Rebel Revealing Ministry

For years now the verse Galatians 1:10 has been one that comes to mind often. It says, “For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.” 

When I think about the people who assume I don’t take this trip or the work of God seriously my first reaction is NOT to respond like Christ. My first reaction is to take this verse and twist it to fit what I want by saying, “Look, I don’t need you to approve the work I’m doing.” And the rebel in me no longer wants to share with you guys. I find myself saying, “It’s not like they need to know.” 

Then God, in the most loving way possible gives me a little flick upside the head and gives that look. You know the one, where the eyebrows go up and the head tilts a little and you know he’s saying, “Now, you know better than that.” 

While this is a little true (y’all don’t NEED to know and God will be the one on judgement day that matters) there will always be the people that judge me but more importantly there will be those of you that support me and love me so very well.

So first, I hope you know I really really mean it when I say THANK YOU to my supporters. Thank you so so so much to those of you who love me and pray for me. It truly means more than you know.

Second, despite the rebel in me, I would like to share with you what my ministry has looked like this month. 

There’s been the typical things that we call ministry that is of course super helpful and loving people well. Then there’s the type of ministry that comes from following Christ and listening to the Holy Spirit in the little moments. The kind of ministry that makes us say, “Ministry is life and life is ministry.” I would like to tell you about the first and then tell you about what I think is the much more exciting type of ministry after that. 

This month, in Mendoza, Argentina we have been working with a church and living in the sanctuary (this is the only room with heaters). We have been working with a pastor who is phenomenal and has treated us like his daughters from day one. He is a missionary pastor and this is the fourth church he’s planted. 

To help with this church plant we have been sanding and painting benches and painting a couple rooms. We have also been getting out into the community to let them know that the church is here and asking how we can best serve them. On Saturdays we do a kids program in the park where we sing songs (yes, we have learned songs in Spanish), tell a bible story, play games, and give them a snack. We have also visited the homes of several people who may either be ill or need prayer for one reason or another. 

Side note: We visited the house of this guy who had cancer. This is where I found out Pastor used to have cancer and has since been in remission. Now he goes to pray for people with cancer all the time he says. It was incredible to be able to go and love on this man and his family. He has three absolutely beautiful daughters and I spent a good while praying specially for them. We found out about week later that he passed away. The daughters especially are on my heart as all of them are around my age and I can’t imagine loosing my own dad. I would love to hear that you have added them to your prayer list if you’d like. 

Here’s the part of ministry this month that has been my favorite. As we were going out and knocking on doors and telling people about the church, we met one little girl that we invited to our Saturday kids event. Praise the Lord she came because from there we were able to invite the whole family, including her grandparents, to come to church the next day and praise the risen lamb again, they came. I taught children’s church that Sunday and I was able to tell the little girl how deeply loved by God she was. At the adult service the grandfather said he wanted to get baptized! Wow! God has so much planned even for the times we don’t have designated as “ministry time.” 

BUT WAIT. THATS NOT ALL. The next Sunday they came to church again. This time I gave my testimony to the congregation, which was pretty much only this one family because it was voting day. You wouldn’t guess who needed to hear it. Yep, that family. They opened it up for questions afterward and the grandmother asked a few. She told me she really connected to what I was saying and shared some of what was going on in her life too. I was able to pray for her and tell her that there is victory in Jesus. There hasn’t been very many times in my life I’ve been hugged as tightly as that woman hugged me. 

I KNOW sanding benches is making a difference for the Kingdom but this is how I actually FEEL like I’m making that difference. 

This is why getting asked, “What are you doing for ministry this month?” is so hard. I could tell you the big long list of things that’s outlined as our ministry but that’s not really the part I want to share. It’s a lot harder to explain the part of life that is also ministry and honestly way better than sanding benches. 

I can’t help but think that Satan wants me to react out of my flesh like I originally wanted to. He doesn’t want us to share with the world the amazing victories that Christ has. That’s why we have to push those little rebel’s inside of us out of the way and share the amazing things God is doing! Both in what we call ministry and what we call life.