2|11|2024
Africa has reminded me of many important things, and the one I want to talk about right now is simplicity. When you ask the Collins English Dictionary the meaning of the word, it states that the simplicity of something is the fact that it is not complicated and can be understood or done easily.
Life here is more simplistic than America-if you choose to live that way, but when we are forced into a way of living with only the bare necessities of life, we begin to realize how much people unnecessarily complicate life.
When you see someone on the streets here (or anywhere for that matter), you don’t have to think up a whole sermon, you just simply need to say hello and truly care about them. People crave relationships whether they know it or not and I am at a unique place in my life where my only focus is to grow in my relationship with the Lord and to tell other people how simple it is to accept Jesus into their life.
Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying life with the Lord is easy by any means, but once you make the decision to follow Him, it’s all you really need.
In our ministry, simplicity is reinforced in my life each and every day. Making lunch one day, which was peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, it reminded of my walk with the Lord in the way that something so simple and so easy to overlook the comfort of can taste so sweet.
The students we have the privilege to help grow deeper in their faith and musical knowledge also need the reminder that their faith does not need to be overcomplicated, but it can leave a sweet taste in their mouth each day.
We are currently doing a book study at our ministry on the book called The Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster. It is a very well written book, but it’s also really hard and somedays it makes my head hurt and my heart sad because it makes a puzzle of the message of how important Spiritual disciplines are in our walk of faith.
So as you go about your life, remember that life with the Lord is meant to be savored because He wants us to enjoy the loveliness of our journey with Him and sometimes the simple things in are the most beautiful.
Blessings in Christ,
Grace Yoder
Amen