This past week we hosted a team from Lakewood Baptist Church in Gainesville, Georgia. It was challenging, encouraging, and lots of fun, but most importantly God worked in so many ways. It was really nice to have a taste of home, quite literally...(they brought girl scout cookies). There were over 20 people on the team, and it was such a blessing to get to know them and to have people who were willing to do random crazy things with us - things only Americans would do. There was so much happening throughout the week, so I'll share with you just a few God moments and some things I learned this week.
A typical day while they were here started with a devotional and time to share any cool stories from the previous day. These were some of my favorite times, because I loved hearing how God was working in each of the groups throughout the day. We would then split into groups and go to different faculties or dorms to meet students and invite them to the events by handing out fliers. We had some free time in the afternoon to get coffee with students we met, explore the city, or rest. Then each evening we had a different event that we would attend and get to know the students that came. Every night we provided free pizza. Then, at the end of the night, we would typically join the American team for gelato and sometimes a few students would join as well.
The first two days of passing out fliers was really rough for me, and I went into day 3 super discouraged. I remember sitting in the morning devotionals, praying to God and telling Him, "I don't think I can do it. You're going to have to take over." Well, spoiler alert, that's exactly what happened. The Lord not only carried me through that day, but I walked away from it so encouraged. I met some really cool students, and a group of them even invited us to eat lunch with them in the cafeteria. It was such a refreshing day full of good conversations. I was at the end of myself, and that was when God showed up, in the exact way and time I needed Him to (as He always does). The times where I have seen God work through me the most is when I admit that I can't do things in my own power and look to God for strength. This is why my favorite verse is 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, "But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." Our weaknesses are the very thing that God uses to display his strength. It is such a comfort to know that I don't have to do things on my own, and I have immense peace knowing everything is in the hands of my Heavenly Father. I encourage you to not see your weaknesses as weaknesses, but to see them as opportunities for the Holy Spirit to work in and through you.
The week was called Stars, Stripes, and Šahovnica to represent the mix of American and Croatian culture. The stars and the stripes stand for the American flag and Šahovnica is the name for the checkerboard pattern on the Croatian coat of arms. Monday night was the first event of the week. It was a trivia night with questions about American and Croatian cultures. I spent almost the whole night with some students we had met at a previos game night. It was a great time of getting to know them better, but the conversation hadn't gone anywhere spiritual. As I was sitting there with them, I just asked God to direct the conversation towards spiritual things. Within minutes, we were talking about their religious backgrounds, and I was amazed at how God answered my prayer so quickly. Afterwards, as I was reflecting on the conversation and sharing my prayer with my team, I realized that I have prayed for Spiritual conversations many times and God has never once failed to answer my prayer. I so desperately want the students we interact with to experience the fullness of God's love and grace and the life that comes from a relationship with Him, but sometimes I forget that God wants that too. As much as I care for people around me, God cares so much more! It was such a good reminder for me to surrender my desires to God, and to pray for things that I know are alligned with God's will.
Prayer Requests:
Pray for God to work in the lives of each student that received a flier or came to the events. Pray that He would open their eyes to the truth of the Gospel, and that they would experience true freedom found only in Jesus.
Pray for the Fokus team as we set up follow up coffee appointments with students. Pray that scheduling works out for the appointments and for deep spiritual conversations.
Pray for the health of the team - it is cold here and sicknesses are spreading.
We currently have an Athletes in Action team from University of California, Berkeley. Pray that the Holy Spirit would work in their lives as they minister to the students here.
Pray that God will prepare the hearts of the students we will encounter, and that God would lead us to those who are interested in spiritual topics.
This Friday, we are headed to Belgium for about a week to do ministry there. Please pray for us to be rested and prepared, especially after finishing a busy week.
Please continue to pray for our dear friends in Thailand.
I mentioned in a previous post that some of the students from the Hosea Center are raising money to buy their Thai citizenship. Without one they cannot legally get a job after they graduate high school. If you feel led to donate, here is the link to a gofund me for Kam Goo: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-kam-goos-path-to-citizenship
Isaiah 55:10-11
As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
Basically, the Word of the Lord does not return void. We read this chapter during our team devotional before the team arrived and these two verses stuck out to me. As we go out and meet students it can sometimes feel futile and pointless. However, God can use any and every interaction (no matter how miniscule it seems to us) to bring people to Himself, and He does! All we have to do is be faithful and follow his direction. Also, this applies to our own lives. If we are faithful in reading God's word, it will not return void. We can trust that God will transform us as we continue to seek Him.
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