I thank God for the protection of unity within our team. As national staff in South Africa suggested we split our team into two groups for the year, it became an unsettling idea for us in many different ways. Dividing our team would not only make intimacy among the group difficult throughout the year, but it also meant a lot more safety precautions for all of us. Half of our team would be placed in Johannesburg full time while the other half of us lived in Pretoria. There would only be two men, opposed to four men, caring for and watching the women on our team, in each group. As we held this idea out with open hands, we prayed God’s will would be to keep us together. Waiting in anticipation, God was faithful to answer our prayers. Our team will not be split and we will all be living in Pretoria for the year! I can’t even begin to tell you what a relief it is for all of us and how incredibly grateful we are that God has protected our team from the possibility of dividing in two.
I thank God for His provision over my support. The last week of October, I held a support night at my house for college students and friends to come hear about the vision for South Africa and how they can help. Many people were out of town that weekend, a lot of people intended to come but ended up having other plans, and some were simply not interested. As I handed out invitations throughout the week, I was clueless as to how the night would turn out. College students, who would much rather be doing something other than hear about missions on a Saturday night, already had little to no money in their pockets. But college students, are also some of the most willing and generous people to give. It was a shot in the dark and a huge step of faith, but God heard my prayers and faithfully answered them, once again.Over 20 students filled the backroom of my house, squeezing onto our couches, filling the carpet space on the floor, and setting up dining room and desk chairs in all the open spaces. I was able to share with them how God has personally called me to go this year, why South Africa is a strategic and effective place for ministry, what our team will be doing once we get there, and how they each can specifically help. As I shared our promo video with them and a slideshow of pictures from previous teams, I watched the Spirit of the Lord move in that room, capturing the hearts of my peers as they were compelled by the needs of this country. I finished the night opening it up to any questions they had. It was amazing how quickly these students caught onto the vision, how involved they wanted to be in the process of me going, and how quick they were to respond in obedience. It was the most encouraging time I’ve had all quarter. I didn’t expect students to give anything that night, and told them I would follow up the next week with a phone call. But God had different plans, and put it on some of these students’ hearts to give immediately. I went to bed that night with $600 in one-time checks, a few monthly commitments, and a thousand praises for my King.
And lastly, I thank God for the abundant joy He has daily filled my soul with this past month. I think I am starting to finally realize, not simply by the knowledge of my mind, but realize through the experience of my heart, the difference between happiness and joy. Comparing last quarter to this quarter paints the perfect picture of how God is growing me in this area. As I look back at the state of my heart last quarter, I just see a big mess of emotions tagging along with my emotion-based faith. There were absolutely wonderful days where I experienced happiness, smiles, and laughter, but they became so fleeting. I began to see fear, anxiety, and doubt arise when the storms hit, when temptation to sin became stronger, when more of life felt less in my control. The difference with joy is that it’s not really an emotion that comes and goes. But it’s a fruit of the Spirit; a state of being that is forever constant. This past month, I have experienced and incredible joy that has consumed every part of me. Whether circumstances are good or trying, my joy has remained. Twice this week I accidentally, but maybe not coincidentally, came upon these verses in Scripture: “Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again – rejoice!...Don’t worry about anything, instead pray about everything” (Ph 4:4,6). “Always be joyful. Never stop praying” (1Th 5:16-17). I think it’s interesting how joy is a command before prayer is in these verses. But I think I’m starting to understand why this is so important. The only way we are able to find and maintain constant joy in our life, is when the truths about God’s Word, His character, and His promises, become a reality in our lives. It’s when we no longer just know it in our heads but we believe it in our hearts, and we experience His truth in the innermost parts of our soul. When this becomes true of us, we cannot not experience joy. There is no way our lives can be so intimately involved with the Creator of the Universe and not be consumed in every part with joy. And when joy comes from an understanding of who God is, I think then is when we can come to Him in prayer, petitioning for His will to be done, His glory to be shown, and our hearts to be aligned with His. So with an overflow of abundant joy, I come praying. I pray for the joy of the Lord to consume and overflow from every African student and child.
And knowing my God, I know He will be faithful to answer.
