Hey, long time no see!
Since the last time we talked, I have lived in Guatemala for several months, doing some AWESOME ministry. I also spent a week serving at a Young Life camp and another week in Gainesville doing evangelism. After a final debrief, SURPRISE, I finally made it back to the great state of OKLAHOMA!!!!
There is so much to say about my time in the field, and I honestly am still not fully sure how to encapsulate the last 9 months in words. The Lord has taught me so much, and I could never thank Him enough for the amazing friends I've gained and the beautiful testimonies that are now my heritage and delight!! (Shoutout Psalm 119:111) ANYWAY! Let's talk about my biggest takeaway from the race... IDENTITY. You change a lot when you are taken away from the comforts of your home and put into a completely new environment with people you have never met before. The Lord did His flipping WORK on the way I view myself and the way I view Him. You might be saying to yourself, "She did missions for 9 months, and her takeaway is identity??" And I'd have to say YES because ministry is out of the overflow. If you don't understand how God affects everything, including the way you see yourself, you are going to have a hard time walking in the big (and the little) things He's calling you into. Believe me, it's a lot easier to evangelize to someone on a street corner when you can see yourself the way your Heavenly Father sees you! When you understand that your identity is found in the Lord and who He created you to be, not just the things you can do, it makes the doing part SO MUCH easier and actually fun because you know it's producing life! There was a time in South Africa when I was literally so BURNT OUT, LIKE BAD, and it's because I couldn't see myself the way the Lord saw me. I was blinded to it. I was walking like an orphan with no place to go instead of a beloved daughter worthy of her calling. And the scariest part was I didn't even know it. I couldn't recognize it!! That's why community is so important. One day, I stayed home from ministry trying to figure out why I felt so funky, and a staff member from Impact Africa asked me if we could sit and talk. We met in the rose garden, and she told me that I had been walking like an orphan and I wasn't believing that I was actually a daughter. She brought up the scripture where Jesus is baptized and pointed out how before He could even start His earthly ministry, He got baptized as a symbol of His acceptance to sonship, and then He started His ministry. It was when He knew He was a son that the skies opened up, a dove descended upon Him, and the voice of the Lord said, "This is my beloved with whom I am well pleased." WELL, HELLO THERE!! This entire time, God was trying to get me to realize that I'm His daughter, and He is well pleased with me for that! The coolest thing about being born into a family is that you're in it. LIKE, you're really in it. There's nothing you can do to change your DNA, and that's exactly what happens when we choose to be a part of God's family! So when you love someone, you talk about them, right? So when you see that person on the side of the road, and your heart starts to tingle because you get to share with them about your true love, Jesus Christ, and then they get to experience the love you feel!! The pros far outweigh the cons
Man, the Lord is good! I've been incredibly blessed by the experiences I've had on the field with Adventures in Missions. I'm thrilled to announce that I will be continuing to further the kingdom in the fall of 2023 through a discipleship program called CGA (Center for Global Action) in Gainesville. This opportunity allows me to remain connected to the World Race community and grow in my leadership and relational skills. As part of this journey, I will be engaging in fundraising efforts. The estimated cost for CGA is around $6,000, which includes housing, classes, and other program-related expenses. While I've already started working this summer to cover some of the costs, I'm also excited to invite my community to partner with me financially in raising the remaining funds required for CGA. Your support means the world to me, and I am incredibly grateful for the opportunities I've had this year. I couldn't have done it without you!
Venmo alexis-alabi
