Last week I officially completed my Luke 10 internship by heading to Seattle for 4 days for debrief. This was a time to share what God has done in the last 9 months, tell stories, show pictures and answer lots of questions. 😉
Luke 10:17 The seventy-two [that Jesus had sent out] returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name”.
The disciples that Jesus sent out to look for persons and households of peace and to share the love of Jesus had many stories to tell when they returned. I’m sure they had struggles and hardships along the way as well, when they weren’t accepted or had to depend on others for their provisions. But they came back and celebrated all that Jesus did and what they experienced.
As we reflected and celebrated in Seattle, we used the outline of Philippians 4:8: “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy- think about such things”. We reflected on what God had taught us about Himself and His character, ministry, relationships, what we had learned about ourselves, and what we had learned from those with whom we worked. Here are a few of the things that I wrote down:
What is true: I saw God’s faithfulness and provision in many different ways in this last year, in the door closing to Cambodia and the many, many doors opening up in Texas, in guidance in decisions along the way, in the opportunity to go to Asia, and to stay on with Kent and Erika this fall. This was one aspect of God’s character that I particularly saw a lot this last year.
What is noble: I learned a lot from the people I worked with/lived with this last year. From Kent and Erika, I learned more about unreached peoples and was challenged and inspired by their heart to reach these peoples all over the world. From Erika, I saw her put others first and offer hospitality. From Lena, I have seen modeled a heart of love, humility, service, and bold witness for Christ. From Andres, one of the janitors at the church, I have learned to take time for conversation even in the midst of busyness. From Stacey, one of the ladies who stayed in our home during the May meetings, I learned to give generously and be obedient, even if it doesn’t make sense from a worldly standpoint.
What is pure: God tested and purified my obedience several times during this last year, and I learned a lot about giving something to Him and letting Him replace it with something even better in my life. Sometimes I didn’t understand (and maybe still don’t) the reasons He called me to be obedient in a certain situation, but when I took that step forward and said “yes”, God honored that in my life.
It was such a blessing to share and reflect with my fellow Luke 10er Stacie and our coordinators. We got to spend time in God’s beautiful creation as well, going canoeing, hiking and enjoying some quiet time on the beach. It has been a wonderful 9 months full of blessings and challenges, and I’m so excited for what God has next for me!
A Heart Like His 