Thailand Mission Trip Testimonies

[00:00:00] Alright, welcome everyone to the Calvary Monterrey and Jesus Famous Podcast. I'm Nate Holdridge

[00:00:17] and I'm excited about today's episode because I've got in the studio with me some young people

[00:00:24] that I admire who recently returned from an incredible missions trip that our church conducted

[00:00:30] to Chiang Mai Thailand and the region surrounding Chiang Mai. And if you haven't been keeping up with

[00:00:36] this missions trip, it probably means you're not a regular part of Calvary Monterrey, maybe

[00:00:41] you're just listening in or whatever which is cool. So let me give you some backdrop. We planned

[00:00:47] this trip to join together with with Enrich Global which is read led by David Joannies a year or

[00:00:56] so ago. And for almost an entire year, this group of 30 plus people that were going on this mission

[00:01:03] strip prepared they read books, they had prayer meetings, they learned how to share their faith,

[00:01:09] they practice sharing their faith, they prepared themselves for this mission strip. And we really wanted

[00:01:15] to make sure that this was not the kind of missions trip where a team of youth and young adults went

[00:01:20] and I don't know, painted a mural or something and then came back to the States. We wanted to make

[00:01:26] sure that something tangible was being done and that the gospel was being shared and the Lord

[00:01:32] really answered our prayers and the preparation that this team put into it. And they got to share

[00:01:38] the gospel with people who had never heard the name of Jesus before and they even got to see some

[00:01:43] results of that gospel sharing. And so the Lord did exceedingly, abundantly above all we could ask or

[00:01:50] think including having our own youth pastor and his wife decide that they want to move to Thailand to

[00:01:57] go be full time missionaries there. So we're excited about all that blessed about all that. But today I have five

[00:02:05] of the team members who were in Thailand with me in the studio today. My favorite one of all of them is my own

[00:02:14] daughter Violet Holdridge. Then I also have with me Lily Powers, Daniel Garcia, Elias Ramirez and Kristen Beal. So

[00:02:23] hey you guys, thanks for being here. You guys can say hello. We've done our mic checks. We're feeling good. The air

[00:02:31] conditioners on we're in the studio and I've confirmed that this is their first podcast that any of them have

[00:02:37] ever ever been on. So I'm pumped up for this moment. So the way it's going to go today, for those of you

[00:02:42] listening as I got three questions that they've all thought about, we're just going to go around the table

[00:02:47] and ask each question one at a time and just work through them. So the first question we're going to look at

[00:02:53] is what was your favorite moment in Thailand? What was your favorite moment in Thailand? So I'm going to start with you Violet.

[00:03:03] Yeah, so I was thinking about what I wanted to talk about and there's so many experiences. It was hard for me

[00:03:10] to just choose one, but I would say one moment that really encapsulates a lot about this trip was it was our first day.

[00:03:20] Our team had spent two nights in Chiang Mai in the main city, but it was our first day in the villages and we had.

[00:03:28] It was our first time going door to door has to house in the villages. We were praying for the elderly and the sick.

[00:03:36] We were praying for healing a lot of times. We might bring things that they needed.

[00:03:42] But the last house was two believers and that was pretty rare because all of the other houses previously they hadn't heard about God before or they didn't believe in God.

[00:03:55] And we were all just a little bit like it was a lot emotionally to handle like for our first time ever going door to door

[00:04:06] to people who had never heard about God and praying for healing, but the last house it was just very encouraging and it was a really awesome experience because we got to

[00:04:15] sing worship songs with them in Thai. We were able to share encouragement with them and I feel like we had been planting the seeds as we have.

[00:04:24] We said this a lot over the trip. We were planting seeds and we had been doing that the whole day and

[00:04:29] this last house was kind of an opportunity that we got to see what the fruit of it would look like and that was a really beautiful moment.

[00:04:38] I love that because it's kind of like you go overseas and

[00:04:44] you realize that the church is so big, you know, there's Christians everywhere all over the earth and it's

[00:04:50] it's like your home away from home to be able to see other Christians. That's a good one by look at you.

[00:04:56] It was really encouraging too because it was a couple and the

[00:05:01] older the man wasn't able to work. He had an injury, but the woman was working, but she was very convinced in her heart that she could only work six days a week

[00:05:10] and the people the other workers were like kind of questioning that because no one else in their village was Christians so they were able to share with

[00:05:17] us about that too and it was just amazing to see how

[00:05:22] firm they were in their faith and their belief in God even though they were in this situation.

[00:05:27] I love that. I love that. All right, Lily, how about you?

