Arizona 2012: God is Able

Another year came by and I had the opportunity to return to the Navajo Reservation with HSMT to hold a Vacation Bible School (VBS) for the Navajo people. 

I’m blessed because God was so good this week, and He also allowed me to lead a junior high girl to Christ. This year, I went from working with infants, to working with junior high kids. I had the opportunity to be bold and share the gospel, and show love to kids who needed God’s grace and love. Despite the living conditions, the bloody noses, the heat rash that I had to endure, God brought me through and truly opened my heart for the Navajo nation. 

Prayer was one of the things that truly broke me. God continuously listened, and he constantly revealed himself. He answered our cries for patience, for energy, for love, for boldness, for courage, for healing, for protection, for rain and much more. For myself, he provided the patience needed to handle my small group kids, the energy to play and interact with my kids, the love for the kids who drove me crazy, the boldness to converse and be open with the teens, the courage to let go and let God handle everything, the healing within our team disunity, the protection of our team, and the out pour of physical and spiritual rain on the Rez. I remember actively praying this week, without having to be told, and feeling overwhelmed by the Holy Spirit’s presence. Through Darren’s lesson for the teens, God reminded me that if we actively pray to him, and persistently pray for the right reasons, he listens and answers prayers. In 1 Thessalonians 5:17, it says “Pray without ceasing.” The power of prayer is so powerful, stronger than any of fears and doubt, and constantly praying is the best way to seek God and ask him to do BIG things. This week, God really sent his angels to protect us, brought rain to the thirsty Navajo nation, and placed his healing hand upon our prayer warrior, Katie. This week only reaffirmed how powerful prayer is, especially when our team joins together to pray.

Another thing I was able to experience was working with junior high teens. ASide from their craziness, short attention spans, and constant talking, they do have a desire to learn about who God is and find out what kind of God he is. Whether they accepted Christ or not this week, the seed has been planted, and it’s a matter of time before God begins to reveal things to them. I hope that I will continue to take responsibility of them by praying for them and writing to them on normal basis. I want to be their accountability partners, and be there for them, even though I’m 500something miles away from them. I want them to know that I’m their small group leader that will be there for them and pray for them.

On the other hand, I’ll share some of the highlights of the week:

• First day: no car trouble this year! PRAISE GOD! 
• Sunday’s canvasing was delightful. I rode with Darren, Stacie, Katrina, Christian and Matt, and we got suck in a wash…THREE times. And lucky us, we got like legitimately STUCK the third time, to the point that we all had to dig on our hands and knees, and get backup from Benson and Henry. Once again, PRAISE GOD for getting us out of that sandy situation! It was literally like being stuck in sand at the beach!
• First day of VBS, SO MANY KIDS! And then more for the days to come!
• Brought one of my teen girls to Christ this week! PRAISE GOD AGAIN!
• Playing basketball and softball with the Navajo! I am blessed with all the time spent playing softball with my small group kids. I miss them SO much.
• Meeting so many new Navajo kids! 
• Journaling to my small group kids!
• Learning to be gentle and patient.
• Letting go of pride and taking in humility.
• POWERFUL worship and prayer sessions! PRAY UNTIL SOMETHING HAPPENS (PUSH)
• Debriefing with Faith, and praying for her and her missions work.
• Team building with the team! 
• Ultimate Frisbee at El Nathan! I’m so sore, it’s not even funny…
• Last night in Arizona at El Nathan! Crazy talks and ridiculous “would you rather”!
• Eight hour car ride home….priceless, as always!

If I could sum up this whole trip in one phrase, it would be GOD IS FAITHFUL.

God is able, He will never fail, He is Almighty God.

Greater than all we seek, greater than all we ask, He has done great things.

Lifted up, defeated the grave, raised to life, our God is able.

In his name, we overcome, for the Lord our God is able.

Basically, this week revolved around 'God is Able.' And it was a huge blessing.

I’m home, but our missions work doesn’t end here. God’s work continues, and He will continue to reign victorious over the Rez. May we keep the Navajo nation in our prayers.

Arizona, my heart yearns for the Navajo nation to be overwhelmed with God’s love, and for God to do even BIGGER things on the Rez, and in time I know He will.

If God wills it, I’m coming back for you next summer!