So… long time no blog post. To be completely honest I forget I have this blog, and it’s such an amazing platform for me to update you guys and share testimonies. Currently, there are only 44 days left in the race. I’m not gonna lie it’s pretty surreal coming to the end of this experience. I am so excited that I get to go home for a while and tell everyone how the Lord has transformed my life and so many other people’s lives this last year. He is so so amazing guys. He truly leaves me in awe of His power every single day.
Anyways let me catch you up and tell you a little bit about ministry lately.
I’m in Guatemala!! Guatemala is so rich in culture and is one the most inviting places I have ever been to. We just spent Easter and Holy Week here which has been an amazing experience. You should ask me about it next time I see you because I would be glad to tell you about my experience!
My team has been working with a ministry called Hope in San Antonio, Guatemala. At Hope, they do all different kinds of things that are catered to all different age groups and areas in ministry, but their main focus is raising the next generation of Guatemalans to be Bold followers of Christ. So they do English classes for kids, a weekly VBS-type thing, soccer ministry, house visits, beauty for ashes, etc… It has been amazing to work alongside these people the last few weeks. They have great things happening and are so led by the Holy Spirit.
One of my favorite things while working with them has been the house visits. Usually, the people that we visit are the families of some of the kids that go to Hope. So, today I was able to visit this lady’s house her name is Yolanda. Her kids usually come to Hope, but they recently have been working to help provide for their family. Because they have been working so hard they haven’t had enough energy to come to Hope. So, when we got there I could tell she was a little bit flustered. This family doesn’t have much. Just some concrete rooms with no windows or doors. It’s very small with some outdoor space. They live outside with their dogs, cats, and chickens. When we got there, Jeffery (the founder of Hope), told me that he was going to translate for me. Madison (one of the volunteers), was asking Yolanda how she was doing and how her relationship with God was. Yolanda went on to tell us about how she felt very far from the Lord. She has a lot of hurt and resentment towards the church because her brother who is a pastor, and other family members that are involved with the church has hurt her very deeply and said poor things about her and her family. She says they teach all the right things, but when it comes down to their actions they don’t act like Christ. So, we were able to talk to her about forgiveness and that her relationship with other people doesn’t determine her relationship with God. It’s a personal one-on-one relationship and the Father loves her so much no matter her imperfections. I got to just let the Holy Spirit speak through me, and tell her that faith isn’t based on circumstances. We should seek the Lord no matter how we feel not because we will get something out of it, but because of what He has already done for us. If we praise Him because He is Lord then He will provide what we need, but if we are selfish and only look to Him when we think we need something we will not receive the full gift of Christ. Seek Him daily and He will show up. Then, I got to pray over her. We asked her if she wanted to reconcile her relationship with the Lord. She said she wanted to make that decision as a family, not on her own, but she felt the presence of the Lord in every word that we spoke over her. Even though she still has some resentment toward the church and other family members I could see the Lord so clearly shift her perspective. She was showing emotion and willingness. I’m going to continue praying for her so fervently because I see so much potential in her relationship with the Lord, and a bold faith sprouting. Forgiveness isn’t always easy, but breakthrough comes from giving it to the Lord. Jesus is so much more than we can even comprehend. There is so much potential, power, and freedom in the growth of the gospel. Slow down and choose into relationships and follow the Holy Spirit. Be the hands and feet of Jesus.
“So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
Philippians 2:1-11
