A week ago I was in Manila, Philippines. Probably just getting back to the hotel after a day filled with ministry. I went with a group of students and fellow teachers on a mission trip to work alongside Abundant Life Baptist Church in San Mateo. This was the 3rd trip I had taken there and while one of the busiest, it also one of the most encouraging, refreshing times I have had.
One of my students posted in our Facebook group (yes, every group needs a Facebook group page) a question for the newspaper, “What is one word you think of when you think of our trip?” People’s responded with words like amazing, joy, unselfish, friendship. The word that has stayed with me since last Sunday was refreshing.
Last Sunday morning during worship with ALBC, we sang a song called Times of Refreshing. Here are the lyrics:
Time of refreshing
Here in Your presence;
There's no greater blessing
Than being with You.
My soul is restored
My mind is renewed;
There's no greater joy Lord, than being with You.
This trip provided that for me. You might say, how can a mission trip where you are surrounded by crowds of people, in a poverty stricken country bring refreshment? Well, refreshment for me came in seeing the joy of the Lord on the faces of the members of ALBC, in seeing what a little love, affection, and giving can do for children (and parents) who have absolutely nothing. It came in seeing some serious praising happening each day when we were out in the communities and with the church on Sunday morning (I mean I wanted to dance… I’m a Southern Baptist can I do that?) Refreshment showed up when I was reminded of my calling, as a teacher, a teacher seeing her students learn what it means to serve and give sacrificially.
After a difficult year, this type of refreshment was exactly what I needed. Encouragement through seeing God at work in the lives of people in the Philippines. Refreshment in seeing my students choose to give of themselves for others. Reviving of my own faith.
In the past couple of days I’ve come across a couple of songs that really speak what I’m feeling. Here are the lyrics to one of them.
Say, Say by Kristian Stanfill
Some hope in what their eyes can see,
We hope in the Glorious unseen--
In a risen and returning King.
Some are chasing the treasures of this world,
We run to a Glorious reward,
The only name worth living for.
Say! Say!
Say, Say, Say you believe it.
Sing for the whole world to hear it.
We know and we declare it
Jesus is King.
Say, say, say you believe it.
Sing loud, sing like you mean it.
We know and we declare it
Jesus is King.
Say! Say!
We set our hearts on what will last,
Your Word, Your Love, Your Faithfulness,
Our hope is built on nothing less.
We open wide our mouths to praise
Let this generation raise
A song of freedom all our days.
C'mon, Say! Say!
Say, Say, Say you believe it.
Sing for the whole world to hear it.
We know and we declare it
Jesus is King.
Say, say, say you believe it.
Sing loud, sing like you mean it.
We know and we declare it
Jesus is King.
And here is a video for another:
If you want to see pictures you can look at my Facebook albums:
May you be refreshed today! Enjoy!
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