This has been one of the most trying but blessed seasons of my life. There has been immense humbling, impartation of identity, and supernatural grace for administrative work. (For some of you who know me best I don't even have to tell you how huge of a miracle this is)
For the past 11 weeks I've been in Kona, Hawaii, helping to pioneer the bilingual (Korean and English) sister of this YWAM school. The vision of this beautiful people as I like to sum it up is this " When people get close to God, then you see Heaven on Earth". Serving with these men and women of God has been the main conduit through which the Lord has been bringing transformation in my life.
Did I mention that I'm the only chocolate skinned person on the team, and there are only five native English speakers on the staff.
Honestly the differences in culture haven't really given me any problems, where I have had the most trouble is in the admin office. I realized that I've been in the middle of a divine setup. As most of you all know I am quite relationally oriented(a desk job away from people would probably bring me to tears).
But what would happen if I was placed in a situation where, in order to bless a relationship I needed to grow in administration 0_0
Thats exactly what has happened since being here, my co-leader has been heavily involved with translation for our entire school so the majority of outreach admin comes to my desk so to speak. Getting visas for our team, booking hotels, and car rentals for our trip. Most of the aspects of the trip I was involved in planning... Yes me
Initially what I wrestled with the most was the question, "How do I get things done and still be relational." Or in my case not swing to the extreme of being a "Get things done robot." I was not very good at this at all, and often found myself unapproachable by my students because I was "working."
Revelation came in the form of one of our brothers stopping me near the prayer room and saying "Samuel you can get things done and still rest in Him." Now some of you may have been carrying this gold in your pocket for a while, but this was news to me. I began to try and apply this from some of my meditations on John 15:5. paraphrased "If you abide in me... you will bear much fruit"
Needless to say I began to get work done and experience His presence at the same time (why didn't anybody tell this was possible before.)
Humbling
You know to some degree I really thought I was prepared for this season. I know more than the average man of God about the Korean culture and what they have struggled with. I know some history, the bad parts and the good, and I can hold a pretty light conversation in the language. Most importantly I love the people.
But please believe me when I say "if you and pride spend any amount of time together, you will find your shoe laces tied together and your face in the mud" I came to a point where I realized it doesn't matter how much I know, if I'm not listening to what the Holy Spirit is telling me to say I could really hurt someone. Ahhh... and if I humble myself before the Lord, He will exalt me. That is certainly alot easier than me trying to make a name for myself.
The team to the Middle East (Oh the humility from them all :D)
Identity
The piece that has been most important without a doubt has been some impartation of Identity. I think we have all experienced reading the Word and you come to a place like 2 Cor 5:17. You think to yourself "Ok I know thats true, but I don't know if I really fully believe that." Commonly my reason was "I don't feel like thats true." (Just so we agree, I know that that's not a good reason)
I was in the prayer room during one of our 24 hour prayer times , we call them Burns, and while I was there I was asking the Lord how He felt about me. Over the course of about 6 hours 3 different people came in tears to me sharing some of the most simple truth about what the Lord feels about us. AND IT BROKE ME.
Lord you will not stop loving me, persuing my heart, lifting me when I fall.
You knew I wouldn't get it right the first time.... and You STILL CHOSE me.
I can't earn the love You've given me... My only proper response is to give You all of my life
Thank you for praying for me...
It's good to have you on this adventure with me.
For the past 11 weeks I've been in Kona, Hawaii, helping to pioneer the bilingual (Korean and English) sister of this YWAM school. The vision of this beautiful people as I like to sum it up is this " When people get close to God, then you see Heaven on Earth". Serving with these men and women of God has been the main conduit through which the Lord has been bringing transformation in my life.
Did I mention that I'm the only chocolate skinned person on the team, and there are only five native English speakers on the staff.
Honestly the differences in culture haven't really given me any problems, where I have had the most trouble is in the admin office. I realized that I've been in the middle of a divine setup. As most of you all know I am quite relationally oriented(a desk job away from people would probably bring me to tears).
But what would happen if I was placed in a situation where, in order to bless a relationship I needed to grow in administration 0_0
Thats exactly what has happened since being here, my co-leader has been heavily involved with translation for our entire school so the majority of outreach admin comes to my desk so to speak. Getting visas for our team, booking hotels, and car rentals for our trip. Most of the aspects of the trip I was involved in planning... Yes me
Initially what I wrestled with the most was the question, "How do I get things done and still be relational." Or in my case not swing to the extreme of being a "Get things done robot." I was not very good at this at all, and often found myself unapproachable by my students because I was "working."
Revelation came in the form of one of our brothers stopping me near the prayer room and saying "Samuel you can get things done and still rest in Him." Now some of you may have been carrying this gold in your pocket for a while, but this was news to me. I began to try and apply this from some of my meditations on John 15:5. paraphrased "If you abide in me... you will bear much fruit"
Needless to say I began to get work done and experience His presence at the same time (why didn't anybody tell this was possible before.)
Humbling
You know to some degree I really thought I was prepared for this season. I know more than the average man of God about the Korean culture and what they have struggled with. I know some history, the bad parts and the good, and I can hold a pretty light conversation in the language. Most importantly I love the people.
But please believe me when I say "if you and pride spend any amount of time together, you will find your shoe laces tied together and your face in the mud" I came to a point where I realized it doesn't matter how much I know, if I'm not listening to what the Holy Spirit is telling me to say I could really hurt someone. Ahhh... and if I humble myself before the Lord, He will exalt me. That is certainly alot easier than me trying to make a name for myself.
The team to the Middle East (Oh the humility from them all :D)
Identity
The piece that has been most important without a doubt has been some impartation of Identity. I think we have all experienced reading the Word and you come to a place like 2 Cor 5:17. You think to yourself "Ok I know thats true, but I don't know if I really fully believe that." Commonly my reason was "I don't feel like thats true." (Just so we agree, I know that that's not a good reason)
I was in the prayer room during one of our 24 hour prayer times , we call them Burns, and while I was there I was asking the Lord how He felt about me. Over the course of about 6 hours 3 different people came in tears to me sharing some of the most simple truth about what the Lord feels about us. AND IT BROKE ME.
Lord you will not stop loving me, persuing my heart, lifting me when I fall.
You knew I wouldn't get it right the first time.... and You STILL CHOSE me.
I can't earn the love You've given me... My only proper response is to give You all of my life
Thank you for praying for me...
It's good to have you on this adventure with me.
