This week felt like a bit of a funky week for some reason. I felt very anxious, on-edge, and tired. I thought it was just because of all the ministry we’ve been doing and thinking about plans for next year, but then I realized it's because I hadn’t prayed, TRULY prayed in a long time. 

Usually in the morning, I journal right when I wake up. It’s sort of a prayer/sorting through my thoughts. But there’s definitely a difference between praying and spending intentional time with the Lord versus journaling to talk about what has happened recently and to keep a diary for the future. 

I sat down to pray and the words seemed to flow out of me. For 30 minutes or so, I sat down kneeled on the couch praying. Talking with God like I would with a best friend. And I felt such a weight lifted off of me and felt so at peace. 

Prayer is something that I have been focusing on more throughout this trip. It is so powerful and important. In Italy, we woke up early for morning prayer and did listening prayer A LOT, and I would like to get back into that here in Mexico. Just thought I would include that in here as an encouragement and reminder to keep on praying and listening and asking. Because God is there and wants to talk to you and will work through your prayers! 

We have all noticed there is almost a tension within our group that is unexplainable. The busyness of ministry, school, and thoughts for next year have been getting to us. Tammy gave a great talk the other day about having perspective change. She told us we should have a mindset that EVERYTHING we do is for the Lord and the more we think that way, the more we get rid of the funk since we know it's benefitting his kingdom. 

She also mentioned when you get a word or vision from the Lord to chase after it. Don’t chase after the physical goal or plan you create in your head. Chase after the spiritual vision, chase after GOD and everything else will follow. Like with Abraham when God promised him that he would have descendants as numerous as the stars of the sky and Abraham trusted God and followed him, we have to do the same with the words and visions the Lord gives to us. Recognize the voice of the Lord and his calling and run after it with full force. Because the Lord knows better than we do with what we need and what we desire. He knows the ways he can use us and declares it as good, so why would we think anything otherwise? 

Our team leader Amanda gave a talk as well on creating good habits and starting with small steps. One habit that I want to implement is taking more breaks during school time. Oftentimes, I lock in to what I want to work on and just grind, not letting myself come up for air. But I’ve realized that just creates more burnout than any sort of productivity, so now I’m setting reminders on my phone to stand up, stretch, and breathe. 

I think it's so important to do that in everyday life too. I’ve learned that life really isn’t all that serious. Like it says in James, we are a midst that appears for a little time and then vanishes. And what is your life? It flies by within seconds. So why do we take it so seriously all the time? God’s got it under control and asks us to rest with him. To trust in him. To have joy all the days of your life and smile. Because even though life goes by fast, that doesn’t mean you don’t have time to stop, breathe, and appreciate where God has brought you. To absorb the beauty around you and thank the Lord for all the goodness he has done in your life. 

Something else that I learned this week was in the book of Exodus. I have been re-reading some of the Old Testament and have been learning so much from it! One thing I noticed was how God repeatedly tells Moses to tell Pharaoh “The God of the Hebrews.” I thought that was interesting and researched more into why he repeats that which brought me to one of God’s many used names: Yahweh. 

I had never dove into the name and the meaning behind it before. It was a sacred name that not many people were allowed to use or speak back then. Instead, they used the name Adonai or Elohim to refer to the Lord in this powerful way. Yahweh occurs more than 6,800 times in the Old Testament and appears in every book except Esther, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs. Yahweh means “I Am” “I am who I am” and “being”. The name signifies God’s existence, eternal nature, and active presence in delivering and sustaining his people. It speaks of the self-sufficiency of God and how all are dependent on him for LIFE! Remember the story of Moses and the burning bush when the Lord told Moses who he is saying “I am that I am?” Just that simple sentence demonstrates SO MUCH of God’s power and character. He doesn’t even have to utter any more specifics than that and we already can begin to understand that he is the God almighty, King of Kings, the Alpha and the Omega, Everlasting Lord.  

If you would like to look more into the meaning behind the name Yahweh, I HIGHLY recommend you read this article: https://www.biblestudytools.com/bible-study/topical-studies/why-it-matters-that-god-is-yahweh.html

It goes into further specifics on the character of God, the deeper significance of the name, and how it applies to us today!

As for updates with ministry here, we planted watermelon, spinach, and herbs in the garden! We have already spotted some small sprouts in the squash which is amazing!! The mural is also coming along. The kids have been coming out to help us frequently with whatever they can and it's been such a blessing. We’ve been able to learn more Spanish vocab and teach them how to operate the garden for when we depart. 

Coming up next weekend, we will be running an event called Fiesta day where we allow kids to use fiesta bucks that they have earned over the last week to play games and have fun. We have stations like face painting, ring toss, basketball and soccer, and other activities. The kids have been participating much more since handing out fiesta bucks every day for their good behavior. We’re looking forward to spending time with them on this day and spreading the love of Jesus to them through simple games such as these! 

For prayer requests, please pray over the health and wellness of our team. There hasn't been a time yet when all of us are fully healthy since being in Mexico. Pray over growth in our spiritual walks with God and in faith with the Lord’s workings in our lives. Pray for protection from the enemy and assurance in our authority in Christ with the truths he speaks over us. Pray for perseverance through the hard times that we experience on the mission field with lack of energy, no motivation, or worries. I thank you all for your enduring support and for continuing to read the blogs I post. I hope they touch you in one way or another and that you take something away from them that you can carry throughout the week. Love you all <3

Blessings, Hailey