“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his son cleanseth us from all sin” -(1 John 1:7)

This verse comes from 1 John, which my team and I have begun to study. I believe that it speaks so much about the importance of God’s light and a community of believers. Recently, I have been very inspired by the Holy Spirit. I love how when one invites the Holy Spirit to enter them they become beacons of light and are filled with a joy that prevails through darkness and despair. This past spring I truly invited the Holy Spirit to take over my whole life. I realized how much better life is when I let the Holy Spirit, my Father in Heaven lead me.

“In the same way, let your light shine before men, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven”. –(Matthew 5:16)

This verse is so relevant to everyone’s life, but more specifically what I am doing right now. I can’t just let the light of the Lord fill me and sit and be happy in it because the Lord has asked me to do something greater than anything I could have hoped for myself. He wants me and us, once we know His true greatness, to spread His light to the whole world, especially the places that are uncomfortable and so filled with the devil and his demons. My squad is ministering in Bethel, a small town that is full of so much darkness. The Lord’s light has not reached its potential in this town, but my squad is here to change that. We are here to shine God’s light that will destroy the darkness and will then bring hope and true JOY to this town.

 “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” –(Jeremiah 29:11)

I am on this crazy journey, doing just about the opposite of all the people back at home and of my friends who are at college. I am sleeping with scorpions and rats who love to crawl on you in the middle of the night, avoiding volcano eruptions, and seeing enormous poverty here in Nicaragua. This week, especially, I have learned true abandonment and brokenness. I had to let go of the expectations that I had for myself and for this trip. I have to re-examine myself and continue to become more dependent on the Lord and not on the things of this Earth. Though it has been hard I have faith that this is the place for me. I am surrounded by a community who the Lord has placed me with and I have chosen to follow His path that He has uniquely and beautifully created for me.

“But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you. Therefore don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” –(Matthew 6:33-34)