PLOT TWIST: This is not a ministry update! It’s just something I felt like I needed to share and that someone needed to hear. Enjoy.
Not only is the Lord working the hearts of Guatemalans, He is also working in mine! I often thank God for my upbringing and for my amazing parents raising me in a home that prioritized the Lord. It’s easy, however, if you were raised in a Christian home, have been in church your whole life, and have grown up around Christians, to become numb to the beauty of the gospel. It is easy to brush aside messages that you’ve heard a million times and assume that the Lord has nothing new to give you. It’s easy to lose sight of the urgency of the Good News and to take for granted the blessing of growing up in a place where I have no fear of being persecuted for my faith. I’ve been praying that through this eleven month journey, the Lord will reveal all of these things to me; that I’ll have a refined heart after being hard-pressed.
This past week, the Lord has given me this: NEW HOPE! Not the Star Wars kind (although that’s awesome too). He has given me a sense of urgency to tell all people that the only place we can find hope is in Jesus. There is no hope in the money you’re making, in the job you’ve secured, in the status you’ve achieved. Don’t get me wrong, you can honor the Lord with all He has blessed you with. But there is no hope for the future in earthly blessings.
Ecclesiastes 3 says this: ‘What gain has the worker from his work? I have seen the business that God has given to the children of man to busy with. He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into the human heart…’
I know that my chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever! This I cannot do without hope in my heart; hope that only comes from Him. All my earthly work is meaningless. He has set eternity in my heart so that now I desire to do Heavenly work: spreading the New Hope. It is so easy to get caught up in the day to day. Buying groceries, paying bills, checking things off of our lists. If you still feel empty, stressed, or lonely at the end of the day, maybe it’s because you weren’t doing Heavenly work. HEAR ME SAY THIS: you do not have to pack up and move to another country to do Heavenly work! Get in the Word outside of Sunday church service, pray constantly, not just before meals, and press in to heart of the Father. YOU’LL FIND ETERNITY THERE. And new hope.
Ministry updates to come.
Your sister in Christ,
Caroline
Well said. Thank you for sharing this reminder.
Caroline!! I loved reading this. It’s so encouraging! The cross of Christ compels us to share the hope within us! Thanks for sharing you heart. Love you so much. xoxox, Kara
Truth! We all need to know and live this! Every day.
Preach girl, preach!!
Great word Caroline,
I couldn’t help but think of these 2 passages from earlier today, and just now at the end of the day reading your blog.
“I am the Lord your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it…. But he would feed you with the finest of the wheat, and with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.””
??Psalm? ?81:10, 16? ?ESV??
““Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food.”
??Isaiah? ?55:1-2? ?ESV??
He’s our superior satisfaction and wants us to enjoy Him- for our greatest and most sustainable And that sustainable Joy is what we all need to bring the good news to others , and they’ll be able to see, hear and know. That we actually believe it !!
Tks for the encouragement sis
Ohh, how I needed to hear this!! Thank you!
Thank you for sharing words of encouragement and hope. Praying for your safety, your sanctification and hearts to be open to the Gospel,
Love you and praying for you!!
Well said, sister! Love hearing how the Lord is working in and through you – He is good! We are SO proud of you!
T, J, C and Baby B love you!
YEEEEEEEEEEEEES to this piece: HEAR ME SAY THIS: you do not have to pack up and move to another country to do Heavenly work! Get in the Word outside of Sunday church service, pray constantly, not just before meals, and press in to heart of the Father. YOU’LL FIND ETERNITY THERE. And new hope.
Proud of you for sharing your heart!
Carol, what a fresh reminder of this unequivocal hope we have in Christ. Thank you for putting Jesus on display in the way that you desire HIS Kingdom here on Earth. Love you sister, SO excited that we can walk this journey with one another!
Love this call to action!
wow, it is indeed so so easy to become numb to the beauty of the gospel.
what a beautiful prayer “that I’ll have a refined heart after being hard-pressed”
Also, in this country where religion and catholicism is a thing, that is what people need! They know about Jesus but they do not know Him as their only hope!!! They need that fresh revelation of a new hope only found in Him!! Open their eyes and hearts Lord! use us!!
Absolutely needed to just be reminded of this! I’m going back to work in 2 weeks and so looking forward to fulfilling God’s plan for me. Thank you, Caroline!
An important message to share! Thank you for your yes to whatever God has called you to!
Beautifully said!!!??
Don’t know where the ?? came from??
Enjoying the updates and getting to see what the Lord is doing through your work!