Hi friends! Here to share some of what the Lord has been teaching me lately!
After my squad left Jaco, my squad split up and our teams (smaller, more intimate groups of 5-6 within our whole squad of 36) went off to different ministries around Costa Rica. During these two weeks, I found myself homesick, but not homesick in the way you or I would’ve expected. I was homesick for the whole squad, for the community I’ve drawn so near to during the past four months. A group that I see the Lord so evidently in everyday. Before the Race, “home” to me looked like my house in Texas, surrounded by all of my family and friends. The place I felt most comfortable and at peace in. A place I longed to be in when uncomfortable or tired or ‘peopled out’ as my family says. The longer I’m away from what home used to be, the Lord has been revealing to me what home looks like now.
Home is with Him, wherever He is, a heart posture of reverence for Him, open hands to full surrender, the desire to seek and know Him deeply. Home is with a community of believers, calling each other higher, to a deeper love for each other and the Father, mourning with each other in the lows, and celebrating with each other in the highs. Life is so sweet when rejoicing in fellowship with each other and the Father. I live with thirty-eight people who have completely surrendered their lives to serve the Lord, who have given up all comforts to live with open hands to what the Lord has for us over the next -now five- (woah) months. There’s something so beautiful about living with so many people that are so different, but all have the same desires and intentions: to bring Heaven to earth. Home isn’t a place to me right now, it’s with Gap i and with the desire to grow even closer with the Father.
As always, a little update: my squad heads off to Guatemala this Friday, a week earlier than expected (more changes!) to debrief our time in Costa Rica and then to start ministry at the Adventures in Missions base! About to start month five whooo!
Much love,
Avery
That is such a great perspective. Home is where the Father is!! And someday we will all get to be home in heaven with Him forever!! But for now love being at home wherever He has called us!!! So excited to hear and see more!!
Avery:
Thank you for your letters and reports. You are really growing in the Lord.
Bless you and your Team.
Uncle Roger
He wants us home in Him. Thank you for sharing your heart on through this!
Love reading these and staying up on your trip. Love your heart expanding. Beautiful.
It’s awesome to see you choosing in to what is in front of you. In five months “home” will have to change locations and people again. I will be praying for you and the whole squad that you can make that transition into the next season well and that for the next five months you live “where your feet are”.
This is something the Lord taught me a lot on my race as well 🙂 Home definitely has an entirely different meaning after moving around so much!
Enjoy your updates, Ave. Bless you sooo good.
U. Roger
This is so good. Keep this in mind as you continue in life and go through more more seasons. Because I see in people around me, that when they get comfortable in one place. I believe it is harder to walk in obedience to what the Father has for you