Christ challenges our obedience either through times of stagnancy or saturation. The week prior to leaving for the Great Adventure Tour (GAT), I was experiencing the latter. Whether it was the amount of schoolwork or the length of my to-do list I had to finish, I felt overwhelmed and spiritually unprepared. My bags were packed but my heart was filled with apprehension. The Friday before our flight I had a conversation with a brother who was also attending GAT, and he told me “we are called to be uncomfortable.” At this time I was oblivious to how much these words would resonate with me.
Our first day in San Vicente, Tarlac included meeting the families and bonding with the children of the village. For some reason, I found myself not fully engaged. I was participating in the games and activities but not to my greatest extent, not to the extent Christ called me to. After months of preparation for GAT, here I was hindered by my own shy personality.
That evening during our team meeting, we wrote challenges for one another to complete during the remainder of GAT. Many of my challenges included speaking more Tagalog, sharing my creativity and stepping outside of my comfort zone. I was thankful that Christ spoke through others in order to redirect myself towards Him, to follow Him more obediently. I was reminded of what Jesus told His disciples:
"If any man would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.” (Matthew 16:24-25)
Following Christ is never meant to be comfortable. My shyness, disguised as my pride, hindered my ability to serve and love others. To follow Christ is to follow His way of completely and joyfully loving us. Learning to be more comfortable in the uncomfortable allowed me to see GAT from a new light.
Discomfort became joy when I began acknowledging Christ in all our activities. Even when suffering came in the form of heat, fatigue and sweat, I had never experienced joy this pure and complete. A detachment of self resulted in a security in God’s love. Speaking broken Tagalog made the children laugh but led to life-giving conversations. Embracing discomfort also came in the form of being a fool for God. Rapping in front of an audience was something I thought I would never do again, but the rap sessions with the kids that soon followed were far worth my embarrassment.
One lesson I am taking away from GAT is this: Embracing my discomfort is embracing His greatness in my life. GAT has made evident that my brokenness – whether in terms of language or soul – is a worthy offering to the Lord.
[This testimony was written by Katrina Rebillaco, a member of the YCOM GAT Mission team of 2014.]
Our first day in San Vicente, Tarlac included meeting the families and bonding with the children of the village. For some reason, I found myself not fully engaged. I was participating in the games and activities but not to my greatest extent, not to the extent Christ called me to. After months of preparation for GAT, here I was hindered by my own shy personality.
That evening during our team meeting, we wrote challenges for one another to complete during the remainder of GAT. Many of my challenges included speaking more Tagalog, sharing my creativity and stepping outside of my comfort zone. I was thankful that Christ spoke through others in order to redirect myself towards Him, to follow Him more obediently. I was reminded of what Jesus told His disciples:
"If any man would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.” (Matthew 16:24-25)
Following Christ is never meant to be comfortable. My shyness, disguised as my pride, hindered my ability to serve and love others. To follow Christ is to follow His way of completely and joyfully loving us. Learning to be more comfortable in the uncomfortable allowed me to see GAT from a new light.
Discomfort became joy when I began acknowledging Christ in all our activities. Even when suffering came in the form of heat, fatigue and sweat, I had never experienced joy this pure and complete. A detachment of self resulted in a security in God’s love. Speaking broken Tagalog made the children laugh but led to life-giving conversations. Embracing discomfort also came in the form of being a fool for God. Rapping in front of an audience was something I thought I would never do again, but the rap sessions with the kids that soon followed were far worth my embarrassment.
One lesson I am taking away from GAT is this: Embracing my discomfort is embracing His greatness in my life. GAT has made evident that my brokenness – whether in terms of language or soul – is a worthy offering to the Lord.
[This testimony was written by Katrina Rebillaco, a member of the YCOM GAT Mission team of 2014.]