Spiritual Stuff

I feel very much like the useless member of our team, because everyone else has skills and an interesting story of how God told them to come on this trip.  In my case, it was Liz who told me to come on this trip.

But Liz and I talked about it, and I realized that I have a wannabe martyr's complex.  I believe that all good things must somehow...feel bad.  I have to cry and moan and complain before something awesome happens (like my first experience in Senegal).  But you know what?  That's stupid.  I do very much believe, and now claim for myself, that God wants me to live a meaningful and adventurous life.  He wants me to be happy, to live within His rules and to pursue holiness, but that the process is supposed to be a joyful one.

So being back in Senegal?  It's awesome.  It has been so rewarding for me already.  I love talking to the new Hands On girls.  Melanie encouraged me greatly, telling me that if it weren't for me starting the relationships with Bigue, Lamba, and Mame Codou, the new Hands On girls couldn't be doing such awesome work with them in the first place.

It's given me perspective, I guess.  This is really helping me to see the whole "planting/watering/blossoming" process of evangelism.  I started the process by beginning and developing relationships with those girls.  I am not talented at sharing the gospel.  I tried, but it was not a frequent thing.  However, God is not hampered by my weakness--He brought other girls to Fatick who are passionate and eloquent and spiritually mature, and they are able to continue those relationships and water them with God's Word.

It's SO COOL. 

And there's fruit beginning to show!  So much is happening in Fatick.  A young man accepted Jesus as his Lord at a Kid's Club.  I'm pretty sure that's the first complete conversion that has taken place in Fatick the whole time the Forsythe's lived here.  Lamba is having dreams of Jesus and the Holy Spirit.  Another girl that Melanie works with had a dream in which she came upon a dead man near a stick.  She was told in the dream that if she came there alone, she would die, but if she brought someone with her, she would pass through safely.  WHAT?  How is so much awesomeness happening?

It's just so encouraging to see God Himself working in Fatick.  He really is invested in this place, and it looks like the time is coming when big spiritual changes will occur.  Not only are there positive things happening here, but there are a ton of horrible things happening as well.  Lots of people are dying in Fatick.  A lot of missionaries to Fatick are experiencing kidnappings and diseases and deaths.  God is moving here, and therefore Satan is moving, too.  That is awesome, because it means he is scared.

Anyway, it's awesome here in Fatick.  Big things are happening, and I'm so greatful that God let me be a part of the ongoing process of bringing this tribe and nation and people to Him.  I might not have had the flashy part of the process, but that's okay, because I'm not a flashy person.  But He used my weaknesses, and He grew me, and He blessed me by allowing me to do what little I can for Him.

God is good.  God is great.  And I kind of love Him a lot.