A Mission Lifestyle

It has been almost a month since arriving in Guatemala. While both living and being on mission here it is difficult to find the things to write about because, to me, it is just normal life. 

Ministry is life, and life is ministry. This is the whole goal of ATL (Ask The Lord): living a life on mission for the Lord, and to have a kingdom mindset even when we are not actively serving. It is a way for us to keep our eyes from looking inwards and, instead, opening up our minds to what the Lord is doing in His Kingdom as a whole. Because the Holy Spirit is in us and accessible at all times, we get to ask Him where He is moving, and how we can be obedient to Him. It is amazing because I have seen, and am still learning to trust, that whenever the Holy Spirit nudges us to do something, it may seem scary, but He gives the strength, the words, and the ability to step out. 

Every Friday morning, my team takes the time to just be available to the Lord and walk the streets of Jocotenango. Two weeks ago, some of us got to talking with a guy who was selling phone batteries so that He could provide for His family. Quickly we began to realize that he was a Christian because he started to preach to us. It was sweet because as we were there to encourage him, he began to encourage us. He also was very open and shared the sin that he struggled with: drinking. We got to pray over him and remind him that prayer is the best form of battle. 

While that conversation was going on, the other half of my team started to talk with a lady. They asked her if she needed prayer for anything and she said that she had pain in both her neck and back. The team layed hands on her, prayed, then one of the girls started to feel the lady’s back get hot. The girls asked her if the pain was gone and the lady said that she felt a super warm sensation and that both her back and neck felt better.  

The same half of the team continued to walk the streets, and a guy randomly came up to them to hand out a flyer inviting them to an all men’s catholic Alcoholics Anonymous. This is funny because it was literally all girls in the group. 

Both groups met up together for lunch and we were just talking about the day, the people we got to meet, and how we saw the Lord move. When I was explaining our conversation with the guy who struggles with alcoholism, the other group got to hand us the flyer, and we had the opportunity to give it to the man from earlier. The Lord used both teams for one man’s life.

This all happened in one day and is only a snipet into what it looks like when we step into obedience. Don’t be fooled; I am still learning to be bold in walking in what the Lord is asking of me. But the thing is, it is all about the Lord. I am not the Savior. I am not the healer. Jesus is, and He is so kind in allowing us to be a part of it. My encouragement to you, and to myself, is to open your eyes to what the Lord is inviting you into. God is a good God, so He is doing and is going to do great things regardless if we are a part of it. He wants to use us as vessels, and only good fruit can come from faithfully stepping out. Jesus is gracious in His invitation and is faithful in carrying out what He is doing. May pursuing Jesus as He pursues you, and may living on mission for the Lord be a lifestyle.