Overflowing With God's Joy

July 2, 2012

Entering into our ministry site with open hearts gave our team amazing moments where we met God and some moments where we really wrestled with God. We live in a small church with a host mom who really overflows with the kind of joy which flows out from God and draws you in. She laughs loudly and attempts to speak to us in a mix of Thai, English, and hand motions. God used her in ways that continue to astound me, such as on Saturday mornings bringing children who live in the slums to teach them of the love of Jesus despite the injustice they see. Watching our host mom reminded me of a verse that stuck with me all week:

"Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience." Col. 3:12

Our host mom is filled with these things and it challenges us to examine our own lives, thoughts, and motives. It has been a humbling experience accepting hospitality and generosity from her and the other members of the household. God has been working through each of us in our pride, fears, walls and other things to bring us closer to this family and to Himself.

Despite all this, there are definitely struggles. Personally (though I am not alone), I am having a hard time connecting with God,and being filled with love so as to pour out love on others. God is present here, and we can see Him working, but wrestling with God on his work in my life has been a struggle. Talking with my team, I realize that I am not alone and that even some of them are feeling the same.

All of the ministry site teams met up today, sharing our experiences, struggles, and highlights. We sang openly together a song called "Humble King," which reads, "You are the God of the broken, the friend of the weak...I want to be like You, Jesus, to have this heart in me..." I bring this up, dear friends, family, supporters, and anyone else taking the time to read this, to ask for prayer for our Bangkok team. Pray that God would work through our hearts this summer to bring us one step closer to having a heart like Jesus.

by Laurel