[00:05:31] Well, first I want to say that I was at that house too and it was really cool to see like how small the churches were there so they really cared about every single person that went there

[00:05:39] and that family stopped going to church for a few years and we just went there to like encourage them and to keep going back to church

[00:05:45] so that was really cool to see like how much they cared about all those people.

[00:05:49] Yeah, so did you kind of see that in the churches that were there just that the size was smaller and do you feel like sometimes we can lose that and like a larger

[00:05:59] yeah, we were talking about that a lot like how the church is in Thailand compared to here because there's like

[00:06:05] because there's barely any Christians there so they really like are super close knit and just care a lot about each other and

[00:06:10] super genuine in their faith. Yeah, I think we're going to get more in that direction. I think I've read somewhere that the average

[00:06:18] American church is actually like 75 people you know, that's like the average but

[00:06:24] and well, that's like a great number for like really knowing a lot of people so what

[00:06:29] but do you think there's like things you got to do if you're in a bigger church?

[00:06:33] Like how do you because you guys know each other you guys have fellowship together and friendship together

[00:06:38] so what are some other things you do to make sure that you're not lost in a big church?

[00:06:43] Well, yeah being part of the youth group really helped me like find out like find people I know here and

[00:06:51] I haven't really been a part of a life group but I think I'm going to join one and like just like being part of

[00:06:56] our smaller groups and just seeking people out like after church and hanging around and yeah awesome

[00:07:02] awesome Lily. I'll be praying for you. Yeah, thanks

[00:07:05] All right, don't you wait. Oh that wasn't your thing?

[00:07:11] Oh, that's brutal I'm a terrible host

[00:07:16] You were echoing what she said okay got it okay that was great thank you okay what Lily back to you

[00:07:25] Yeah, so my favorite moment was the last night we spent in the villages before going back to Ching Mai

[00:07:31] There was like we had finished our reaches for that day and

[00:07:36] We were gonna have like a night of worship but before that like everybody was just like practicing worship and playing games

[00:07:42] And stuff like that and there was a ton of kids running around

[00:07:44] So I was just like I'm gonna go like find these kids and just like see like how I can interact with them

[00:07:49] Because I asked them and they didn't know any English

[00:07:51] I was like this is a really cool opportunity

[00:07:53] So like by that time we'd been there for like a week or something like that

[00:07:57] So I knew like a few phrases in Thai and it was just really fun to just like sit down with them

[00:08:01] And they're like five of them all sitting around me and I'm like what's she gonna say?

[00:08:05] Like

[00:08:06] Just like trying to learn from them and just like playing with them and like dancing with them

[00:08:11] It's still like that was really fun and learning their names and the kids were there were just super fun to

[00:08:17] talk to and just like show love too and then

[00:08:20] After that once the worship was ready we all like sat together and I was just really fun to worship with them and like

[00:08:27] Get got to pray over them after the teaching and stuff like that and

[00:08:30] Just like

[00:08:32] It's really easy to feel like you belong there in Thailand because of how welcoming and like happy everybody is to have you

[00:08:37] So that was really nice and

[00:08:40] And then after that that was when we stayed at people's houses and stuff

[00:08:43] So then I got to stay at the house of one of the girls who I was sitting sitting next to

[00:08:48] So that was really fun and violet was there also for that

[00:08:50] We just like went to their house and like played with them and like they didn't know any English and we barely knew any Thai

[00:08:56] So it's really fun for us to just try to bridge that communication barrier knowing that like we all love God

[00:09:03] And it's like that's what we're connected by and just really

[00:09:06] Great experience. It was like really thrilling

[00:09:09] I'm like what what a rare opportunity this is to just like for sure be able to bridge that communication barrier

[00:09:15] Just like by both loving God and just yeah, it was really fun

[00:09:19] Was it scary at all going to people's homes that you're like?

[00:09:22] I don't know you guys

[00:09:24] I was having a blast I was like

[00:09:26] The real like we got in like it was dark already and the like this ladies just split us up

[00:09:30] So we got all God in a truck like some people in the back of the trucks and people inside the truck

[00:09:34] And we're like drove off this bumpy road. It was dark. We had no idea where

[00:09:40] So we were like no idea where we were going and nobody in the truck spoke English

[00:09:46] This is so fun

[00:09:48] Yeah, oh I love that Lily do you think that

[00:09:52] The time of your life that you grew up in and other cultures, you know overseas

[00:09:57] Do you think that that gave you like a deeper appreciation for that kind of thing?

