Sunday, October 30, 2016

Continual Lessons & A Fulfilled Promise

Touring the Royal Palace with the beautiful IGNITE Class 11 Team
Cambodia girls and amazing Anna Scott. I'm so excited
to see what God has in store for us as a team!
I have been back in the Kingdom of Cambodia for two and a half weeks now! My soul is so overjoyed and full of peace! My flesh has been quite the opposite…sad and selfish. I have found myself full circle, experiencing the same things I experienced at the beginning of any new season, looking at what others have and other seasons in my life. I miss a lot of people from all over, I want to live in my home village of Khrang Thnong, and I miss the set role I had in Guatemala, which included relationships with the people (PFM and locals) and being able to speak the language…selfish. That role took time, the Spanish speaking took time, the relationships took time; God established it.
             
      >> I was looking at what I don’t have, rather than rejoicing with what I do have.<<

Since being back, I have been reflecting on the moment I was told I was returning to Cambodia to now. I was thrilled beyond belief, just in awe of the Lord’s favor, but I was also a bit sad because I had set my mind and heart on being in Guatemala longer. I went back and read my journal entry from the day I was told I was most likely going to stay in Guatemala, I wrote: “I know I’m called to Cambodia someday, but whatever the need is, I’m there. So I’m most likely staying through Class 12! I wasn’t holding onto Cambodia in October, nor should I hold onto this.” Unknowingly, I held onto it…

{Never hold onto so tightly or have your heart set so boldly on something, because circumstances change in an instant, but hold onto and have your heart set on the LORD, because He is unchanging.}

Cambodia was what I was waiting for so long, how in the world am I battling this?! …Because my heart was set on temporary things and not focused on God. “But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” –Matthew 6:33.

God has given me such a beautiful GIFT…a FULFILLED PROMISE…

I shall not despise the season I am in. He has had the girls teams located in Phnom Penh for a reason and He has us here now for a reason. His ways are higher and He is continually directing my steps (Proverbs 16:9). I choose to be faithful with what He has given me in this beautiful season. I choose to be valiant, for one season has closed and another one has opened, one that is a testimony of God’s faithfulness and promises. It’s not going to be easy, but I will look up and press on.

·         Valiant: possessing or showing courage or determination.

 “I am strong and full of life. I am steadfast, no compromise. I lift my sails to the sky. I’m gonna catch the wnid, I’m gonna catch the wind. I am bold, no fear inside. Spread my wings, open my life, like an eagle, whose home is the sky. I’m gonna catch the wind, I’m gonna catch the wind. Your faithfulness will never let me down. I’m confident I’ll see Your goodness now. I know You hear my heart, I’m singing. There’s nothing that can stop Your goodness now…” –‘Catch the Wind’: Jonathan David and Melissa Helser

Even through my fleshly battle and selfishness, God loves me so much. He has shown me He cares about what is dear to my heart. He is continually showing me His goodness. Last week, I was able to go watch a soccer match that New Life Fellowship Khrang Thnong played in. They are the Eagle FC and they are family. It has been a year and a half since I’ve seen them and I was able to fellowship with them and watch them play. I was blessed immensely. The following morning at church, I had really wanted to worship to a powerful Khmer song by Life Band that is so dear to my heart from my field time. I asked God if we could sing it soon, not really thinking that it would be that day, and the closing song in the worship set was that very song…God loves me so much, that He chooses to bless me with things I care about even while I’m fleshly and selfish.

Upon arriving here, the Lord put a few verses on my heart that I believe will carry me through this season to come. One of these verses was the verse that the Lord used to speak to my teammate while we were on the field here nearly two years ago and I love so much that God gave it to me now. “I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait on the LORD; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the LORD!” –Psalm 27:13-14 I know I will see His goodness here…I already have, He brought me back! I wait on the Lord in expectation and I’m excited to see what unfolds as I am here until He moves me elsewhere.


God IS showing me His goodness. I must believe I will see it each day in this land of the living.

Seeing family from my "hometown" here in Cambodia.
Such a surreal moment that I will treasure forever.

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