Well, friends, here we are at our last ministry location of this race. We are in Heidelberg; a very small town on the western cape of Africa. It is going on our second (final) week with this ministry, and then this time next week we will be heading off to our final debrief.
Life is Ministry.
Ministry in Heidelberg has been us helping at a christian-school right around the corner from the mission’s house that we are staying in. The school is ages 5 to graduate. I specifically have been bouncing back and forth between the 1st-graders and the 5-6 year-olds. Then after school, my team has been in charge of permitting a space for the kids to play sports. Days consist of a lot of lollipops and hug-attacks. I have loved being around children this last leg of the race. They remind me that life is not that serious; They remind me of the goodness of the Father in just the simple things; They remind me how we have been set free, Praise Jesus!
The truth of the matter is that many are not set free today. A testimony I would like to share with you from this past week did not happen within our “ministry hours”…for life is ministry; ministry is life. Amen, amen!
We were walking back to the mission’s house after school; there was a young boy walking in front of us who was playing music from a speaker he carried with him; I love some good beats, so in the moment I felt led to tell this boy that I liked his music. A couple moments later he asked us if we were the Americans (small town, word travels fast when there are foreigners). By this time we had made it back to where we were staying, but McKayla and I continued to walk around the block with this boy. He shared with us how he actually went to the school at the Christian school, but had recently been expelled. He shared how he struggled with depression and had gotten into some bad habits. My heart immediately sank seeing how lonely and depressed this young boy truly was. We prayed over him and prayed that in Jesus’ name the spirit of depression would be gone. I have complete faith that the Lord will see this through, for this boy continues to lay heavy on my heart. He shared how he was trying to get his act together; he had been to rehab. Holy Spirit reminded me of the truth that God says, Come as you are. I told this young boy that while he should do these things, he did not have to clean himself up before he came back to the Lord; the Lord desires a willing heart, and then He does the good work in making us new by His grace alone.
2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.” I love this verse and how it states the one and only stipulation is – us being IN CHRIST.
I felt compelled to write the same to you. The Lord is telling you too, to come as you are. I don’t know your circumstances and where you stand today, but I do know that it is human tendency to handle things within our own strength. Yet, scripture over and over again tells us the Lord is our strength, and that apart from Him we can do nothing. I have heard several strangers say this now while being in South Africa: a lot of the time we focus on changing our behaviors rather than our hearts. A prayer I consistently pray to the Father is for Him to create in me a pure heart. If my heart is pure then what flows from it will be as well. I do not ask such of Him to put on a show for others, but the sure, fire reason of desiring to move my Father’s Heart. We can do the most extravagant, coolest, most inspirational of things, but if we are not doing them from a heart surrendered to the Father and His glory, none of it matters.
Many today are in bondage, and the Lord is the only one who can set them free. The best thing we can every do is trust our God wholeheartedly and allow the joy of the Lord to be our true strength, nothing else.
Jesus, thank you for making a way for me to be set free and for making that way for every single person. Lord, send revival. Break every chain.
Your Beloved, Kel
Kelsey, you’re almost home! I honestly believe the Holy Spirit directs me to your posts as it’s consistently what I need to hear and/or remember. So well written and oh so true. Thank you for your beautiful word. I cannot believe it’s been a year and you’re home soon. God bless you and your team. Thanks for sharing and pouring into us all.
This is one of my favorites. I love your heart for seeking His face above all else and ensuring the people around you know His heart for them. What a GIFT.