What God has taught me in Hawaii

God has taught me a lot since I’ve come to Hawaii.  He’s taught me a lot about ministry, He’s taught me a lot about myself and He’s taught me a lot about Himself.  This is something I should know and probably did know but it has just become more apparent to me here.  When you are in ministry people look at you more and hold you to a higher standard.  Things that others may be able to get away with you are not going to be able to get away with.  I think it’s good that you don’t though because it allows you to grow.  It helps you to look more like Christ and less like the world.

What I’ve learned about ministry since coming to Hawaii? Ministry is hard.  It is full of joy and it is amazing but it can also be really difficult and frustrating and make you wonder if you even know what you are doing.  There have been moments when I’ve come here that I’ve wondered why I came here, that I couldn’t possibly be the right person for the job but then there have been moments of pure joy where it is clearly evident that God is working in my life.  I have been in a few different situations the past few years and each time it’s a little harder and brings me more out of my comfort zone.  Each time God uses it to stretch me and grow me so that I am more like Christ and so that I realize even more the importance of me depending on Him moment by moment.

Ministry is also joyful.  Ministry blesses you just as much or more than it does the people you are ministering to.  It is also exciting!  When you are in ministry you find yourself doing things you never could have imagined yourself doing.  If you spend time with God getting to know Him and love Him and if you die to self and commit to serving God in whatever way He calls you and wherever He calls you He will take you to places and call you to do things you could have never imagined.  It might be scary and might be difficult and it might take you out of your comfort zone but it will be worth it.  It will stretch you and grow you and make you more like Christ and will help prepare you for the good times that God has for you.  Never forget to spend time with God and getting to know Him and His Word.  I had a mentor, Mary Kaye Wonner, once tell me that “to know God is to love Him.”  I pray we can all know Him and love Him more.  Aloha nui loa and A hui hou!

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