multiplication…

Hello, ones we love, Kelly here!
I wanted to take a moment to share a quick update.
Last Sunday Adam and I had the honor of sharing two different teachings at a neighboring, Tico church.

The church is 100% Spanish speaking.
I on the other hand….
Well let’s just say… Spanish has been the hardest for me out of everyone in our family.

I’ve spent the last year bouncing back and forth between the most extreme emotions.
This ride of learning a new language has been largely bumpy for my heart.

Upon being asked, I Immediately I planned on having a translator (of course!).
Then, almost instantly, I heard in my spirit…
“You can give them something to eat.”

I knew what He was doing…
He was inviting me into a “loaves and fishes” kind of experience.
Temptations to respond like the disciples began to surface…
“But God, I don’t have enough!”
And God in His forever graciousness asked…
“What do you have?”
“Are you willing to offer out of what you do have?”
Much to the shock of my own brain, my family, friends, the pastors and the church at large here…
I said, “Yes!”

I was perfectly aware that this was going to be a POWERFUL train wreck.
I knew that attempting this teaching without a language expert would accelerate the exposure of my personal insufficiencies and weakness.
But I also knew that God was going to take the little anchovies and croutons offered in thankfulness…
And multiply!!!
And that is exactly what happened.
I prepared like I have never prepared before.
I had peace that surpassed ALL understanding.
I delivered my most heartfelt message in a manner that totally destroyed the Spanish language.
It was AMAZING!!!
In the moment I knew how terrible I was doing… but it didn’t matter.
I was doing it!

And the truth of His word NEVER returns void so I knew I really couldn’t lose.
It was incredibly powerful for my own growth.

I was blessed to be able to end with a time of ministry with Adam and my two oldest girls at my side.

God had revealed to me ahead of time that this portion would be powerful, and it was.
Many were healed and set free.
And the greatest part… my weaknesses made way for the entire church to see His greatness.

What an honor that He would choose to use me.
He never needs us but ALWAYS wants us.

After the day was said and done, I spent some moments talking with Jesus about my teaching time.
I was not hating on myself, but I was expressing in honesty that I wish I could have done better for Him.
His response was so important for me, and I think it’s a universal truth.
He tenderly expressed that…
A teaching perfectly executed is not the definition excellence…
Obedience stemming from the overflow of a loving heart is always the highest mark of excellence.
WOW!!!
Kinda wish I had spent more of my life abandoning all of my performance tendencies.
I am still very much learning about the privileges that come with being a daughter…
The invitation to SURRENDER and REST.

Just wanted to share what God is up to.
You have been so faithful to pray and partner with us, and God is moving.
Our days are filled with more than we can accomplish.
Especially as our hearts burn to make the dreams of others come true.

And as we breathe on the dreams of others…
We too are becoming more alive.
Lastly…
There is more ache here than I could ever write about.
It is taxing on our hearts.
Adam and I are often overwhelmed to the point of weeping.
We are often tempted to give too much attention to the impossibilities that accompany feeding the bellies and souls of the multitudes.
But again, He is teaching us…
God has been doing miraculous multiplications since the beginning of time.
He takes the nothing and makes it everything.
He takes the empty and fills it up.
He takes the darkness and makes it light.
And we are counting on all of these promises to be multiplied again and again with our very lives.

Learning to enjoy the ride in the midst of the risk!

Blessings of multiplication,
Kelly, on behalf of The Backward Missionaries