Wild and Free. Just like me.

Holy beautiful sweet kind joyful Spirit of God. 

The week started with anxiety. I felt lost, confused about where I belong and anxious about the future. As the weeks seem to flash by too quickly, the thoughts about the future kept growing and disturbing me. I tried to set my focus back here but they came creeping in again and again. I need to know, I want to know now! The thought of not knowing where to head in September at the end of this DTS was nagging me. I felt like God was quiet. “Lord I want to know, I need to know now”. 

From anxiety Holy Spirit brought joy. “Trust me” He said. I so badly wanted the puzzle to be finished but He will reveal the pieces to me one by one and together we will complete the puzzle.  From anxiety to excitement. From hopeless to hopeful. From crying to laughing. “I want you to be happy. You are worthy of being happy,” the Lord said to me. He wants good things for me, it overwhelms me. 

I feel this restlessness inside me, this longing, hunger for adventure. I don’t understand why can’t I just stay settle down in one location and find peace there.. Am I seeking or running away from something? “I made you wild and free. I made you like me. I am wild,” the Lord said. Lord you are so good. So good. So good to me. 

Freedom. A week of freedom and breakthrough in many of our lives. God showed His diversity, beauty and glory. I believe we all left that week touched and changed as we got to taste more of God and His love. 

ReachOutOutreachReachOut.

The DTS outreach locations are finalized! They are... *drum-rolls*... Kenya( and possibly Ethiopia), Thailand and Thailand/Philippines. It feels so unreal that in 6-7 weeks we will split up into new teams and head into these new places. Time flies too fast.

I am going to... *drum-rolls*... Thailand/Philippines! :) Before I even came to South Africa I felt God was speaking to me about the Philippines. It just feels so surreal that we will be there in around 2 months time. Enni, Arno and I are taking a bigger team into Thailand for 3 weeks and then we split up again and Arno and I lead the team into Philippines. I’m happy, nervous, glad, joyful and mostly excited to see what God is going to do through us in this time. The adventures with God just don’t stop :)

During our time here we have been doing local outreach. Let me introduce to you... 

Capricorn/Overcome is a township an hour walk away from here. We talk to people, pray for people, build relationships and love on people. Usually I always arrive tired and weary from the walk there and leave feeling blessed and refreshed. I love it.

Street ministry we join in with Justice Acts, who are working here longterm against prostitution by helping women of the street and sharing Jesus love. We go out in the evening and talk to the ladies and pray for them. 

Kids ministry. An amazing kindhearted couple have started an after-school for the kids to come and hang out. They teach the kids stories from the Bible, play with them and love on them. Many of the kids come from rough backgrounds. 

“Treasure Hunts” is when we sit down and ask God to show us “treasures” or people to talk to, maybe bring a specific word of encouragement or prayer to. It’s so cool and encouraging to see how God actually speaks, that He moves and uses us.

Last week we had Rebecca talk about Identity in Christ. Mind-blowing, upsetting and so good. So many times we put our identity and worth in status, jobs, outside appearance, culture, behavior and other people. We forget who we are, we forget who God says we are. I feel so passionate about this topic. We are called to live free and life to the fullest. 

If you are the prayer kind of person, please pray that we (the whole DTS and me included!) would not loose focus of Jesus, stay humble and grow deeper in our relationship with Him. 

Peace out.

/e.