I would be lying if I said that I didn’t already have some moments on this trip where I just wanted to pack up and go. Pack up and return to my former comforts, friends, and family. The reality is that I wasn’t satisfied with my comfortable life before and that is why I have found myself sitting in Honduras. I left it behind because I knew God meant for me to live out something so much bigger. Something filled with purpose.
God has been teaching me so much about life over the past week. I got really sick and stayed back from ministry for 5 days. I felt completely miserable and did not have A. My mom to help me feel better B. A comfortable place to lay/be. C. Comfort food to eat. To say the least I had to solely rely on God. He delivered of course – He gave me what I asked for // C O M F O R T.
Comfort in the form of little Anderson, Amalia, and Naomi. Anderson is only seven years old but he is probably one of the cutest boys I know even though he can be a punk at times. I laid in my hammock for an entire day (literally) & he tried to mess with me like he always does aka tickle me /swing my hammock until I nearly fall off. He knew something was up because I wouldn’t play back so he came over and hugged me for nearly an hour. He just kept kissing me, laying his smiling face on mine, checking my temperature with his little hand, and brushing away any flies/ants around me. I mean come on…what seven-year-old boys do that? God provided the comfort that I needed through that sweet boy.
Amalia (a girl that comes on the property sometimes because she is going to start living here in November. She lives in Los Pinos – an extremely bad area filled with poverty) & Naomi (Amalia’s mother) came over to me and just held my hand and prayed over me in Spanish. I couldn’t really grasp the entirety of what they were saying but it didn’t matter…God knows and it was just the simple act that they would care enough to do that. It was beautiful and I adore those two.
God has been teaching me to praise Him in every circumstance that He puts me in… even more so the bad circumstances. He turns the bad into the good. Nothing was comfortable about this last week but it is kind of what I asked for, right? I told myself I needed to be so uncomfortable I would stop relying on the things of this world to be satisfied so instead I would rely on God. To rid myself of all distractions so that the only thing left is God. To be completely content in God. When I set out on this trip…I said yes to everything God planned for me. I said yes to the uncomfortable, the pain, and the unseen. I said I would L E T G O. I said I had faith and I was going to trust…No matter what because God never leaves me. Ever. – – > Matthew 28:20. He has my back and needs me to be the woman He planned from the start.
Thank you God for choosing me. You use the weak, the brokenhearted, and the sick. You believe in me when no one else does. Even when I doubt You keep running after me. You pursue me like crazy even when I feel like no one ever will. You have always been there. You have always known my deepest desires. You know the way my heart beats and what makes it beat faster. You love me for who I am. I am who I am through You NOT MY PAST. You restore. You always continue to surprise me – I love it & it is craved. You have overcome.
I am thankful for food. I am thankful I have shelter over my head even when it may mean a tent. I am thankful for warmth in a sleeping bag. I am thankful for running water even though it is limited. I am thankful for bad circumstances so I can learn and appreciated the good ones. I am thankful for the loving and caring people around me. Even though I feel like I do not have very much here…so many people around me in this city have far, far less.
God has been teaching me…Live in the present moment. Not a day further. You only have to do today…do not worry about the next several months or even the next day. Never give up. Push through until the end because that is when you will bear fruit. That is when you will become more like me. “The one who calls you is faithful, he will do it” 1 Thess. 5:24 < – – Cling to that verse.
Love always,
P.S. – Thank you for your many prayers…they are greatly appreciated 🙂
*If you could put in an extra prayer for Herman…he is 18 and used to live on the property…He recently decided that he was sick of living according to Tony’s rules and stopped going to school that Tony has provided for him. He went back to Los Pinos and ended up doing paint thinner after being clean of drugs. Pray that something would hit him hard and realize how much he needs God…that He is not his past but he is restored. Pray that he would be reminded of the immense hope in Jesus Christ and that there is light at the end of the tunnel.
Also, here is blog of some ministry pictures of the manual labor we did on the property two weeks ago to be a blessing to Tony and the boys – – > http://nikkiziegler.myadventures.org/?filename=when-ministry-looks-like-gravel-and-a-shovel
I am amazed at your spiritual growth these past weeks. Your depth and insight, as a result of your daily reliance on our Father, despite your circumstances, has encouraged both Uncle Craig and myself. I have been praying for you regularly; I wondered why we had not heard from you. I am glad that you are starting to feel better and that God has placed his “angels” around you to minister in times of sickness and to bring you a warm “hug.” Thank you for sharing your heart and soul with us, Andrea. Keep sending us updates and prayer requests. What a blessing you are to our entire family. We love you.
It sounds like you had a tough week with illness but a great week in growth with our Lord proud of you love you dad
Dear Andrea,
What a week! I am glad you are well now. To be honest, I was glad to see that you wanted me when you were sick. it’s amazing that you have discovered a greater reliance on The Lord from a difficult week and missing basic life comforts. You are in our prayers daily. We love you!
Mom and Dad
I hope you are feeling better. I can feel some of your pain… I have time to catch up on all your posts because I’m feeling sickly too. It’s pretty pathetic what you seem to not have time for when you aren’t sick. Looking forward to reading more about your amazing trip. Thanks for having a good attitude and being a witness to us back home even when you didn’t have a very good week.