[00:10:01] Yeah, definitely. I was like this isn't nostalgic

[00:10:03] I don't understand anything around me like

[00:10:05] Because that's what I grew up around is like not being able to understand people's conversations and stuff like that

[00:10:10] So it did kind of remind me of like trying to play with kids who don't speak any of the same language or stuff like that

[00:10:16] So it was really fun

[00:10:18] I was just super excited that I know new like three sentences. I was like I can use these

[00:10:23] I love that I love that

[00:10:25] I actually got to go to Lily's house in Hungary when she was a little girl

[00:10:30] Yeah, yeah

[00:10:33] Amazing you also had a buzz cut then too

[00:10:36] That's right

[00:10:38] vintage

[00:10:42] Okay, so that was yours

[00:10:44] You did now you did yours

[00:10:48] Glad you spoke

[00:10:50] Okay, donia what was yours my favorite moment in Thailand

[00:10:55] Um man, I have to I didn't know which one but um

[00:11:02] Let's see

[00:11:08] Okay, give us two oh both of that so one of them was during the same time that Lily talked about when we had that special church service

[00:11:17] And for me for the most part that made it special was the

[00:11:23] joy and happiness that they had of being able to

[00:11:26] praise God and

[00:11:28] Show the love and joy that they received to the people and community around them was really impacting because

[00:11:35] Here in America, it's very common like oh yeah

[00:11:37] I'm Christian. It's very common

[00:11:39] And it was very refreshing like that it's a true privilege and not a lot of people around Asian communities

[00:11:47] Have that opportunity and it was very refreshing and I just felt that joy and we were like we were singing

[00:11:52] We were jumping. We were clapping and it was just

[00:11:56] It's just a joy that you can't feel in anything else besides in Christ

[00:12:00] And that was really what brought me joy and it would made it a special moment

[00:12:05] um, and then the second moment was

[00:12:09] Teaching the little kids about the salvation bracelet um during the first village

[00:12:13] We had a VBS and it was very much improv um

[00:12:18] It made me realize that we um

[00:12:21] We should share the gospel with everyone and every single opportunity that we have and

[00:12:26] Again with the language barrier was very fun

[00:12:29] Um, and I told them eat I describe them each thing every single color and the translator would tell them and explain even more

[00:12:37] Yeah, I have it in my water bottle actually

[00:12:39] um

[00:12:41] It was just amazing and it made me realize like in the book of David Joannies

[00:12:45] Um about the gospel privilege that we have um and that we should share about it constantly

[00:12:51] um, that was just one of the good great memories that I have those two definitely

[00:12:56] Hmm. I loved seeing the photos of those VBSs

[00:13:00] Yeah, sharing with those kids

[00:13:02] They seem so hungry and open to you guys was did that surprise you?

[00:13:06] Yeah, definitely there were different to situations with the three different groups

[00:13:11] But for me it was they were actually paying attention

[00:13:14] And you could see it in their eyes. They were so desperate for something

[00:13:18] so

[00:13:19] Warming and welcoming and joyful

[00:13:21] With filled with love and that love came from Christ and it was just

[00:13:25] I can feel like you know like when your grandma gives you a hug and it just feels so good and like you feel at home

[00:13:31] That's how I could see it through their eyes and they felt like at home

[00:13:35] And it was just something really special at that moment

[00:13:37] And I loved it and I was in my heart

[00:13:39] I was just like wanting the jump and scream and I was like yes all this preparation

[00:13:44] Finally like we're here. We're actually in Thailand. So it was definitely that

[00:13:49] Do you think that the religion that they

[00:13:51] That's dominant over there kind of makes kids want to have something that's like personal and

[00:13:58] Real and like God loves you guys like it does it prepare them for that a little bit

[00:14:03] Christens nodding or head. Yeah, I think it was definitely different for them because they had a lot of like amulets

[00:14:10] Around their house and they had like bracelets and things like that and this was instead of

[00:14:15] Of it like being their actual salvation. It was a representation of their salvation

[00:14:20] so it was

[00:14:22] Something completely different for them and that was I feel like that's what called them to that

[00:14:28] And they were just with open arms and their their their their eyes and their heart and their mind

[00:14:33] They were so open and willing to listen to us and it was crazy like these Americans and things like that

[00:14:38] I was just like why would they want to listen to us even the grandparents were listening and active

[00:14:43] And they did the salvation bracelets as well in a different situation

[00:14:47] But they were so willing and that's something that that was a big shocker for me personally

[00:14:52] How special yeah

[00:14:54] Alias what was your favorite or a favorite moment in Thailand?

