You're not alone

It seems to me like this journey as a US-2 missionary, living in a new state, etc has been a roller coaster ride. There have been times where I have questioned why it is that I am in Texas and wondering if I made the right choice and then there are other times that I absolutely know without a doubt that I am where I am meant to be and enjoy what it is that God has called me to do here in Texas. However, that’s not the only thing that feels like a roller coaster ride at times but also relationships and feeling like I am on this journey alone.

During training everyone was together in one place yet once we were given our assignments, we were dispersed throughout the entire United States as well as the world and for the most part nobody was going to be going to the same place. Recently I received news that made me start to feel like I was on this journey alone but God knew what I was about to go through and sent one of the mission interns who’s still waiting to get her visa to text me at the right time as the news was found out and when the feelings of being alone came over me. It was in our text conversation that I was very much reminded that I am not in this journey alone. Those of us that trained together may be placed in different states yet we are still connected by what it is that we are doing and we are in some way, even with the distances separating us, journeying together in our ministry assignments.

I have been reminded by those that I work with and those that I attend church with that we are all connected by the body of Christ and that in some way, others are able to connect and relate in this ministry journey. It’s been a reminder that I am not in this journey alone and that there are people who can relate even if it’s not noticeable.

Yesterday (Saturday), I helped with a neighborhood leadership workshop where many of those that attended are residents and leaders of different neighborhoods. Each neighborhood (and each ministry assignment) has it’s own characteristics and each person leads in a way that suits them best however, there comes a time where we get tired and just don’t know how we can continue leading and carrying on with the ministry. At the neighborhood leadership workshop, it was encouraging to see the leaders sharing what works for them and what they need to improve on, what they hope to see and how things are currently, and how they each want to network with each other. Some of the leaders may have been coming into the workshop feeling as if they were alone, feeling tired / overwhelmed/ discouraged yet leaving the workshop, it seems like they realized that they were not in the journey alone and that there were others that are in the same place as them and can relate to what they are doing and their struggles.

 Too often, I feel like the enemy tried to get us down and tries to get us in a place where we feel like we are the only ones doing something, the only ones working toward change, the only ones doing what it is that we are doing and that nobody else can resonate with us and understand. Yet God says otherwise, He says that we are never alone and He places us in situations and around others so that we don’t have to go through things alone, so that we have a network around us, so that we can talk to others and know that we are not alone. Since being in Texas, there have been times where I felt like nobody else understood what I was facing or could resonate with my situation yet in those times, God has placed people in my life at the right time and have brought up conversations at the right time to remind me that I am not alone. When we are doing work for God, the enemy will try anything he can to distract us and hurt us yet it’s in those times that we need to truly look to God and look to the body of Christ to get us through and to understand that we are never alone.

So, when you are feeling tired/ overwhelmed/ just wanting to quit/ feeling like you are the only one facing turmoil/ etc, remember that God is always by your side and that the body of Christ is standing with you. You don’t have to face the challenges alone and there are people who want to encourage you and see you succeed. If you realize that someone is tired/ overwhelmed/ feeling alone in their journey then take a minute to pray for them or talk to them and be the body of Christ that we are meant to be. Support and encourage one another. Together, we can succeed and overcome obstacles that show up in our lives.