He longs to refine me, because He has so much better waiting for me! A life free of striving and doubt and people pleasing and fear, a life abundant in Him. In Malachi 3:3, it says “He will be like a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver. Then they will present offerings to the Lord in righteousness.” I want to be like gold and silver! But first I have to let him refine me, I need to let God mold me into His beautiful daughter. It’s crazy how last week I was so ready to follow Him and have such a desire to be right by him, and right away He starts working in me and pulling the impurities out of me, showing me what it will take to follow Him. Prayers really can be dangerous! But I am so excited for this next season and for the Lord to show me how He is making me new and removing all the sin and gunk out of my life, keeping me from reflecting Him.
On an another note, the week itself has been really fun and refreshing, the food has been wonderful, as well as the staff, and actually having a bed and toilet! While we are experiencing so many blessings, I think of the racers on K squad, one of the other gap year squads, who lost everything in a mudslide that destroyed the building they were staying in. Many of them lost their whole bag including passports, phones, and money! Luckily they are all safe now, but do not have anything! Many communities were also affected and torn apart. Please keep all those who have been impacted by this hurricane in your prayers as they have a long road to recovery ahead. The area we are in was not hit and I am so thankful for the Lord’s protection over our area.
It is crazy to think that in one week we will be leaving for Nicaragua already! If feels like I just got to training camp, but at the same time I feel like it’s been months since I was home! Our final week in the US will be debrief, with lots of time to process and prepare.
Prayer Requests:
- K squad, that everything they need would be provided
- For all those affected by the hurricane
- That my heart would be open to the Lord’s refinement and molding
