It’s so crazy to think that our time here is already over and tomorrow we head out for Eswatini (Swaziland). Our time in South Africa has been so sweet and special to me! I’ll admit that it definitely hasn’t been easy for all or even most of the time. The Lord has used this last month to refine and teach me a lot; but even though it wasn’t easy in the moment I can already look back at the hard things and see such a sweetness from the Lord! I’ve been trying to figure out what I wanted to share in this final blog from South Africa and I think I’ve decided to share some of the big areas I’ve felt the Lord refining and teaching me! With that said bear with me as I jump around and try to figure out the best way to share glimpses of what the Lord has shown me!
The first big thing the Lord began to teach me when we got here was complete reliance on him. When we first arrived in South Africa I honestly felt weak and trapped. I felt like a lot of the things I needed were stripped away from me and I was struggling to keep going. While a lot of the things and people I had grown comfortable and used to weren’t with me the truth is that I still had everything I needed with me in Jesus. “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.” Matthew 10:37
The first few weeks that we were here this verse kept coming up over and over again and every time I felt so convicted. I was having a hard time adjusting because I was focused on the things and people I didn’t have with me. I was relying on my family and friends more than I was relying on the Lord but that’s not what we’re called to do. Jesus says if you love them more than me you are not worthy of me, the truth of that hits like a ton of bricks. I’ve been so blessed to have so many people that I love so dearly but Jesus is to be our first love, above father or mother, brother or sister, son or daughter, and closest friends. Being separated from all the people I’m really close to and love was really the Lord showing me the places where I was putting things above him and what I was really relying on. Laying everything and everyone else down before the Lord and truly loving him above everyone else is a really hard lesson to learn but it’s so so good! God gives us family and community to uplift and to lean on but we have to be careful to keep God as our first love and the one we’re fully relying on! He is more than worthy of our total and complete love and devotion!
Alongside the hard and the refinement which has been so sweet he’s also been teaching me a lot of really sweet things about his character and myself! There’s so many words I could use to describe all I’ve learned but if I had to pick three words to describe South Africa it would be: Refining, Revelation, and Prayer (I bet the title of this blog makes sense now huh). Honestly all three of things go so hand in hand that learning one has meant learning another and another. Since I’ve already talked about the refining part a little bit I’ll move on to revelation.
I’ve learned a lot about revelation since being on the race but it wasn’t until getting to South Africa that I’ve started to understand revelation in a deeper way. To start with I’ve learned that the Holy Spirit is always moving inside of us and he’s always bringing fresh revelation. I can’t begin to count how much fresh revelation he’s brought me through his Word and through prayer. He’s shown me so much of his character, the ways that he’s moving all around me. He’s revealed so much of his heart and opened my eyes so what he sees. The Bible is filled with so much truth and power and the Holy Spirit is so faithful to reveal that truth if you ask! More than anything, I’ve learned how much the Lord loves to bring fresh revelation! He doesn’t sit up in heaven and say I guess I’ll share this truth or this thought with you, no he loves sharing and revealing things to his children! He loves to teach us more about himself and his love for us! I’m not sure what I used to think about revelation but I definitely didn’t think that it was still such a free and present thing. The Lord doesn’t just love revealing things but he brings fresh revelation every day. That’s crazy, fresh revelation every single day! All you have to do is be open to the things he’s revealing to you! What a good God to give revelation so freely!
Right alongside revelation the Lord has been teaching me the power of prayer and how he answers! It’s one thing to know that there’s power in prayer and it’s another thing to believe it and to see it! I’ve seen so many prayers from months and even years ago be answered over the last few weeks. I’ve asked the Lord to teach me how to love and read his Word and he’s been so faithful to change my heart and teach me how to truly desire his Word! I’ve asked for walls to be broken down in my heart and my mind and he’s been faithful to break through them so clearly! I’ve asked for boldness and courage and he’s provided it in over abundance every time I’ve needed it! I asked to see a glimpse of his heart for the lost and broken and though I could barely handle it he gave me a just a glimpse! He’s been so faithful to answer so many prayers and also so many of my desires! I’ve asked the Lord to fill my day with joy and laughter and he provided sweet giggly little girls! I asked for an opportunity to challenge someone in their faith and he provided a struggling Christian as our Uber driver! I’ve had such a desire to disciple and share what the Lords taught me with others and he put me in a classroom full of curious 7th graders! He’s so good and so purposeful with everything he does! He loves when we sit and talk to him and he loves to answer us!
This blog isn’t going quite how I thought it would but I’m not mad about where I’ve ended up! As much as I don’t always love writing blogs I love getting to share what the Lord is doing in me and seeing what he wants to share! There’s so many more things I want to share, so many more things he’s taught me and done here but I realize this blog is getting rather long. The Lord has changed me so much that I feel like a much different and much stronger person. Yes I’m still weak and lacking in so many areas but my relationship with the Lord has grown and strengthened so much! Yes, there’s still so much more for the Lord to change and to teach me but I’m so thankful for all the work he’s already done!
Before I wrap up I want to give a little vision for what the next step of the race is. Like I mentioned before, tomorrow we leave for Swazi where we’ll be for about a month and a half. Our whole squad will be reunited and staying at the AIM base. I’m not sure how often I’ll have WiFi so this might be my last blog for quite awhile. Thank you so much for taking the time to read this (especially with how long it is). Thank you for all your prayers and support! I’ll do my best to post when I can but since I’ll be pretty dark for the next couple months here’s some things you can be praying for
- For safe travels over all three of our teams as we head to Swazi
- For open hands and open hearts to whatever the Lord has planned for us in Swazi
- For the people of Swazi to be fertile soil with hearts that are ready to receive the Lord
- For me and my squad as we head to a place where we won’t be able to contact family and friends as much
- For the country of Indonesia, that the Lord would be doing big work and moving now to prepare fresh soil and open hearts
- For safety and protection over Indonesia and whatever our time there looks like
- For peace over all the unknowns that Indonesia holds
Love,
Emilee
I am Liberty’s teacher in co-op this year,
And she talks about you nearly every week! It’s the sweetest 💕
Aww, that’s so sweet!