Well, friends, we’re at the end of 2018 and 2019 is barreling straight at us. My family and I have lived on the Rez for 17 months now…for 17 months we’ve been stretched and pushed and forced to think outside the box that we’d created for ourselves. For 17 months, we’ve learned to love outside our comfort zone, we’ve practiced boundaries where we weren’t sure they’d be accepted, we’ve looked death and darkness in the face and have come out on the other side. All the while, He’s walked alongside our family and has held our hand. The past 17 months have been monumentally life changing and oddly enough, I wouldn’t want it any other way.
As I reflect back on all the past year has brought, all the joy, sadness, bitterness, resolve and challenge-I realize how He’s been preparing us all for our life here. He’s been preparing us to make our home here, in the West…with the Navajo.
Several weeks ago, our ministry partner, Tab Smith Ministries, came out for their annual Christmas on the Rez. This is a time for pastoral training, distribution of food bags, Christmas shoe boxes (similar to Operation Christmas Child boxes), blankets for elders and fellowship with other Navajo pastors. It’s a beautiful time to see these incredibly anointed men and women give of themselves while working together to spread the Gospel to their own people. This year’s distribution day was drastically different for me. This year, I wasn’t a stranger in a place I lived. I didn’t feel out of place or uncomfortable. Many of the men and women in the room are now my friends-my brother’s and sisters in Christ. Women I have grown to love dearly; women I pray with and for, diligently. Men whom I’ve watched J believe in, fight for, pray for and love. This year, we were part of the village, not just outsiders…
Y’all, I didn’t realize the magnitude of that revelation until I sat on my couch at home and wept. You see, I needed to grieve the reality that unless God moves, we are here. This is it.
In all honesty, I love this revelation.
I was truly grieving the reality that unless you live this life, walk beside these precious people, see the struggle and injustice and oppression EVERY. SINGLE. DAY, you can’t possibly understand the reality of life here on the Rez. What an honor that my family was called to live the nitty gritty with such incredible people.
I’m so humbled by the love and laughter we’ve been given on this Wild West adventure…know what’s even more humbling? It’s not an adventure anymore, it’s our life. This. The Rez. The Navajo. This beautiful, unforgiving, dry, dusty land. It’s our life and it’s our home. My heart, my family, the trajectory of our future has all been changed by our choice to follow. J’s choice to be obedient and my choice to let him lead.
Our ministry’s mission statement says this:
The mission of Beautiful Harvest Project is to develop families who have both head and heart knowledge of their worth and identity in Christ so they become devoted believers who know, love and follow Him, impacting generations for the Kingdom.
I never would’ve imagined that in order to even scratch the surface of pressing into this mission statement, we’d need to recognize, acknowledge and allow for our own family’s destiny to be transformed. We’d have to relinquish control of our family, our marriage, our children, our ministry and give every one of those things to God. We had to choose to live a life that doesn’t make sense to most people. Some days, it doesn’t even make sense to me. Some days, I’m still unsure how we can achieve these God sized goals…and then it hits me square in the face. I can’t-He can.
See, when we go visit Alleluia Canyon for their Christmas community outreach and they have parking attendants, ushers to help with seating and active volunteers who are there to serve any way they can, I see Him moving.
When I look into Lilly, MyMike, Masani and Grandma E’s eyes and see how they love my children, my family, I know He is here.
When I text my dear friend, Hilda, to let her know we’re snowed in and I can’t get to town and she reminds me that God’s word says to use wisdom in making our choices, I feel His presence.
When I join our brother and sister, Julian and Autumn, in worship, the presence of God is all over us.
So, even on the days I’m not sure what in the world we’re doing or how we’ll do it…I KNOW He is here.
When I came here for the first time in June of 2017, I was overwhelmed with the darkness of this place. I decided on the way home from that trip I wouldn’t let the darkness consume me, I chose to see this place for the good, to see the Navajo as Jesus sees them. Every day for the past 17 months, I have chosen to live a life of abundance and not one of fear. I have chosen to love fiercely and without condition…
…and life is so beautiful, so magical, so imperfectly, unpredictably wonderful. Because I choose Him. I choose to follow. I choose to love and be loved by incredible people who love Jesus.
I am forever thankful, honored and humbled by the opportunity God’s given us.
Beautiful Harvest Project 