[00:14:59] um

[00:15:00] I have

[00:15:02] I want to share two things from the village from the second village we were at and then I have one thing

[00:15:07] I think on the first night of the first village

[00:15:10] So for the first village it was super awesome. It was a day after doing a lot of house-to-house and um

[00:15:16] That was challenging

[00:15:18] Just to what's it called have the boldness to share and with it being my first time doing it like two people

[00:15:23] I do not know especially on the other side of the world like that's that's a completely different game

[00:15:27] But um

[00:15:28] We were sitting in the back of a pickup truck and it was raining

[00:15:32] Uh, it was really warm still which was pretty nice actually

[00:15:35] but um it was me in

[00:15:37] uh

[00:15:38] Ellie

[00:15:39] Eli and Brady and we were all just talking uh talking about like how it went because we were in two separate groups while doing house-to-house

[00:15:46] And uh, it was funny because it was a nice but because Eli said

[00:15:50] If this trip gets any better, I'm gonna die of happiness. Oh

[00:15:54] That was really good um

[00:15:56] But it was super cool just to share with them and like yeah, it was just really cool to share with them

[00:16:00] Like what we were doing and how we were doing it like what we were like

[00:16:05] And like when we were calling on god

[00:16:06] Like you were talking about our struggles, which was really nice as well. Just gave us comfort

[00:16:11] And then for the second village um

[00:16:13] It was a Sunday service and we were able to

[00:16:16] What's it called? I was able to me and Brady were able to lead worship a couple times

[00:16:21] Which is really fun. Whoa

[00:16:23] So that was really cool. Brady did more than me just because

[00:16:26] I'm like

[00:16:28] I can't do it in front of people. It's really difficult. What's your what's your instrument? Were you playing guitar? Okay

[00:16:33] Yeah, Brady is better at what he knows than me, but I'm pretty good at learning

[00:16:38] So I was able to learn on the spot for the song that I played okay

[00:16:41] But um I was able to lead worship and after I did worship

[00:16:44] Um, what's it called? I was Ian

[00:16:46] Looked at me and said you want to show your testimony

[00:16:50] I was like come on man

[00:16:52] I was like

[00:16:53] But I uh I rewrote my testimony just reworded it to make it better for the translator

[00:17:00] And that was really quick. That was 30 seconds

[00:17:03] Yeah

[00:17:04] Wow

[00:17:04] So and then I did my testimony so that was really awesome. It was really um

[00:17:10] Encouraging just because they were also willing to listen and just to be

[00:17:15] Like there present at that time

[00:17:18] So that those are the two things or three things that really like my favorite things there now it seems like

[00:17:24] From what I heard about the trip there were just a lot of times where

[00:17:28] You didn't really know what was gonna happen

[00:17:30] Like like Ian throwing it out there. I would like that was it like that the whole trip just like here we go

[00:17:35] So the first the first night they were the first day we're there

[00:17:39] We went to the villages we were the first group to get thrown in the village for the first four days

[00:17:44] So that was super difficult to get acclimated to

[00:17:47] But the first village we did a VBS

[00:17:50] and it was

[00:17:51] Really really disorganized

[00:17:53] We had like one side of the school was like bubbles and like games with the balls and stuff

[00:17:58] Other side was like face painting

[00:18:00] And then in the middle was like just singing and dancing

[00:18:03] So that was really funny. And then after that they were like all right

[00:18:06] We're doing house to house now I'm like dang

[00:18:10] So yeah just when I thought I got this figured out

[00:18:13] Yeah

[00:18:14] And I'm so proud of you guys. I mean just

[00:18:17] That's scary to me, you know going house to house doing that so that's just that's really cool

[00:18:22] Yeah

[00:18:23] Thank you alliance

[00:18:25] Kristen how about you was one of your favorite things?

[00:18:28] Okay, so my moment kind of is like a split in because it kind of

[00:18:31] Interest off into two directions

[00:18:32] But it's the same idea so I thought it was really cool to dance in front of people because

[00:18:37] I'm not much of a performer and I hate performing in large groups

[00:18:40] But one thing that anyone here that worked with a Jean-Luc so past a leg when they were there

[00:18:45] I knew that a lot of her ministry involved dancing in people's homes

[00:18:49] And I never

[00:18:51] Thought that that'd be something so fun and a way to connect with people

[00:18:54] But there was one lady's house that we went to and she was in her 80s

[00:18:58] And we weren't sure what we were gonna do it was very spur of the moment

[00:19:02] You're not sure if you're gonna share the gospel or pray or get asked to leave or just what's gonna happen

[00:19:08] And so we kind of just kept

[00:19:10] Talking with her about her life and then we decided to do some dances for her

[00:19:14] And one was the one that we did on Tuesday that

[00:19:17] Some people did on stage and it was just really cool because after we were done

[00:19:22] She decided she was gonna show off some of her dance moves

[00:19:25] And it was just so cute to see this 80 year old lady connecting with us and just showing like her

