This little piece of life has brought me into a deep DEEP relationship with Jesus. Hand in hand, I’m walking with the giver of life, the maker of the moon, and the lover of my soul. At least… I’m learning anyway. Most days are a challenge, but I’ve discovered that He really is a good Father who cherishes my reliance on him and delights in me asking Him to hold my hand when it’s dark. Really, how much more kind could He be. I LOVE Him and He LOVES me too.
I used that in an instagram caption a few weeks ago and I thought it might be sweet to expand on that thought. Mostly, I just haven’t really talked about how I’m doing and what He’s doing in me all that well on this platform and I want you to be a part of the growth that He’s inspiring in my life. I’m now more than halfway through the race (wow. I’m more than halfway through my race.) and there’s more to share than I could ever write, so here’s a brief rundown of the happs.
1. Physically.
Honestly, I’m doing well. Some friends and family members have expressed their concern at how rapidly I am losing weight, but I promise that I’m eating. I have lost about 45 pounds since I started the race, but I attribute much of that to our minute local transportation budget and my 21 days on the Daniel Fast back in the Dominican Republic. We walk alot and our food options are already limited, but I promise that I am alright. haha
Last month in Turkey, I walked through a pretty cool moment with their Lord where He helped me to recognize the connection between my physical and my spiritual health. I’d argue that in both categories, I’m healthier than I’ve ever been.
How can you partner with me in prayer for this category? I’m so glad you asked!!! My team is setting out tomorrow to spend the rest of our time in Georgia on a little Wilderness Trek. We’ve opted to hike a decently popular trail with some incredible historical and cultural experiences on the way, so pray for our health in this venture, that we’d consume all our water, and that God would multiply our rest while we’re on trail.
Oh and my laptop crashed this week and i’m leaving it in the city with one of our girls teams so that it can hopefully be fixed by the time we return! so pray for my laptop‘s healthy recovery!!!
2. Emotionally.
This is a pretty tough category for me to check in on. I’ve just started to read a book called “Emotionally Healthy Spirituality” and though I’m only a chapter and a half in at the point of writing this, I’ve already acknowledged that He’s doing something radical in marrying my emotions to my spirituality. For as long as I can remember, I have been a pretty emotional and vulnerable person, but I’ve struggled to navigate the role of my feelings in my relationship with Jesus and I’ve seen that be an issue plenty of times before and apparently the Lord recognizes that too because He’s working on that in me right now. haha
All that to say, I’m doing well emotionally, but now I’m learning what it means to practice emotionally healthy spirituality.
I’ve felt so loved and cared for in this season of life by my peers and my leadership and especially by the Father. I’ve also felt pretty much every other emotion while being on the field and that’s alright. These days are good for that. I’m getting to grow and field myself and my thoughts and my emotions in the safest community. It’s a pretty sweet gig out here.
How can you partner with me in prayer for this category? What a lovely question!! Some of the gals on my squad that have read this book before me have been speaking into some of the ideas that impacted them the most and while I’m incredibly excited to walk with Jesus through this, I have a tendency to bear my own burdens. I wanna be sure that I’m inviting Him into this. So pray that I’d be wise to know when He’s speaking, asking me questions, or just telling me to slow down. š
3. Spiritually.
This spiritual environment is the most vibrant, enthralling, and captivating space that I’ve ever been in. Coming into this year I had plenty of hesitations and reservations about the organization and their theology, but had confidence and peace that this was where God was asking me to be. Whoa. Stepping into this undefined territory led me into a really sweet place of dependence on the Lord. I abandoned myself and my own preferences and the safety of my theology to be with Jesus in a place that I now never wanna leave. Since January I’ve seen countless miraculous healings and heard prophecies and people have prayed over me in mysterious tongues and I’ve been in some really spiritually heavy environments. I’ve heard the voice of God with more clarity than ever before.
Most recently He’s stirred my passion for the unreached and has created in me a desire that’s almost painful, to see them come to know Him as their savior. Oh how sweet it is to know Jesus. Last month I was faced with the painful reality of Hell and the glorious promise of Heaven all in the same conversation and now I don’t know if i’ll ever be able to work or live in an environment that’s not making every effort to reach the unreached.
I’m not here to preach a sermon, but I am here to say that I’m doing exceptionally well spiritually. hahaha
How can you partner with me in prayer for this category? OHHH YEAH! Pray that I’d continue this deep dive into my relationship with Him, but that I wouldn’t overlook any of the attributes of who He is. It’s so easy to get caught up in His love that I forget about His justice and wrath, which are also evidence of His love and I wanna know all about it! Also, See the prayer request for my “emotionally” answer!
Wow. I sat down in a coffee shop and asked Papa what to write about and this blog just came out of me. I hope that It’s encouraging and gives you a good glimpse into my heart.
Activation: Lemme know in the comments how you’re doing. You don’t have to answer all three of those parts, but gimme a little vulnerability in the comments. And for SURE let me know how I can be praying for you. Do it on this thread so that the body can be the body and pray for you!!! PLEASE.
Vulnerability begets vulnerability, so let’s get to it, CHURCH!!
I love you!
AWM
