Dear Friends:
We are leaving this morning for our outreach portion (the next 6 weeks). This last week we were in NIKO (which is Greek for “overcome”). I was really challenged in so many areas of my life during this experience. I unfortunately am not allowed to say much about it because most of the part of the experience is related to surprise and the unknown. I learned so much about myself. Part of the process is being put in a high pressure situation and finding out what is really on the inside of us. We were given a list of things to bring and we could not bring any more items than were on the list (we were actually searched before leaving). I realized that so many times I am so concerned my outward appearance that I forget about who I am on the inside. Proverbs 31 talks about the woman of God and how her beauty comes from who she is inside. Proverbs 31:30 “Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised.” In the book of 1 Samuel 16 Samuel is supposed to pick out the next king of Israel and he goes to Jesse’s house and looks through all of his sons trying to figure out which son will be the next king. 1 Samuel 16:7 (NIV) ~ The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart. Samuel is reminded as he looked at David that God looks at the heart, not the outward appearance of man.
I learned so many other lessons about God. One thing I was reminded of is sometimes we lose our way on our path with Him. We need to go back to the last thing we have heard Him speak to us and rewalk the road with Him. He is so faithful to take us back, no matter how far we have detoured from the path with Him. I realized how much perserverance I have within me…we need to keep going, even when things get hard. This experience was so challenging and hard for me, but so rewarding in the end. When we are challenged it is painful, but we are growing through the process,.
Please keep my team in prayer as we go on our outreach in Monteverde. We have all been so challenged and are ready for what is ahead because we know with God all things are possible! We have had a major change on our team just yesterday and I know that we will survive, but I really plead with you to keep us all lifted up in prayer. The enemy really wants to use this unfortunate situation to bring disunity, but I believe God will use this to bring about His purposes. Please pray that we will unified in love as a team and that we will keep our hearts and ears open to how God wants to use us in Monteverde (in the city and church there). We are driving over this morning and tonight we already have a youth service to do.
I love all of you and can’t wait to see you in 2 months! My team will be returning to San Jose (our base house) on May 9th and will be staying for a couple days and then leaving again around May 13th for the Caribbean coast until June 1st. I will be flying back to Seattle on June 14th, and then driving immediately for California and should arrive in CA on June 16th or 17th.
You all have been such a special part of my trip. I really have recongized your prayers and value them so much!
God bless and love,
Kim