[00:19:30] Ancient like ways that of her dancing that was so cool

[00:19:33] And she was so excited to do it and it was cool because a lot of the time we'd go to elderly people's homes

[00:19:39] They were just so shocked by the love that we showed them that they'd be in tears or just weeping and saying how beautiful you were

[00:19:45] And how much they appreciated us coming

[00:19:47] So it was like so cool to see someone sharing and the joy that we had

[00:19:51] And then also just dancing in front of the kids was so much fun because we went to one of the schools there

[00:19:56] And it was so weird because

[00:19:59] The school was totally fine with us sharing the gospel and even the teachers were there like listening to us

[00:20:03] And hearing and tie what we were sharing

[00:20:06] But they are like totally fine stopping school

[00:20:08] You could see like the superintendent other school in the corner in their uniforms

[00:20:11] Just watching and listening and we were just dancing and singing and tie a song about Jesus

[00:20:16] And it was so cool to do that and it just made our dance more joyful and our movements

[00:20:22] Not scary at all because it was something that we were doing together and I didn't feel scared at that moment

[00:20:27] So super cool and that was definitely like some of my most memorable moments that I'll take back

[00:20:32] There's literally hundreds. I'm sure we could all write down at least 20 or 25

[00:20:35] memorable moments

[00:20:38] But that was just something so fun that I think we probably all enjoyed so I'm hopeful that that would yeah

[00:20:46] I love that it's like

[00:20:48] The there's a language barrier

[00:20:51] But God has I think put into the creation

[00:20:55] Musical notes and harmonies and all of that and music and stuff that accompanies music like dancing is like this universal language

[00:21:03] And so you're seeing these

[00:21:05] Barriers come down with people you don't know the same language, but you are

[00:21:10] Speaking in a sense to them. I remember one time I was in India when I was like in my 20s

[00:21:15] And I was asked to do a rap song and I did it for these people who had never heard hip hop in their entire lives

[00:21:23] I had to teach this Indian drummer how to like drop a beat like and

[00:21:27] So we did a whole thing and I remember this one guy came up to me

[00:21:30] And he could he could barely speak English, but he he got out

[00:21:34] Your son like muckle jackson

[00:21:39] But they loved it so much so that's so sweet you'll never forget that for your entire life

[00:21:45] All right, just do a little time check here

[00:21:49] All right, we're good

[00:21:51] All right, thanks you guys that was great round one was good you guys ready for round two okay

[00:21:59] All right, so our second big question I wanted to ask is what is a big thing that God

[00:22:05] Tied you what is a big thing that God taught you?

[00:22:08] I love this question not what is the big thing that God taught you

[00:22:11] I don't want to put too much pressure on you because I know he taught you guys so many things

[00:22:15] But what's a big thing that God taught you that you're willing to share of course with the internet. So

[00:22:21] Violet I'll start again with you. What was a big thing God taught you?

[00:22:24] Yeah, so

[00:22:26] For me

[00:22:27] I feel like there were just countless times that we would just see

[00:22:31] All of these circumstances come together and it was really amazing and I

[00:22:36] feel like I just

[00:22:38] Have such a greater like appreciation and realization of how God is always working and

[00:22:45] like one instance of this was

[00:22:47] Our first day we went to a church service and we heard

[00:22:51] Sermon on the paralyzed man that Jesus healed his four friends

[00:22:57] brought him to Jesus through the roof and then the next I think it was two days later

[00:23:01] We went to a home of a

[00:23:04] A man who was in a motor cycle accident and he he wasn't like completely paralyzed

[00:23:10] But he he had he had a lot of injuries and like his head was dented and he had been like that for

[00:23:16] 20 years and I just remember like thinking like what in the world like this is the most like amazing parallel that we can like

[00:23:24] Tell him about and

[00:23:26] I was trying somebody suggested it to me and then I wanted to share with him

[00:23:30] And then I couldn't find the story in my Bible and then Lily just like handed me her Bible and she's like here

[00:23:35] You go and it was just like I feel like I could just see how like everything was just coming together and there was so many other moments like that on the trip that it was like

[00:23:45] such

[00:23:47] It was so much easier for me to see like the ways that God works and like

[00:23:53] I've been able to look back as well and see

[00:23:57] The ways that everything was coming together like with the big story of May

[00:24:00] Like we didn't even realize the impact we had until we talked to the other team

[00:24:04] So things like that. I just tell everybody a little bit about that because that was I know that's a big story

[00:24:10] But for people who are listening who haven't gotten to hear that story

[00:24:13] I think that's a special one. Sure

[00:24:15] So our team team one we went to

[00:24:19] This village in the lampoon province and we we attended a church service

