Pt 1 of 2 | Forgot to Water

Newsletter - Ministry Update - Part 1

Danielle here...

The past few weeks have been good with its usual highs and lows. Specifically related to what we are doing here and what my (Danielle) role or roles should be or look like.

The more Dan and I have pressed in, the more we realized (really how Holy Spirit revealed to us) we’ve been holding back.

You see, God brought us back here to Kona when we least expected it and when we thought it just wasn’t going to happen. We assumed it must mean Utah and therefore started preparing for that ministry. But we did come back. He opened the door for us to be here. In Kona.

So last week when tension, confusion and stress level rose, we paused—thankfully we paused—pressed in with the Lord and sought guidance. He showed us we were dry. We had been keeping one foot here in Kona while keeping the other foot in Utah. We did this in our own strength however with good intentions as to not lose sight of the Utah vision while we remain here in Kona. AS IF God can’t move forward on HIS own plans in Utah without our help! Goodness, hello pride.

But He’s gentle. He reminded us to bloom where you are planted, plant deep roots but be willing to be uprooted.

So, how have we been dry?

We’ve put too much emphasis and focus on the vision or ministry. Too much focus on the ideas, provision, and planning. We’ve misplaced our focus on the One. The One who is the author and finisher of our faith. The One who is and was and is to come. The One who invites us to abide in Him. The One who knows all our needs before we ask. The One who loves us with an everlasting love! The Alpha and Omega.

Our focus and ministry is Him—it has to be!! We’re just to die to ourselves, to surrender our lives before the One who has given His life for US! We’re to become like him, to envelope his goodness, mercy, and love… to walk out the heart of forgiveness and kingdom passion. He promises that if we come to Him and drink from His well, we will never thirst and never run dry.

Yesterday, after returning from the prayer room to our little apartment, I noticed our only living plant in our house was dry. I had been forgetting to water it. The ends of the leaves were now brittle. It was wilting and the usual bright pink flowers were now fading, losing their brilliance.

Perspective.

God is good like that and uses so much of the world around us to speak His truth into our hearts.

I picked up the plant, carefully watered it, today it is springing back to life.

Because we’ve said YES to Jesus, He has literally become living water in us and will, and does bring us back to life, offering all the brilliance of growing, maturing and flourishing in Him.

So, while we are called to Utah, His timing is not ours. We are here, in Kona, with YWAM, planting, and watering so our roots may go deep fully knowing HE will pull us out when the time is ready.

Oh Jesus, may we abide in you always.