Day #3:
Shing a ding dong! Today we had four sessions. The morning session people got healed and that was beautiful. Knees were healed. One older man’s knee had been hurting for years. Shoulders, arthritis in the wrist and thumb/ hand area, I think a back got healed. Aslan is on the move.
I am becoming more aware of myself on international mission trips; how I am feeling, what is going on inside me. Yesterday I was totally mellowed out, my personality dropped several notches and today too in the morning I felt kind of zoned out again. Though it was good to get like 9 1/2 hours of sleep.
So, I skipped two of the afternoon sessions. I took a nap. Then I grabbed a buddy and we went for a run. I had to choose between hiding with the fan in my room, laying on the bed and running in the sun, heat and smoggy yuck.
It felt really good to run, it was killer, but I burned off all that static, “blah” energy. Oh man, I needed that. Then I went off on my own, walked around the conference complex, listened to a podcast by Ben Dunn, and just spent time with Jesus. I so need my time alone with the man. I just can not go and go and go without stopping and having time alone with him.
If I am not at my peak, then I can not give my best. I am here to give of who I am, to strengthen and encourage and equip the leaders of Nicaragua. But I have got to keep my edge sharpened. If I am not fully rested, energized, and plugged into Jesus then I do not operate at my highest and I give less than the best.
Again this element of structure comes into play. I am learning to operate in the structure that I need to thrive in. From vacation, to school to a ministry trip in another country. And it is good. I am still learning, trial and error. I learning that I don’t have to “do” everything. I think the number one burn out for most people in the ministry or in life is that they get too busy and can not say no and do not take care of themselves first. So I am learning and today I made some good choices, to take a siesta and re-energize, run and be with Jesus. Then go to the super market and buy my own stash of nuts and fruit.
The evening service Ben George, our leader, rocked it with a message of basically about the finished work of Christ. We can’t get any closer to Jesus, he lives in us, we live in him. We are one. We don’t have to do anything. All we get to do is just enjoy what he has done and our union with him. Then it broke out afterwards and people were experiencing his joy and laughter, dancing, and it was good. I am sure people experienced his joy in ways they never have before. That is what it’s all about. If we can get them connected to Jesus and the pipeline from the mother ship. Job done!
Okay, kisses. Love love.
Pray that I would be aware of the flow of the Holy Spirit and do what he is doing.
Pray that I would be full of energy, strength and be operating at my peak capacity on this trip
Pray that I would be overhwelming conscious of the perfect union I share with Jesus and the deep pleasures, bliss, joy, peace and love that come from that.
I want to take big risks, step out and see God’s power rock ‘em!