[00:24:24] um on a Sunday and

[00:24:27] In the back there was a woman she had a skin condition her name is May and

[00:24:33] She she looked very very ill she could barely hold herself up and there was a time in the service where

[00:24:40] um

[00:24:41] Ajahn like asked for us to all pray over her so we held we put our hands on her every one prayed at the same time

[00:24:48] All in different languages, you know

[00:24:50] We were praying in English a lot of them were praying in Thai or Burmese or whatever their fluent language was

[00:24:55] Daniel was praying in Spanish and

[00:24:58] um

[00:25:00] And then we also prayed for her after the service too and you can kind of just see like the color come back into her

[00:25:06] She wasn't like it wasn't clear

[00:25:09] um in the moment like

[00:25:12] how much

[00:25:13] She was being healed physically, but you could tell that something was lifted and also

[00:25:18] um

[00:25:19] Their hearts so her heart and her husband we were able to

[00:25:24] lead them through a prayer of salvation and

[00:25:27] They made the commitment to get rid of all of the amulets and idols in their houses as well

[00:25:32] So everyone could kind of feel like this demonic like oppression almost just like leave

[00:25:39] her body and also her husband who accepted Jesus as well

[00:25:43] And it was really powerful because

[00:25:47] There was a moment when she was walking through the prayer that she wasn't able to say in Jesus name

[00:25:52] Amen

[00:25:52] She had to they had to try and get her to repeat it

[00:25:56] multiple times and then she finally did after we kept praying and the same thing happened with her husband

[00:26:02] And it was just amazing to hear like a couple days later when we were talking with team three that

[00:26:07] She was singing over and over again the song Jesus Jesus you make the darkness tremble she was saying his name

[00:26:15] Entire

[00:26:16] but and it led to you know like around 30 people as well in their village seeing

[00:26:24] Her healing and how much better she was in her life

[00:26:28] And they also believed and it's just led to so many beautiful things. So that was a really big

[00:26:34] Um, that's another example. Yeah of how God is just using every circumstance and I feel like

[00:26:40] I'm able to see that so much more now does that help you in just everyday life?

[00:26:44] You know to feel that okay God is

[00:26:47] He's in control. He's doing things. Yeah, definitely

[00:26:50] I I feel like there were a lot of things like I remember kind of walking away from that

[00:26:55] And I was talking with Tatum and we were sort of like like did we really help her or like is this just like sort of

[00:27:02] Like it just kind of felt like how do we know if like she's really healed forever?

[00:27:07] Or like okay, she got rid of her

[00:27:09] Amulets but is her life gonna get better and then like seen

[00:27:14] Now that her life is so much better and yeah, I definitely think I'm able to

[00:27:20] Realize in the moment now in my life more more often because of those experiences

[00:27:25] Yeah, there was a man in the gospel of John that Jesus touched and healed in the disciples

[00:27:31] And everybody in that era they thought if you're sick then that means that you or your parents did something bad

[00:27:38] They used sinned. That's why you're sick

[00:27:40] But Jesus healed him and he explained everybody this has happened so that you might know the power of God

[00:27:47] And I think that May's story is one of those stories where God was using her as an instrument to declare the gospel to the whole town

[00:27:55] Yeah, I'm definitely

[00:27:58] All right lily how about you? What was a big thing that God taught you?

[00:28:01] Yeah, looking back in retrospect like having just time to reflect on all that happened on the trip

[00:28:06] was really great to just see how God was like present and working and like showing me different things like

[00:28:12] One of the biggest things was like the first half of the trip

[00:28:15] I was like kind of feeling discouraged because like as the daughter of an evangelist

[00:28:19] I was like really knew how important it was what we're doing and like

[00:28:22] But I just saw how great the need was and like

[00:28:26] felt kind of discouraged because I felt like we couldn't do enough to save

[00:28:30] All those people because they're so little access there

[00:28:32] So I was like putting a lot of the pressure on myself like how am I gonna do this you know?

