What’s Next

I want to share an image that the Lord gave me a few months back. 

 

Picture this … 

 

There are people in a palace. They are dressed up to the nines. They are standing in front of their seats as the king is entering to sit on his throne. Reverent, silent, still. 

One little girl is in the back, walking around and doing her own thing. She doesn’t know the rules. She doesn’t know she is supposed to be reverent. She doesn’t understand the rules of the situation. She begins to walk past all those that are standing and finds her way to the middle aisle, staring right down to where the king is sitting. 

Like any kid who is curious, she begins to walk down the aisle without a single care in the world. She gets to the big stairs before the throne and walks up them. She turns and looks at the crowd, they smile and giggle and look inward nervously. She then is invited into the kings lap. Content. Curious. Filled with wonder. 

She stays up there quite awhile. Up and down off his lap. Leaning back on his chest, running around the throne, trying on the crown, holding his hand, laying on the floor. Haha. Just a kid being a kid. 

 

When asking the Lord about what was next for me after the race, this is what he showed me. 

I am the little girl.

 

So often, I can get caught up in how things “should be” or what I am “supposed to do”. Culture quickly tells us the pattern to follow and we so easily get sucked in and limit God. 

 

This was the permission and freedom to not get sucked in. The permission to be curious and wander and have no fear. That there are no rules as to what has to be next. I am simply called to be obedient to the Lord. I am called to be a child of the Lord who walks right up to him, sits in his lap, is curious and not filled with fear, who doesn’t follow the rules that culture sets. 

 

The permission to sit with the idea of squad leading next, leaving all the excuses out of the equation. 

 

Holy Spirit whispered in my ear about squad leading next year while I was in South Africa. Like actually I almost told someone I was going to squad lead when answering a question, which was never something I wanted to do. It didn’t line up with my plans, so I sat with it for awhile. I was ready to go back, get a job, be in one place for more than a month. I prayed and contemplated in discernment. As I did, a growing excitement and peace came with the thought. 

 

The Lord calls and I don’t want to miss out on what else he has for me. I don’t want to miss out on the more, the journey he is paving, the unknowns, the new friends, the freedom. 

 

So that means that I am squad leading for a squad that is launching in August 2022. A bold and wild step in many peoples eyes, including mine, but that’s what following Jesus is all about. I now get the opportunity to lead a group of 17-20 year olds as they leave the states and find their own adventure with the Lord. HOW COOL IS THAT!! I simply get to live in obedience, share freedom, share joy, and walk alongside a group of youth/young adults as they find the abundance.

 

I am honored beyond belief that the Lord trusts me to disciple a group that I don’t even know. A group that will soon become family. Ahhhh. 

 

So, as I finish up my last two months on the field with L Squad, I am soaking up every minute with these people and learning as much as I can being a raised up squad lead. It’s exciting to be able to be present where my feet are, and know that the abundance is so good in what’s to come next!! I am expectant and excited into what the next season will hold! 

 

This means that I once again have to fundraise. I will be out on the field for 9 months! YAY! More details to come when I have them, but I am overjoyed just to let you in on my newest adventure with the Lord. 

 

So, as always, keep me in your prayers as we end our time here in Rwanda and head to Romania next. Also drop your prayer requests below if there are any ways I could be praying for you!! 

 

Love you all! 

 

Jacks