I look out above the trees in the mountains to see the morning fog in the midst of the trees. Waking up and seeing the sunshine through my dirty tent while hearing the roosters crow. Thinking to myself that my alarm just went off hahah it’s time to get up. I hear the soft voices of our Honduran friends in the morning preparing breakfast for our squad. Oh how kind they are. I am starting to love the slow and still mornings here in Honduras. My mornings look like spending time with our Creator, podcast and rekindling my love for reading. We are far out from any civilization and little to no access to internet. To sweating and smelling strange at all times of the day and night and no make up and sunburnt skin because we’re never not under the sun. Gross, alive sleepy, full and happy. I am starting to like the cold showers after a hot sunny day full of ministry. Nights filled with intentional conversations followed by card games. I love my squad living in community. Laundry, we wash our laundry by hand. Something I had done a couple of times. Something spiritual in that. Washing clothes clean, gently working stains out, aka dirt) patiently waiting for them to dry. Glorious in a simplistic way.
Hello to constant community. I do not believe that I’ve ever felt more capable of chasing after dreams than in this here and this now. Inspiring and encouraging. Everything I’ve wanted for so long. An answered prayer. Not that it’s always dreamy and lovely; it can be hard- roughly 45 different pasts colliding together all at once, trying to align for the sake of the gospel isn’t perfectly peachy. Yet. I stand by it’s an answered prayer. I’ve gotten to know some of the most incredible powerhouse of people a wild swirl of eccentric, wild, free, brilliant, artistic, God-fearing, purpose chasing humans. Humbling and beautiful.
I have reflected on my time here in Honduras and after the first month, the father has revealed to me the simplicity of his presence in the little moments. I will be honest living on top of a mountain was tough at first. Simplicity is to trust that God will provide what is needed and to work to store treasures in heaven (Matthew 6:19-21). In Jesus-centered simplicity, faith replaces the need for something more or something better. We serve a God who is quick to forgive and full of compassion.
I think the best way we can learn to simplify is to examine the person who lived the simplest life, yet left the largest impact on the world to this day: none other than my main man, Jesus. By reading through the Gospels (and some other scriptures), we can learn from Jesus’ ways and words just what it means to live simply yet abundantly! Jesus warns us over and over that when we have a love for money and possessions it can severely hinder our relationship with God. He isn’t asking us to own absolutely nothing, but rather warning us not to overvalued the things we do own. I begin to think that things come and go, and THAT’S OKAY! Jesus is more important to me than just things.
Jesus cares about the things we are feeling and going through. He’ll also be the best advice giver you will encounter. There are many great examples Jesus set in His life. I think the simplicity of His life, words, and actions are some of the best. Yes, He was God, He made miracles, He was resurrected, but all of this was made possible because He lived a simplified life and was ready for anything God had for Him. He wasn’t tied to possessions and things, He gave freely, He spent His time serving and teaching, He spoke clearly and directly, He knew His purpose, He sought wisdom from the Father in prayer, and He never cared what people thought of Him. He wanted to bring people to the Father, He didn’t care what the Pharisees had to say. He sought out the lost and lowly. He traveled to bring the Kingdom wherever He went. He spent time with those He loved and invested in things that truly hold meaning. Jesus may have been God and may have done some crazy things, but He led a simple life.
Simplicity is so worth it because when you remove all the clutter, only the important remains. When you have less taking up space, you will be able to surrender fully to the Lord! I can wake up everyday and choose to step into a life of abundance with Jesus. At the end of the day, everything we do is about LOVE: loving God and loving others as we love ourselves (Matthew 22:36-40) I want to step into the freedom of simplicity and start living my life in reckless abandon!I stumble over the simplicity of Jesus. I want to take Jesus at His Word and treat His simplicity as part of the good news of Jesus’ kingdom more. This simplicity means we don’t have to be crushed by the complexities of the day. Indeed, part of following Jesus is actually returning again and again to what’s simple. I thank the Lord so much for that. I thank the Lord that life does not actually have to be as complicated as we seem to make it.
xoxo racer girl
