cheekavang - Slowing Down to Be with God

Wow! What a great and eventful couple of weeks that have come and gone! Where to start? That's the question. Brace yourselves for a long post, as many things happened within two weeks. But no doubt, God has been so amazing in everything that was spoken, shared, and experienced in these last couple weeks of training in Georgia.

Training camp kicked off with a wonderful start as everyone unloaded and pitched up a tent that would be considered home for the following two weeks. Everyone on the squad spent the entirety of our time at camp in a tent, with occasional bucket showers to mimic the possibilities of such scenarios happening in the countries that we'll be going to. We also got to hand wash our laundry and wring them out to dry on a clothing line. As I slowly began to get settled into a routine the first couple of days; getting up early to make time for devotional, breakfast, sessions, laundry, shower & more...I was getting super comfortable in the way I was able to go from task to task, and just do things my way, or whenever I needed to get things done by myself...not depending on others around me.

But...God had used the situation below as a beautiful teaching moment.

On Thursday September 1st, our squad had a morning exercise where we were to include some jogging into the routine. In a game of cops and robbers to make the exercise fun & exciting, I had a misstep in a ditch and ended up fracturing the Fibula in my right ankle (this was confirmed at an urgent care the following day). My initial thought the moment I heard the popping noise during my fall was..."I hope I didn't break anything." As my squad leader came to my aid, I was asked a question that I believe really changed the trajectory of my thoughts and reminded me to keep my eyes fixed on God. I was asked, "Do you believe that God will and can heal it?" In that split moment, I was faced with a question that I'd never been asked before, and answered yes! As he prayed for me, I had placed my faith and trust in God like I've never done before. Initially, I felt pain in my right foot and thought I wasn't going to be able to walk on it right away. However, after the prayer, I was able to walk back all the way to the dining area for breakfast. The rest of the day, I was on crutches and really didn't know how to process what just happened. All I know is, God was so amazing in giving me the strength to walk the distance. On my own strength, I don't think I would have been able to make it. The rest of training camp, I was on crutches and had many individuals help pray over my foot.

Ankle boot!

However, God's really reminding me of something during this time.

In the middle of it all, I am reminded to slow down in the midst of all the things that I am doing and really seek God. I am reminded again to "be still, and know that He is God" (Psalm 46:10).

I'm being reminded to love others as he has loved me (1 John 4:19, 21). Why? Because God is Love. We love because He's first loved us. I have been loved on so lavishly by my squadmates that it was difficult for me to receive the love. I'm usually on the other end helping where I can. So to be on the receiving end has been such a humbling reminder that God also shows his love to us through those around us. And in turn, what I have been blessed with, I can give to those around me instead of keeping it to myself. Just as Jesus shared, we are to "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself." (Matthew 22:37-39)

The beautiful sky that I would've missed if I hadn't been injured.

The squad has been split into subgroups for the next month, and will be doing ministries in those subgroups while in Guatemala. I've had the pleasure to be paired with the below team, and can't wait to see what our ministry host has for us once we arrive.

Please remember to keep me and the teams in your prayers as we will be embarking to our ministries this week (some are further away from the ministry base while others will be close to the base). Also, we've arrived in Guatemala safely, so Praise God for the safe travels!