We are back, we are back!

I know this is what everyone says, but I can’t believe it’s been so long since I last wrote! I hope all of you are receiving my newsletter updates as well because that will keep you up to date with ministry happenings. From the personal side, I am sorry to keep you waiting so long for a new blog post!

The past three months have been a bit chaotic for me. On 8 February I traveled to Jeffrey’s Bay, South Africa to be there for the start of LXP’s (The Leadership Experience) 2010 program. I spent six weeks helping out and enjoying time getting to know this year’s 11 LXP students. After returning to Butha-Buthe on 19 March we were busy preparing for our kids camp 2-5 April. My friend Nick flew in from the States to serve with us for five weeks, so we took a quick trip to Johannesburg to pick him up on 27 March. The kids’ camp was so amazing and we praise God for the help of some friends from Cape Town, Jeffrey’s Bay and here in Butha-Buthe who came to help out. The weekend after the camp Nick and I jumped back on a bus to Jeffrey’s Bay for some more time helping out and being part of LXP’s program. Nick flew back to America yesterday, and I am back in Butha-Buthe as of Thursday for a short time before heading to Jeffrey’s Bay AGAIN! I intended to stay in Jeffrey’s Bay six weeks this time also but was unable to sort out a visa for that amount of time. I was thus required to cross the border into Lesotho so I could renew my visa for another trip. In all this traveling and changing schedules and being part of different programs, I struggled to find time to sit down and write about all God has been doing in my life! But believe you me it’s been an incredible season of learning and growth in many areas. Allow me to highlight a few!

I’ve been growing a lot personally in my leadership. It was a new experience for me, the six weeks I spent in Jeffrey’s Bay at the beginning of the year. I served on staff with LXP last year, but it was under the guidance of a long-term team. This year all but a few of those staff members have left LXP to enter new seasons of life, so I stepped into a new realm of responsibility with this year’s LXP program and students. I’ve really enjoyed the challenge and have been learning so much about managing conflict, setting a godly example, really being there for my brothers and sisters in Christ, and laying down my life for the sake of God’s glory and other people’s growth. I also learned a lot through the whole experience with the April kids’ camp. Godfrey, Thandi and I were responsible for planning the whole camp, from securing a venue, to planning the menus, to making the nametags, to making the decorations. We also had the blessing of many local and out of town volunteers, so I learned a lot about hosting teams and communication to make sure everyone is on the same page and sharing the vision. God brought the perfect people to meet every need we had, and I was so thankful for all the things I learned through that experience running a camp!

Through some of the teaching sessions I had the privilege to be part of during my time in Jeffrey’s Bay I also learned the importance as a leader of finding my significance in Christ alone. If I base my confidence and sense of significance or success on anything other than Christ, I will not be the type of leader God has called each of us to be. Jesus was the perfect example of godly leadership, and his approach to leadership was influencing people by serving them. He stooped low to lift others up. This servant leadership is what Jesus commanded each of us to model in Mark 10:43-45 “Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man (Jesus) did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” As followers of Jesus we are to take on his character, and the description of his humble servant hood in Philippians 2:1-11 is a challenging commission for each of us to do the same. However, if I source my significance from what others think of me, how much money I make, or being intelligent and having all the right answers I will never be able to adopt this attitude of a humble servant I am commanded to take by Jesus Christ.

As I studied more about this I was convicted to look at my life and repent of the sources upon which I have based my significance besides the Lord Jesus Christ. I realized that my confidence has depended largely upon the approval of other people, which came mostly from my visible achievements, how well liked I was, and how “right” I was perceived to be in a given situation. Once I recognized this and repented, committing to value what God says about me more than seeking the approval of people, I experienced a deep freedom. When God’s love and acceptance (Romans 8:37-39) is my comfort, I can be ok with not having the right answer. When I remember that God knows the truth about every situation and he values the desire of my heart to do right more than the weakness of my flesh that leads me to make mistakes (1 Samuel 16:7), I can accept the criticism or dislike of others. Additionally, when I recognize that I’m called to be the servant of all, just like my Jesus, I don’t depend on the gratitude or recognition of others to make me feel fulfilled and joyful about my work. I don’t have to worry about defending myself from being “walked over” or “under-appreciated” when I chose to make myself a humble servant to everyone I meet for the sake of showing them God’s love and lifting them up. Many of us don’t associate “effective leadership” with “humble servant hood”, but I have been completely convinced by looking at the life of Jesus Christ that the two are one and the same. Please pray for me as I live this servant leadership by the grace of God in Lesotho and everywhere else the Lord takes me! I would also love to challenge each one of you to look deeper at what God’s word says about true success and significance, and his command that each one of us lead by example as humble servants wherever he has placed us. The following scriptures radically renewed my mind regarding these topics:
- Success: Psalms 1:1-3, Joshua 1:7-9, 1 Samuel 18:14, Matthew 16:25-27, Luke 12:13-15, 1 Timothy 6:6-10
- Significance: 1 Peter 3:3-4, Ecclesiastes 2:1-11; 12:13, Luke 12:22-24, Matthew 10:28-31, Mark 12:33
- Servant leadership: Luke 17:7-10, Philippians 2:1-11, Luke 22:24-27, Mark 10:35-37, Job 29:7-17

I pray these things I’ve been learning are as much of a blessing to you as they have been to me. Thank you so much for your love and interest in my journey. I promise it won’t be so long until the next time I write! God bless you.