God is Good

 

So the last month has been one of the most amazing times in my life. I have seen God come alive in me in new and exciting ways, and I am learning so much. I have fallen even more in love with Jesus over the past two months than I ever thought I could, and I want nothing but to live out a radical life for his glory. That being said let me walk you though a month in the jungle of peru.

 

so a month ago we embarked out on our jungle journey. None of us knew exactly what that ment but we were all ready and willing to be used by God and to make his name known, and God blessed our willingness. When we were in requena I really began to seek the lord in new ways, and everyday I asked for more of him. One day we were sitting in a pastors confrence when Jesse was speaking on love. When jesse asked if anyone needed prayer one man got up and rushed towards me before anyone else. I remember thinking man whats the rush haha. When he got to me he asked me to pray for more love. As I began asking God I thought God I too want more of this love, and I asked God to just consume me and give me the words to say. He did alright. In that very second God consumed my words and my spirit started praying in beautiful tongues. I was blown away. God answers prayers.

 

we spent a few more days in requena before going onto yanallpa where the chiggers ate my ankles alive and I was introduced to the demon flies. Yeah It was the nicest name our team could come up with for the little blood suckers. haha. Yanallpa was the place I gave my first sermon here in peru. I talked about pauls prayer for the ephesisans and how my prayer was similar for the people in that village. All the other villages we went to had similar stories of God empowering me to do something or God using me to do something. I got to pray over so many people who needed physical healing, and God healed them. Not by anything that I did but because lets face it God is the bomb.com. I got to play with so many children and laugh as they would fight for the attention of the Gringos. I got my first headache. I learned alot about Godly anger. I got to hold a gator and a couple sloths. I got to go on a 5 mile jungle hike. I once fell in the mud up to my knees because… well thats a long story. I learned that sleeping on the floor is pretty fun and squaty pottys are pretty funny. I learned that candace is the hardest name in the world for peruvians to say. I learned the value of comunity and a family in Christ. I learned that I love quiet moments and just listening. I learned the power of prayer and how much God just wants us to communicate with him and how much he wants to communicate with us. oh and I overcame one of my biggest fears and I JUMPED of a 30ft. barge…. AMAZING.

 

Along with the amazing moments came the hard times. The times where I had to cling to the fact that God is so Good and he will work all things out for his will. For example, just a couple days ago we had to witness the grief of a community after a 16 year old boy died from a treatable tooth infection. We had to mourn with the family and hold the crying family members. I have had to deal with the frustrations of not understanding the language and the frustrations of not feeling as physically healthy as I usually do. In this time, I have had to cling to the reality of who God is and rest in his peace during the hard times. But something I have learned is that God is Good. God is Love, and God has a plan.

 

I am sad that this time is ending in just a couple weeks but I´m so excited to see what God has for me next and to be obedient to that calling.

 

LOVE you all

Candace