Serving God in Hawaii and dying to self

On Sunday I will only have a month and a half left in Hawaii.  My hope when I leave is that I’ll have served the people here the way God wants me to and that I will learn what it is that He wants me to learn.  I know my life will not be the same when I leave.   God has brought so many people in my life here to teach me things and to help me to become more like Christ! One person is Stacy Hirano.  God knew how much I needed her in my life!  She is one of the sweetest, encouraging, and godliest woman I’ve met!  I knew early on in this trip that God was going to use her to teach me so much and to encourage me and she has!

I’m thankful for the opportunities God has given me here in Hawaii!  Opportunities to serve in many different areas and to learn so much!   I’m thankful that I have been able to learn how to teach youth and how to work with youth. Not many people would have given me this opportunity. People sometimes see the outside and make judgments about a person and whether they will succeed or not.   And maybe right, maybe wrong.  People like Pastor Matt Sanders  and Cheryl and Stacy and Jeremy have given me an opportunity to learn more about the gifts God has given me, some I might not even have known I’ve had.  They have not decided I can or cannot do something but by giving me this opportunity and teaching me they have shown me I can! I will be forever grateful for that!

I’m thankful for how God has allowed me to be able to learn more so I can teach the youth here in a way where they learn more about the Bible and are able to hopefully apply it to their lives!  I don’t really have words to describe everything that’s happening and everything that is going on but I know that my life will never be the same after encountering the people here.  I know that God brought me here for a reason.  I came to help and serve the people at Waialae but I feel like they have helped me so much more!  A Pastor I know from the Big Island, Pastor Zeke Tomaselli has a saying at his church, Ohana Church.  It is “loving people to the beauty of Christ.”  At first I didn’t really understand that saying but now I think I do!  Much aloha and as my Hawaiian friends say, “A hui hou!”

Comments

  1. NinaJuly 1, 2018 at 11:11 PM

    I am so excited for you as you take advantage of the opportunities God has given you through these wonderful people. I pray that you will continue to serve God with the talents and gifts that He has given you. Just keep trusting Him and and know that He has a great plan for your life now and in the future. Love and prayers for you.

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