Simplicity

I love the simplistic way of life here in Haiti. The simplest of things can bring insurmountable joy. I see this on a daily basis, whether through crafts at VBS, small conversations, or a high-five, faces light up. I realized, during a worship service, just how much I love this simplicity when it comes to my Father in heaven. In the tiniest or simplest of things, God can work in incredible ways, and I get to receive that insurmountable joy. I've come to realize just how simple some things are. For example, why we worship is so simple. The gospel story and are call to share it is so simple. God is SIMPLY incredible.

Worship is so simple. God showed me this in a powerful way while I sat in the back of a church, sweating my insides out, and pouring my heart out to God. God is who He is and that is why we worship. It is that simple. God being who He is is enough to get down on your knees and praise Him every moment of your life. God is our Father and Creator. He is our Savior and our Friend. He is all-knowing and never failing. How can you not fall in love? How can you not worship this great God? My desire is to praise Him constantly, so my prayer every morning is, "Lord, I give you my life. Take my heart. Guide it, mold it, and use it." I shared with the older kids in Bible Study at Children's Hope last week about worship. And we all repeated this truth together: Worship is giving God everything so that He gets the glory and we get the joy. 

The gospel is so simple. The Bible tells us that we need to have child-like faith to cling to it. I have had so many opportunities to share the gospel and the more I share the more simple it becomes. We are sinners. Jesus is our sacrifice. We must surrender our lives to this awesome God. We get to spend eternity with Him in heaven. It's that simple. Sometimes I get caught up in all the tiny details that I'm almost scared to share this incredible story, but it's not complicated. Jesus is our Savior and the whole world needs to hear it.

Our call is simple. We are called to love and through this love, share the gospel. It's that simple. So what hinders us from carrying this out? The call is simple, but this world is not. Darkness complicates the simplicity of the Light. For example, after the sun goes down in Haiti and without electricity, the people live in darkness. As we were driving over the mountain home from Port-AU-Prince, I watched the people walking or cleaning up in darkness. It still amazes me how they live without light. Darkness complicates things, but the Light of the World came to shine the simplicity of love.

"For the sake of Your Name, lead and guide me." Psalm 31:3

"You are my lamp, O Lord, The Lord turns my darkness into light." 2 Samuel 22:29

"For God who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness', made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ." 2 Corinthians 4:5-6

"Awesomenesses" of Haiti

1. When Brazil scored, you could hear the screams from all over the city. (Brazil's HUGE loss was a rough day)

2. I only see myself in the mirror twice a day!

3. Hearing stories and plans about God at work all around here.

4. Hearing people call me by name who I have never seen before. 

5. Being able to practice my soccer skills without being laughed at.

6. Translators being evangelists- One of our translators has a passion for evangelism. He told Mr. John Bush and I a story about how he and his mom decided to go door to door evangelizing last Saturday. Ten people came to know Christ that day. Another translator asked me for a few audio Bibles so that he could give out.

7. Being surrounded by mountains with 'Mighty to Save' running through my head.

8. Bible study with the older kids at Children's Hope. Their questions and responses are beautiful.

9. Getting picked on in a different language by great friends. (Junior, our tap tap driver, is the best at this!)

10. Fruit! Pineapples, mango, bananas, cherries, and kaneps are AMAZING!

11. Receiving love from 31 kids everyday!

12. Being in the center of God's will in a place I love. This really hit me the other day when I had spent the whole day at a medical clinic evangelizing then I came home to love on some kids. I get to live out Matthew 28:19 in some really cool ways.

13. Listening to the kids' prayers.

14. Being a part of Spirit-filled, passionate worship.

15. Sitting in a rocking chair on the front porch and watching the kids be kids and them taking care of eachother. 

16. Being outside and being able to hear worship of nearby churches.

17. Watching God transform hearts of short-term mission teams.

18. Having a dusty Bible not because it's been on a shelf too long but because it's been outside.

19. Hanging out with security guards, cooks, and translators.

20. 31 kids' laughs

21. Trying new food.

22. Being reunited with old friends/twin. (I love loving Haiti with you.)

23. Being with 31 of the most precious kids everyday.

24. Experiencing the power of the body of Christ with every mission team that comes in.

25. The amount of times I say, "Wow, God is big."

The beloved Peters kids!

Getting our tennis game on!

"And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him." - 1 John 4:16

"The Lord is my light and my salvation- whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life- of whom shall I be afraid?" - Psalm 27:1