Flexibility is the Word

It has been a week since I have arrived in Sand Spring to work at the domestic violence women's shelter. Since my arrival, I have mostly been in the kitchen doing odds and ends like cutting vegetables, serving the meal, and putting the food away. When I am not in the kitchen, I am in training in the many policies and procedures of the shelter.

Enough about that kind of stuff, I am ready to tell some of what I have been learning with the women that reside here and what God has been teaching me.

Okay, maybe I am not done talking about my training. As part of my training, I have been reading about the women and the backgrounds they come from. It is truly heartbreaking to read about them being abused. A lady I call Marleigh, has been a victim of human trafficking since she was a young child.Another lady, Kennedy, has children here with her and has such an upbeat personality, but I can't figure out if it is a defensive mechanism or if it is real happiness. (I was taught in training that things may not be as they seem.) Some of these women are so inspiring because they have a child-like faith and are asking a lot of questions so they can further understand who God is. Something I find interesting about these women is they rarely pray for themselves. They will either pray for the staff, their families, and/or their abuser. It is wonderful seeing them going through the process of forgiveness.

As I have been learning about the women and the policies of where I am serving, I have also been developing relationships with the other girls who are serving with me this summer. They too are inspiring. We have been learning where the other struggles in their walk with Christ and how to pray for each other. Because of our transparency, we have become a family and look forward to spending time with everybody in the living room once our duties are complete.

To continue my learning process, I have learned that flexibility is the word of a missionary. I knew this as I was going in, but never realized how important it is. Being a person who doesn't handle change well or follows a schedule for her every move, it's been a challenge to be flexible. Slowly but surely I have seen the benefits of being flexible. Flexibility has allowed me to sleep late on the evenings that I do not sleep well. Like I said, flexibility is great!

Now to go read more policies but before I do, I would like to ask for you to pray for a few things.

• A teammate from GA has a friend who just lost her mother to cancer. 
• Our team as we continue to grow closer together and figuring out how to best serve the guest. 
• And finally, the women that are here and the women that cannot find a way out from their abuse and that they one day might find freedom. 

amgfinding_freedom

Struggles

It's been a tough week in my life, not complaining, just stating a fact. Joy and I haven't had a dance in a while, and I miss it, but through my family and friends, I am being shown that joy can easily be found in this week of "crying-worthy" situations. Which of course relates back to me "Finding Freedom." Maybe this should be titled "Finding Joy" Not changing the title though.

For the first time, in a long time, I feel like God and I are on the same page. I've changed my major and have committed to ten weeks of service in Oklahoma. These things of course are not making Mr. Satan happy. Can he ever really be happy?  Him and his bag of tricks have been used heavily on me this week. Of course, it takes a man in my life to point out that what I am dealing with is nothing but Satan trying to break me away from what I am supposed to do. With the help of him, and my Daddy reminding me of this scripture

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Romans 8:28 (ESV)

 for me to realize that what I have been dealing with this past week is nothing but Satan's tricks. 

Wrote all of that to say this: I hope that you too can realize that Satan uses struggles to get you away from the will of God. The one that has plans for you to prosper and have hope and a future! Maybe you too can find freedom and joy with that knowledge. 

amgfinding_freedom