Hello Beloved Friends!!
I am so sorry it has been entirely too long since I have updated my blog. It’s been difficult to jump into the swing of things especially concerning any kind of schedule or routine. Needless to say I made it to SA!!!!
Where to begin…rather than catch you up on everything I have seen, felt, heard, smelled, experienced over the past two weeks, allow me to share what is going on in the now and the present.
Physically: I am battling a cold that took our leader, Wally, by force and left him down for the count for at least three days. It is nothing to worry about, just a minor cough and some head congestion is all I have to complain about, but if you could please pray for my health, it would be less than fun to have to sit out for a few days due to a silly cold. Also because of this untimely sickness I am surprisingly homesick. If I were home Dad would be making me some of his homemade chicken noodle soup while letting me watch my TV shows or chick-flicks on his big TV in the living room while Mom attended to every ache and pain and discomfort I may have. I have been so spoiled in the past so I suppose one small cold away from home shouldn’t be a huge deal. Miss you Mom and Dad!
Head: I feel like my mind has been a million places. Perhaps that is why I am easily tired through out the day because I genuinely feel like I am using my brain in ways I never have had to. I am thinking all the time. “How can I use my time better right now?” “What is a good question to ask?” “What is the most strategic way of doing this right now?” There seems to be a constant stream of questions going on in my head it is so exhausting!
Heart: I think my heart decided to take a trip to 6 Flags or something because it definitely has been on a rollercoaster since arriving. God has been teaching me so much and revealing a lot of sin yet has been ever faithful to point me to the cross. As a CCP we are studying the Gospel of Mark and reading C.J. Mahaney’s Humility and it has been a lethal combination. One of the biggest things I feel like God has been teaching me is how I have little faith. Do I really believe God cares about the little things in my life? Can he really use me here? Will he save men and women? These are just a few of the many questions I toy with in my head but never voice. But as I mention before God has been faithful to truly show up and rock me in so many new ways.
For example; Last Monday some of us thought it would be a great idea to take a run through our neighborhood. I knew it was going to be more difficult for many reasons, such as the higher altitude that we are not used to, also our guest house is called the Tower Lodge meaning it is the highest point in the neighborhood! As if that wasn’t going to make it hard enough I didn’t bring my good running shoes that are special to me in that they help with my shin splints. After running for about 15 minutes and walking a few I was in some serious pain. We heading back to the house where I tried to stretch it out as best I could. Then I went up to the house to get some water, when I went to come back down the stairs I could barely walk I was hurting so bad. My legs where in so much pain I couldn’t believe such a short run could do that to me. Somehow I made it up in my bed (top bunk) and just lay there complaining and whining in my heart for a good twenty minutes. While I waited for the shower I started getting in the Word and our passage for the day was titled “Jesus Heals a Paralytic”. And that led into the sweetest, most precious time of personal worship, study and prayer that I have had in a long time! I was taken to other places in the scripture and the Lord was revealing to me truly how little my faith is. After reading the passage in Mark I made the observation that Jesus healed him after he saw his faith displayed. Then I was taken to parts all over the gospels about men and women being healed or blessed because Jesus saw their faith. The woman believed all she must do is touch Jesus’ garment and she was healed, a father of a demon-possessed son cried out to Jesus, “I believe, help my unbelief!” There are so many other places that example like these can be found. I realized in my own life that I had somehow adopted a sort of “lottery mentality”. When confronted with an opportunity to have faith and trust something to God I would find myself whispering in my mind, “that would never happen to me”, or “that's too petty for God to really care about”. Of course these are lies and we know the truth that God does indeed care. Towards the end of this time I found myself in a place where I was praying that God would take the pain away from my legs but ultimately that his will would be done and that I would glorify and worship him no matter what the outcome because I know that whatever that might be it would be because he loves me. In attempt to make a long story short, by the time I started getting ready for the day my legs were no longer in pain. Glory be to God!
Hands: Ministry has been more difficult than I expected. So there is your proof I did have expectations after all. I don’t know what they were but my expectations have caused me to be driven to the cross daily and it is good. Students are friendly and welcoming but we have had some unforeseen curveballs with one of the dorms. Please be praying that God would open doors in the Jubes res, literally. This is the dorm I have been laboring in with my ministry partner Cara. Due to some broken rules over the past year with the students the security has cracked down a lot and we are limited in ways that have not been an issue before. What God has given us are a couple very faithful student leaders with COJ that have been so encouraging and helpful, and I am so thankful for them. We also have been partnering with some student leaders in a evangelistic bible study and there have been many interesting conversations sparked by these and hopefully we can continue t follow up with these first year students.
Sorry this was such a long post hopefully since they will be more regularly updated it won’t have to be this long again. Also it is hard for me to remember anything I may be leaving out or some information that you may like to know so please feel free to leave a comment or a question how I can better inform or update you. A lot of times it helps me to have specific questions in mind and that way you are actually getting to know what you actually want to know. J
Prayer requests:
Mine and the team’s health.
Security at Jubes.
Recruitment for events like HD, Camps, etc
Continual comfort in God’s word and time with Him.
have updated my blog
Thank you beloved friends for your patience and prayers. Miss you all so much and can't wait to fill you in even more about what God has been doing in me and hopefully through me as well.
Love and Peace family!
Kayra
PS my updates may be coming at you video blog style sometimes....good idea or no??
