A Photo With Words

Today is our Sabbath Day, which means we get the entire day to just hang with the Lord in whatever way we want! It looks different for me each time, I let Him guide me in what I should do. Today I slept in and I was sooo thankful, granted it was 6:30 am but it beats 4:30. I was the first one up so I went out into our living room with my journal and bible and just sat. We have a beautiful view of a village in a mountain and I was watching the sun peak through the clouds over the mountain mesmerized by the Lord’s work. It’s like He painted this perfect picture just for me this morning. I started to write down what I saw and I want to share it with you.

Clouds cover the mountain tops like rolling snow caps as the village is waking up at the bottom. Flocks of birds are zooming in and out, filling the air with their own language. The palm tree just outside the window creates a natural frame for this stunning painting by the Lord. Flora and fauna fill the frame as the sun beans in every crack. Jesus painted this picture just for me in this moment. He’s the perfect artist and He knows us better than we know ourselves. A butterfly just floated in front of the scene, that’s how the Lord shows me He is here. The wind is subtly blowing the trees like paint brushes for the sky. The clouds are sliding down the mountains like a peaceful avalanche.

I was engulfed in this scenery, just sitting in awe for about 20 minutes. With that being said, if I were looking at my phone, I would have missed this moment. This beautiful moment I had with the Lord. Even if I looked at my phone for second to take a photo, I would’ve missed that butterfly or the beauty of the clouds rolling. Trust me, I am a photo taker and it’s difficult for me sometimes to just capture the moment by being there but I have gotten better at that since being on the Race. Without having international data, it has given me the amazing opportunity to completely unplug and live with my friends here and experience every moment. I was unaware of how many moments I was missing by staring at my phone screen for hours a day or how many relationships that have been neglected by sitting in the same room and scrolling away on Facebook. My old Peace Corps recruiter gave me some advice that really stuck with me and it was about having a phone abroad. She said, “If I am living in another country physically, but living in the States mentally, what’s the point?” I really like that because there are so many amazing new things to experience, even if living in Nicaragua quickly became normal life for me, I never got bored of the coffee fields everywhere or the friendly faces in the local shops. 

Looking up from a screen can really change a lot. I encourage you to connect deeper with those around you and take some time away from your phone. Wake up every morning and spend time with the Lord instead of checking Twitter, it really changes the day. Sit in silence and enjoy nature, notice new things, hear new things. Travel downtown without your GPS or phone, see how much more you observe and learn. It’s so freeing. And obviously, phones are not a bad thing and that is not what I am trying to say. I love being able to connect with family from back home, post these blogs and share stories. I am just encouraging more time away from technology, I know I needed to step away from it. I have learned a lot and I am still learning! Maybe you already live life like this and if that’s the case, I would love to talk with you about your experiences and any advice you have! 

 

Thank you for reading and supporting me! 

**Prayer requests – for deep relationships to blossom at our ministries here in Costa Rica, for boldness in stepping out of our comfort zones and for immediate obedience to the Father.