Shattered Expectations
So far this year has been looking absolutely nothing like I expected. One might say my expectations have been shattered, and honestly? It's been really hard. I have been so grateful for my faith community back home who have been praying for me and pouring into my life.
In one of his sermons from earlier this year, the pastor of my home church said "we tend to resent God when our expectations aren't fulfilled," and it's so true! I was so frustrated, saying "what the heck, God, you promised me X, Y, and Z, and circumstances are saying that's not going to happen!"
I was not only doubting God, but I was also doubting my ability to hear from God. It was after seeking some wise council, I was encouraged to run back to God again and again and again and again. The enemy wants you to doubt God when things get hard, he wants to create a rift in your relationship with him. That's why it's so important to run back to him no matter how hard it is to believe.
I've been learning this over the last month, and I've also been learning that just because what you've been given doesn't look the way you expected it to, it doesn't mean it's not a good thing. This month, we ran the first outreach of 2020! It didn't look anything like our typical outreaches, yet it was still so full of impact and being able to help people and touch lives.
Armed with just an American Paediatrician and an eager DTS team, I led a health screening outreach for the first two weeks of February. Our paediatrician volunteered at a local health clinic (our international physicians can't work in country without a local physician present) with my colleague Sierra, and I took the DTS team into some churches and schools to do health teaching and screening, like checking blood pressures and giving out reading glasses.
Even though it wasn't what I thought of as ideal, we were still able to touch so many lives, encourage so many hearts, and hand out 562 pairs of glasses (can I get an AMEN?)! I was able to have some great conversations with clients, pray for them, and I loved every minute of it.
God wants to give me good things, but that doesn't mean they'll look the way I expect them to. When have my expectations ever lined up with exactly what's been given to me? It's always been way different than I ever could have dreamed up or imagined, and yet it's always been way better than I ever could have dreamed or imagined. It's not guaranteed to be easy, but God guarantees to be there through it all. So am I willing to open myself up to the possibility that God's promises may look different than what I expect? I'm starting to believe yes, and that makes me so excited for the possibilities.
What's Next
I am stepping into some administrative roles for a couple months. Our next set of medical outreaches will start in mid-April, and will finish mid-June.
After our spring outreaches, I will be joining a new ship, called the YWAM Koha, based out of New Zealand. This ship has never run medical outreaches before, and I will be helping them pioneer that aspect of their ministry, which I am very excited for!
Prayer Points
- Financial Breakthrough: We are experiencing continued delays with the ship's maintenance due to lack of funds. Please pray for release of funds so we can finish this maintenance period strong!
- Wisdom and guidance in making decisions: We have a lot of unknowns happening right now, and a lot of decisions are going to have to be made. Please pray for guidance in those decisions.
- On-board culture: the people on the ship right now are SO great. However, the AC broke this week, and people are hot and sweaty and not sleeping well, and tensions are starting to rise. Please continue to pray for unity within the crew!
In one of his sermons from earlier this year, the pastor of my home church said "we tend to resent God when our expectations aren't fulfilled," and it's so true! I was so frustrated, saying "what the heck, God, you promised me X, Y, and Z, and circumstances are saying that's not going to happen!"
I was not only doubting God, but I was also doubting my ability to hear from God. It was after seeking some wise council, I was encouraged to run back to God again and again and again and again. The enemy wants you to doubt God when things get hard, he wants to create a rift in your relationship with him. That's why it's so important to run back to him no matter how hard it is to believe.
I've been learning this over the last month, and I've also been learning that just because what you've been given doesn't look the way you expected it to, it doesn't mean it's not a good thing. This month, we ran the first outreach of 2020! It didn't look anything like our typical outreaches, yet it was still so full of impact and being able to help people and touch lives.
Armed with just an American Paediatrician and an eager DTS team, I led a health screening outreach for the first two weeks of February. Our paediatrician volunteered at a local health clinic (our international physicians can't work in country without a local physician present) with my colleague Sierra, and I took the DTS team into some churches and schools to do health teaching and screening, like checking blood pressures and giving out reading glasses.
Even though it wasn't what I thought of as ideal, we were still able to touch so many lives, encourage so many hearts, and hand out 562 pairs of glasses (can I get an AMEN?)! I was able to have some great conversations with clients, pray for them, and I loved every minute of it.
God wants to give me good things, but that doesn't mean they'll look the way I expect them to. When have my expectations ever lined up with exactly what's been given to me? It's always been way different than I ever could have dreamed up or imagined, and yet it's always been way better than I ever could have dreamed or imagined. It's not guaranteed to be easy, but God guarantees to be there through it all. So am I willing to open myself up to the possibility that God's promises may look different than what I expect? I'm starting to believe yes, and that makes me so excited for the possibilities.
What's Next
I am stepping into some administrative roles for a couple months. Our next set of medical outreaches will start in mid-April, and will finish mid-June.
After our spring outreaches, I will be joining a new ship, called the YWAM Koha, based out of New Zealand. This ship has never run medical outreaches before, and I will be helping them pioneer that aspect of their ministry, which I am very excited for!
Prayer Points
- Financial Breakthrough: We are experiencing continued delays with the ship's maintenance due to lack of funds. Please pray for release of funds so we can finish this maintenance period strong!
- Wisdom and guidance in making decisions: We have a lot of unknowns happening right now, and a lot of decisions are going to have to be made. Please pray for guidance in those decisions.
- On-board culture: the people on the ship right now are SO great. However, the AC broke this week, and people are hot and sweaty and not sleeping well, and tensions are starting to rise. Please continue to pray for unity within the crew!
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