The Need for Encouragement.
The Need for Encouragement.
To be honest, these past few weeks have been rough for me.
It’s not really about the concerns I have for home or the tiredness from ministry and manual labor; it mostly has to do with me. Earlier, a friend told me about a vision he had for me months ago. In his vision, I was immersed in heavy darkness but I was not alone. He said that one of the enemies of my soul would be the isolation in my heart. This wasn’t isolation from God nor people, it was from the things that arise as I try to work towards accomplishing what’s at hand. At first I had no idea what he was talking about, now I think I do. The battle that I have been facing was within myself, it had little to do with situation around me. The issue: I felt a lack of encouragement. While we build each other up as a team and sometimes individually, I personally felt discouraged.
To be honest, these past few weeks have been rough for me.
It’s not really about the concerns I have for home or the tiredness from ministry and manual labor; it mostly has to do with me. Earlier, a friend told me about a vision he had for me months ago. In his vision, I was immersed in heavy darkness but I was not alone. He said that one of the enemies of my soul would be the isolation in my heart. This wasn’t isolation from God nor people, it was from the things that arise as I try to work towards accomplishing what’s at hand. At first I had no idea what he was talking about, now I think I do. The battle that I have been facing was within myself, it had little to do with situation around me. The issue: I felt a lack of encouragement. While we build each other up as a team and sometimes individually, I personally felt discouraged.
Let me give you an idea of what my normal schedule looks like. I go to the land three times a week and bar ministry two times a week.
· 10am-12pm: My day starts with team time
· Noon: Lunch
· 1pm-5pm: Either manual labor at the land or prayer walking on Bangla Road
· 5pm-6pm: Dinner
· 6pm-7pm: Prayer time with your prayer partner
· 7pm-8pm: Feedback, group prayer, check-in, etc.
· 8pm-9pm: Worship
· 9pm-12am: Either interceding for the girls on Bangla Road or doing bar ministry
With the land it takes an hour to get there and back so we are usually there for about three hours. Some of you might think that’s not too bad, but try doing manual labor 4 days in a row on top of bar ministry! That’s what filled up my life last week, with this schedule I barely have enough time for myself. (Sometimes ministry can be very tedious and draining.) When I don’t get enough “me time” I get irritable, I get sad and most of all I feel discouraged. Sometimes I’m so discouraged I don’t have it in me to pick up my bible and read. This simply fuels the issue of discouragement.
Through the midst of this, God did send a few friends my way for encouragement. It was awesome because in three separate occasions they all said the same thing. This meant the Holy Spirit was confirming it to me that during the times I feel low the Holy Spirit is still working through me, pushing me forward and strengthening me through my dark days.
But my mouth would encourage you;
comfort from my lips would bring you relief. Job 16:5
Please don’t take this blog as complaining or self pity, take it as me just being real with you guys. We all need encouragement; we are all one body and are made for community, created to be united in love. I speak for myself when I say that I need to encourage my brothers and sisters more. Sometimes life hits hard, but its much easier when you have people to strengthen and lift you up through words and truths of the Lord.
Although, I am not the best writer and my blogs might not be interesting to some, this is me. I might not your daughter, your family member, friend or even be someone you know, but if you are reading this, please feel free to leave a little comment of encouragement down below. It is nice to hear people say that they are praying for you and even better to see it with your own eyes.
Thank for you for those at home that did send me encouragement, it means more than you will ever know, especially at a time as this.
But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.
Hebrews 3:13
Through the midst of this, God did send a few friends my way for encouragement. It was awesome because in three separate occasions they all said the same thing. This meant the Holy Spirit was confirming it to me that during the times I feel low the Holy Spirit is still working through me, pushing me forward and strengthening me through my dark days.
But my mouth would encourage you;
comfort from my lips would bring you relief. Job 16:5
Please don’t take this blog as complaining or self pity, take it as me just being real with you guys. We all need encouragement; we are all one body and are made for community, created to be united in love. I speak for myself when I say that I need to encourage my brothers and sisters more. Sometimes life hits hard, but its much easier when you have people to strengthen and lift you up through words and truths of the Lord.
Although, I am not the best writer and my blogs might not be interesting to some, this is me. I might not your daughter, your family member, friend or even be someone you know, but if you are reading this, please feel free to leave a little comment of encouragement down below. It is nice to hear people say that they are praying for you and even better to see it with your own eyes.
Thank for you for those at home that did send me encouragement, it means more than you will ever know, especially at a time as this.
But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.
Hebrews 3:13
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