Be Still, and Keep Breathing.

Currently, in Vietnam, it is 11:11 p.m. on New Year’s Eve.
With every experience I have here, there are so many little things that I grow to adore about this lifestyle. I have fallen in love with the beauty of the culture and the wonderful people that live here. I’ve visited night markets, taken two boat rides, and even sang Christmas Carols at a five-star resort. One fun fact about our time here is that my team orders almost all of our food online – our favorites include smoothies, boba tea, waffles, and pizza. If I decide to budget my money well, often my meals are peanut butter sandwiches or chicken and rice from one of the local stands. To paint a full picture, the beach is a lovely short walk from our hostel, where many of us spend our spare time. I’m enjoying the space in this country, spending my time journaling in the hostel and walking to the local coffee shops. Every moment here with my team is filled with laughter and life-giving conversations. Our quality time has become my favorite part of our time here, (my teammates are such a joy), and we’ve loved spending this Holiday season with each other.

Living here has brought up the most difficult points of my race so far, and I find rest in continuing to offer myself to the Lord. Sometimes, it feels like there isn’t much I can do for my team or my ministry, but I know that God is moving in my life and the lives of my sweet friends. Every breath I take here is honoring and glorifying Him simply because I’m still breathing. When you stop to think about it, the breath in our lungs is His, and that’s enough to rest in. We don’t have to do anything more than just be still and know that He is God. I love my life, and I’ll share that it has been a struggle to maintain my joy here in Vietnam, even in the midst of the peace I feel here. Depression has been one of my hardest battles, and continuing to handle it diligently with the Lord has been a challenge. Yet, the Lord has remained faithful and consistent with me. In this season of ministry, it can be discouraging to feel so downcast, and sometimes I feel like I’m not moving at the same pace as the rest of my team, and they’ve all been incredibly patient with me during this time. As I’ve been thinking about the concept of honoring the Lord in such a small way, (by continuing to breathe), it almost feels pathetic to share with you all. It’s not an earth-shattering realization that it is a blessing to breathe and continue living for the Lord, but to me, it has been a comfort. Walking through this season of heaviness with that reminder has taken the weight off of my shoulders, and redirected my focus back on the real reason I’m overseas. It is all for the glory of God, and to share the joy of the Lord with others. It’s encouraging to know and remember that when we call on Him, He always answers. Even if we don’t understand His response, there is still peace in knowing He is a good Father, and He is with us in all circumstances. I don’t know exactly what God is doing during this time in my life, but I do know all the time spent offering my hardship to Him will be worth it, and the refinement process is all to bring Him more glory.

It’s so important to stop and remember that we are the Lord’s creation, and He intentionally made each of us. He chose us, placing us in the world at this very moment in time. What a blessing it is to think about how He uniquely matched us with specific talents, crafting each interest for every person we’ve ever met. What a comfort it is to know that the Creator of the Universe looks down at us all, knowing the hairs on each head, downpouring His unconditional love just for us. How incredible is it that there is not a second of our lives that He is not with us, and we get to choose if we want to know Him. We have the privilege to walk alongside our God, and we get to have a personal relationship just because He wants to be with us. We have freedom because of what was done on the cross, and in times of trials, we can rest knowing that He has already won the war against death. In every aspect of life where we fall short of perfection in our human nature, He gives us mercy and grace.

Ephesians 2:8-10 says,
“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

And 2nd Corinthians 12:9 says,
“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

Praise the Lord for His grace, and faithfulness to us.

A little prayer request would be for all the seeds that have been planted in Vietnam to blossom and grow. There are so many people that are ready to hear about the goodness of God, and what Jesus has done for us all. Please be praying for those who are seeing His light through my team for the first time! It has been so fun for us to be sharing the truth and the joy of Jesus Christ, and we are overwhelmed with gratitude for everyone we have gotten to know here.