Hi friends! I hope that you all had a sweet Thanksgiving with your families and friends. I want to tell you all a little about my Nicaraguan Thanksgiving experience. It was so fun!
I woke up on Thanksgiving morning about to ask the Lord to give me a thankful heart for that day. Then I realized that I do a terrible job having a genuine grateful heart for every single day. Why did I wait until Thanksgiving to choose to be intentionally thankful? 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says “in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” Since being on the race, I have realized how much I struggle to be present where I am and to be grateful for what is in front of me. I find myself constantly thinking about the next thing, when something is going to be over, or when I can go back home to the people I know and love. So I woke up yesterday and decided to choose thankfulness; not only yesterday, but every day following it, because that is what the Lord commands of us. Reality is that I am living in such a unique experience that many people do not get the opportunity to do. I have to be thankful for this season of life that the Lord has called me to if I want to live it to its fullest potential. Being away from home and comfort has been incredibly difficult, but the intimacy that it has already created for me to have with the Father has been so worth the pain. Now I am choosing to be grateful for the opportunity I have to learn how to have an intimate relationship with the Lord. My life now is fully devoted to serving the Lord and choosing the hard things, and I am so thankful for that. Now I know that when I go home I will be more equipped to serve the Lord in all that I do. And for all of this I am grateful!
Yesterday I could have chosen to be miserable and ungrateful that I was not at home celebrating a normal Thanksgiving. I was sad all week being away from home while all my friends were home for Thanksgiving break. I thought that yesterday was going to be challenging celebrating Thanksgiving in such a new environment, but since I woke up choosing a new perspective I had such a joyful day. Our whole squad made different side dishes, the interns and English missionaries made sides and desserts, and some of the Nicaraguan staff helped us as well. After everything was finished being prepared, about 60 of us gathered together for a huge Thanksgiving feast. Teenage American missionaries, missionaries from England, American adults who own the ministry, and local Nicaraguans who work as our translators all gathered together to celebrate Thanksgiving with one another. It was such a unique and sweet experience. As we sat together and worshipped after the meal, my heart was overflowing with gratitude. People from different cultures and areas of the world gathered together to celebrate an American holiday designed to give thanks. It was so beautiful! I am so so thankful that the Lord gave me this new opportunity to celebrate Thanksgiving in such a unique way. It was truly a blessing. Also we got to eat American food and dessert so that was pretty awesome.
Quick update on where our squad is headed next!! This next week we will be splitting up by team and heading to 3 separate ministries throughout Nicaragua! My team and I are headed to an Island on Lake Nicaragua and working at an orphanage there! We are sooo excited! Please be praying for us as we step into a new season apart from one another. We will all meet back up at Reap (where we have been for the past month and a half) right before Christmas for a week. Then, we are headed to a week debrief in Costa Rica. Following debrief we head to the Dominican Republic for ministry there! Exciting things are happening and time is moving so quickly! Please be praying that we will embrace every moment with one another and choose into the challenging things that the Lord has placed in front of us. Thank you for all that you have been praying for me, my team, and my squad lately! Also, I am only $100 away from being fully funded! I have until January to reach my fundraising goal. If you feel lead, you can click the link above that will take you to Adventure in Missions’ new donation platform to donate! I pray for you all at home always! I love hearing about what the Lord is doing at home even while I am away.
Much love & gratitude,
Ryann
Ryann, such a great read and reminder for us all. You are so right, we should choose to be thankful and happy every day for what the Lord is doing for us and in us!!! If we truly believe what Romans tells us – All things work for good for those who love Him – the we should, as James 1:2 says, Count it all joy. We can’t wait to hear about the orphanage ministry!! We love ya!
Yay my girl! He is doing such amazing things in your life! This is the best update I’ve read! Love you!
Hi Ry! I love hearing your updates, they have been such a challenge and encouragement to me. Praying for you and your team. Thankful that we serve a God who can do exceedingly and abundantly above all that we ask or think, and that His awesome power lives and works in and through us!(Ephesians 3:20)
Love you and miss you a lot friend!
Happy Thanksgiving, Ryann! We are thankful for YOU and how your ministry is encouraging us back home. Lots of love and prayers to you as you begin this next part of your trip.
Great attitude to start off, an intentional thankfulness. Recently studying a passage from Jonah and got this tidbit of confirming word from the Lord, “But I will sacrifice to You with a voice of thanksgiving.”-Jonah 2:8 A reassurance, salvation is from the Lord, not the things of this world we like to rest in. Praying over the new season, new ministry and the love within your team as you work with the orphanage.