So its been a few days since we have been back home from pine ridge. I don't know where to start or even begin to tell you what God did and is still doing with me. (When i sat down on my bed to write this one night right after we came back, my head and heart felt like they were both exploding like atom bombs. I could not think straight.) Most of you don't know that when Tara signed up to go last year that, Lindsey Elza and I also signed up as well. There was a waiting list and since Tara's cousin was a person in charge of that area she bumped our names up to the first spot. God had other plans for Lindsey and I because only Tara got to go. As Tara was speaking on what God did with her group last year, God was speaking to me and telling me I needed to go. I think it was either that night that i signed up or at least that week. I was excited that time i told Tara i would go as i am writing this post. I just wanted so bad to share Jesus with those around me through working or just communicating with them. I didn't expect much to be given back. To be perfectly honest, i didn't think anything would be given back, but so much more was than i could have ever hoped for or dreamed. I had been dealing with work problems for a long while and had been praying about it all ever since it all started. I had been having some stress and anger issues arise from time to time so I really didn't want to take any of that with me on the trip. Nothing seemed to changed as i prayed all of those nights until the morning we left. We prayed right before getting on the (swagon) aka the Taravan. All those feelings just seemed to dissolve and i knew God was working on me. He knew what He was doing. The whole week i had peace. I was smiling everyday and i loved just being there. Those that know me know that I don't smile a lot, like really smile. I was so excited to get to meet john and Nadine (the ones Seen here)
again after seeing them earlier this year in a trip to Ohio to hear their testimonies and have a quick Q&A. If you were to ask me my most memorable moment that whole week it would be the time i got to spend with Nadine in the kitchen helping her cook the Indian tacos. We just chatted about where i worked and what i did. I helped her cut the lettuce, shred the cheese and cut the onion. Amazingly she made a remark that i cut all the onion without crying. I couldn't remember some of the things she had mentioned in Ohio in her personal testimony. So when she started to tell us again that night after our delicious tacos, I just was floored. Her faith really stood out to me in all that she had been through. I really hope one day our church can hear them speak. She really is a blessed Lakota woman. Our team really didn't get to see a whole lot about the Lakota's. I'm hoping next year we shall see more of who they are as a tribe. We usually had worship every night. Thursday night rolls around and on this night we have a special group time. I don't want to give anything away here about the speciality of the night but at some point i just start bawling. I run out of the room and just fall over on the stairs. The only thing on my mind is how blessed I am and to have the people in my life that I do. I don't deserve any of it. In that moment I just cry out to God and tell Him how very thankful I am. I just don't deserve the life I have been given. I don't know if I said those things because of what I've seen over the past couple of days or if that's just what i needed to tell God in that exact moment. If it took going to pine ridge and ministering to the drunks of white clay, helping john and Nadine fix their house, hearing from john two bulls or just getting to worship out there with my team members, it was all worth it. Everyone, everywhere needs to hear that they are loved and hear the gospel. Drunk or not. So if the Lord is knocking on the door of your heart telling you to be a witness anywhere you go, i pray that you obey. You are missing out on a huge blessing if not. The Lord said GO. So for Your Glory Lord, send me, I'll go.
Thanks to my church for being mission minded. Thanks for my team leader to stand up and lead us to Pine Ridge. But most of all, thanks to God for telling us to go.