[00:28:38] so um

[00:28:39] I was just really feeling like burdened with like how little they knew about God, but then

[00:28:44] um

[00:28:45] Like this verse came to me that I remember to teaching from that I can share and

[00:28:50] Um because I was just thinking about the word burden and I was like wait. There's a passage passage

[00:28:54] This is my burden in its light

[00:28:55] So I remember um Matthew 11 verse 28 and through 30 come to me all who labor and are heavy laden

[00:29:03] And I will give you rest take my yoke upon you and learn from me for I am gentle and lowly in heart

[00:29:08] And you will find rest in your souls for my yoke is easy and my burden is light

[00:29:12] So those like I was feeling really discouraged that like at the halfway point through the trip

[00:29:17] And then I remember that verse. I was like that's incredible because like

[00:29:21] Like I just needed that rest in my heart and knowing that their responsibility

[00:29:25] Her the pressure wasn't on me to like um share their gospel like so well that they would get saved

[00:29:31] And like stuff like that. So the responsibility like the pressure is on God

[00:29:36] And like but there's peace for us knowing that we don't have to be good enough to do it

[00:29:40] Because God just needs us to be willing so he can work through us and

[00:29:45] um

[00:29:46] He's like

[00:29:47] Like we don't have to be worried about people's salvation

[00:29:50] Because God is so faithful and seeking people out and his love is so strong that

[00:29:55] He will seek them out for their entire life and like we only knew like people we met there

[00:29:58] We only knew them for such a short period of their life

[00:30:01] But God knows them for their entire life

[00:30:03] And this is just like one part of their testimony of God like seeking them out

[00:30:07] Is us going but it doesn't matter if

[00:30:10] Like if they didn't come to salvation that day because God is still working in their lives

[00:30:15] Even if it's not just through us. So the focus really isn't on us

[00:30:18] It's on God and how he can work and so

[00:30:22] We could just have so much peace that he's faithful

[00:30:25] And when we're doing God's work because like we know he has us here for a reason

[00:30:29] And even if we don't see a ton of salvation

[00:30:31] Um this like this labor's not in vain and God is doing such a good work that will never be able to see until we get to heaven

[00:30:38] So it was just like the story with May that was really cool that we got to see the results of that

[00:30:42] But I know we prayed for healing for so many people and

[00:30:46] I just learned that God is so faithful and even though we didn't see the results of everybody else we prayed for

[00:30:52] Um, I know we will see them eventually like once we get to heaven

[00:30:54] It's going to be so joyful when we see all these people and like the effect that what we did there had

[00:31:00] And how it's just going to keep on going and how God's going to keep working through those seeds

[00:31:05] um

[00:31:07] Yeah, so like and it just helped me

[00:31:10] Like have so much more peace with sharing the gospel and like my feelings of inadequacy and stuff like that

[00:31:15] Like really helped me deal with those because I just knew like those are really just like me like doubting if God can use me

[00:31:21] So but once I knew like God is so powerful like his like strength is made perfect in our weakness and

[00:31:27] um, yeah

[00:31:31] Yeah, preach Lily. Oh my gosh

[00:31:34] I just wondered to keep going. That was so good

[00:31:37] I mean that what you shared right there is like

[00:31:41] I would have to say it's one of the strongest foundational or pillar

[00:31:47] uh perspectives and things to understand for being used by God

[00:31:52] because you just can't

[00:31:55] bear the burden by yourself

[00:31:57] You have to trust that you're just a you know

[00:32:00] The image that Paul used when he talked about it was God has a field and I'm like a worker in that field

[00:32:08] But there's other people working that same field and I just get the honor and the privilege of doing one part, you know

[00:32:15] He said

[00:32:16] I planted a polo swatter but God gave the increase so to get that in your heart at the age that you're at

[00:32:23] That's incredible. I can tell that God is preparing you to be used by him

[00:32:27] Yeah, that was like the biggest thing that was like on my mind the whole time of the trip and like

[00:32:32] And it was also really nice like whenever I had whenever I went whenever I was discouraged or something like that

[00:32:36] The God never like left me alone in that he always like reminded me of a scripture or sent a person to encourage me

[00:32:42] And just like I never felt like abandoned or like like because we were

[00:32:46] A lot of us had doubts and stuff like that like

[00:32:49] It's God gonna use us in this way we're hoping for like is he gonna like show up?

[00:32:53] You know

[00:32:53] So it was just really great to see his faithfulness was like just reminded to me again

[00:32:58] Like all these things I knew beforehand, but like you get to see them in such a more real way once you like actually going

[00:33:04] You know, so that was like the biggest thing on the trip

[00:33:07] It's powerful

[00:33:08] Okay, that wasn't just your thing about violence right? I get to keep I get to move back

[00:33:14] How about you don't know what was a big thing that God taught you

[00:33:17] Um one of the main things that I felt that I learned or that I was taught by God

[00:33:23] Throughout this whole trip was that

[00:33:26] Everything that had happened prior to the trip was for a reason

[00:33:30] So I grew up and kind of a hard part of the city

[00:33:37] I was I had a lot of medical problems growing up

[00:33:40] For the most part. I was the only Christian on my school

[00:33:43] I only know like one or two people even now in high school

[00:33:46] I know just one girl and she comes to Calvary so it was really hard

[00:33:51] But through those hardships I was able to relate to the people and Chiang Mai

