The Foot-Soldier

I appreciate your patience with my blog posts as I try and find the time to write them to keep you all informed!  I'm approaching the one month mark on my journey here in Romania.  As I said before, the moment I stepped off the plane in Bucharest I felt right at home.  There's an inner peace that I've never quite experienced before and I know that's because I'm finally living out what the Lord has called me to do and that requires me to put all my trust in Him.

There are still many different areas/locations with Outstretched Hands of Romania that I haven't had the opportunity to serve in, but within the next 5 months I should be able to get my feet wet in a lot of them.  I've found that I really enjoy spending time at the Hope Center working with the children and helping in the kitchen.  This past Tuesday, I went to Chiselet and shared part of my testimony at the young girls meeting.  I didn't have much time to prepare so I relied on the Holy Spirit to lead me and give me the words that would be heard by this group of young women, ranging from 13 to 20 years old.  After the meeting was finished, there were a few of the young ladies that thanked me for sharing and talked with me about how what I said stirred some thing in their hearts...I'm very much looking forward to going back to Chiselet and spending more time with them.

In the midst of the inner peace and walking out this call on my life, I have come upon some struggles.  My health has been like a roller-coaster since I arrived.  One day I'll feel fine and the next I can't breath, my throat hurts, not to mention the cough I've acquired and the random body aches.  My joints in my hands have continued to flare up and cause issues, but nothing the Lord can't take care of! :-)  I was expecting some physical issues, as that's usually part of traveling and adjusting to a new environment, but I've also found an internal struggle that I wasn't expecting...

There's a war raging for my heart.  A war to take over my mind and consume my soul.  The last few weeks I've struggled with issues I buried long ago that have waited until now to resurface.  The enemy wants to strip me of the inner peace I've come to know.  I struggle with the vulnerability of asking for help and prayers, but since I've been here I've been stepping out in faith and allowing others to enter in to those places I've kept hidden for so long.  That's why I can be transparent with all of you reading this now, that despite sharing all the joy and peace I've been experiencing, I can also share my struggles with you.  

As I've been reflecting on these recent mountains I'm facing, I began to think about another war.  A war that involves all of you.  A war against our Faith.  A war against our God.  A war against all Christians.  At church the last couple of weeks we've discussed Galatians 5:13 (In reference to my web address for my blog: coincidence...I think not! More affirmation that I'm on God's path for my life and not my own...) "For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters.  But don't use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature.  Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love."  When reading this Scripture, I think about how easy it is to satisfy our sinful nature and to live by the flesh, especially when we look around us and what the world says is acceptable.  Have faith though!  If you continue reading in Galatians 5:24 it says this: "Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to His cross and crucified them there."  Did you catch that?  Our sinful nature has been nailed to Jesus' cross and has been paid for with His blood!  Have you let that sink in?  Keep in mind that it's a daily decision that we need to make.  Are we going to live by our flesh or are we going to live a righteous life that will make others want to know Jesus?  We have been called to be the foot-soldiers in this epic battle to bring the Truth.  My internal mountains seem like foothills when it comes to this war that rages against us all.  But I take heart in knowing that our resurrected King has defeated death and this same King, that knows me by name, has called me to be His disciple and spread the Good News throughout the world!  So my question to you is: are you His foot-soldier?

I want to thank all of you for your continued support and encouragement.  Despite my struggles, the Lord is continuing to reveal things to me while I'm here.  I believe that because I've been removed from my comfort zone, I'm more inclined to hear Him.  I will faithfully pursue His heart and His will for my life.  I'm prepared for battle and will faithfully stand in the trenches to fight against the enemy and be a foot-soldier in the army of my Savior! (I encourage you to read Ephesians 6:10-18 and speak that over your life so you'll be prepared too!)  I love you all!