[00:33:57] I was able to share my testimony with several people and I didn't think I was gonna share it because

[00:34:02] Not everybody you know get sick and they get paralyzed and things like that which is something not common

[00:34:08] So whenever the situation came up

[00:34:10] It was like no you really are important and God set up your life a certain way for you to share it

[00:34:18] And show the love of God

[00:34:21] And the sacrifice that Christ gave and it was something really mind blowing

[00:34:24] You know, it's always like oh God has a plan for you. Um God has a plan for you

[00:34:29] um

[00:34:30] But it never really came to mind it never I'd never really saw it in action

[00:34:33] Up until this mission trip and this mission trip out of all the trips that I've gone to

[00:34:38] Was definitely most the most impactful and showed me that all of the hardships that I went through with Christ

[00:34:43] Was meant for me to share my testimony with people like me

[00:34:47] With a girl that um was the only Christian in her village and in her high school

[00:34:51] Definitely like this grandpa that was really like sad and he felt depressed

[00:34:56] He didn't feel that like joy that he had of being alive

[00:35:00] Sharing what happened through COVID even for all of us here. I know

[00:35:04] But um all of those hardships again

[00:35:07] Helped us share our testimony and share that love of Christ

[00:35:11] Hmm, so that's definitely that's so good

[00:35:14] I just I wanted to say that it was really cool to see like that one time when there was like an older couple

[00:35:20] And they commented on how healthy you looked and ever

[00:35:23] Kind of giggling but like then you use that as an opportunity to share like well

[00:35:27] I actually had to go through a lot to be here where I am and it's because of Jesus

[00:35:32] And there were a lot of amazing moments like that that you were able to just kind of integrate your testimony into

[00:35:38] Their situations and relate to them. Yeah

[00:35:40] I was really proud of how you were like actually I'm healthy because God healed me and has been faithful in my life

[00:35:45] I was like man she just turned that around so

[00:35:48] That was amazing. Yeah, that's so cool

[00:35:51] Yeah, Paul talks about to the Corinthian church he talks about how

[00:35:55] We have been comfort or we we comfort with the comfort that we have received from God

[00:36:02] So like the concept is like I can give out what I have received from the Lord

[00:36:07] So the truth of the matter is we don't go through anything in life that is only for us

[00:36:13] It's for us, but then for other people and that sounds like

[00:36:17] What God was doing through you while you were there. Yeah, that's powerful. I love that

[00:36:23] All right, Elias you're up man

[00:36:24] So what was it? What was a big thing that God taught you while you were there? Um

[00:36:29] One big thing that God taught me oh there was that he can be a polite on

[00:36:35] um

[00:36:36] Dura yeah, so the second day of the village or the first village

[00:36:40] Um, I was just going through I was just starting off in Deuteronomy. I was going to Deuteronomy 1 and

[00:36:46] um, you know as Lily was talking about there is a big burden for like

[00:36:50] Saving or not saving but like just sharing that you we won't be able to save them all

[00:36:55] We don't have that power and it's up to God and so I was reading through and it's Deuteronomy 1

[00:37:01] over 17

[00:37:03] to

[00:37:05] Oh

[00:37:06] Yeah, just 17 do not show partiality and judging here both small and great alike

[00:37:11] Do not be afraid of anyone for judgment belongs to God

[00:37:13] Bring me any case too hard for you and I will hear it

[00:37:16] And so like you don't have to take on like something that's difficult on your own you can pray about it

[00:37:21] Like in the middle of talking with them

[00:37:24] But you can still listen um, and it was just good to like hear that

[00:37:28] and then also

[00:37:30] Just during at the end of the trip. I was just thinking about it and how

[00:37:34] What's it called like I'm here. I'm

[00:37:38] available

[00:37:39] to be used by God and

[00:37:43] It was it's Isaiah

[00:37:45] Isaiah 64 verse 8 yet you Lord our Father we are the clay you are the potter

[00:37:51] We are all at the work of your hand and just being available to be molded and used in the way that God wants us to be used

[00:37:58] And not having to

[00:37:59] Push through on our own or think about it all on our own strength

[00:38:03] So that was the main thing that God taught me I love that man

[00:38:06] I can't tell you how exciting it is for me to hear a young man say I was reading in Deuteronomy

[00:38:11] one

[00:38:13] I love that and then you're quoting from Isaiah so but I'm not you didn't read from Deuteronomy all the way through Isaiah on the trip

[00:38:21] He's gonna say you had to do some actual ministry too right

[00:38:25] As well, but but I love that so you're you're just like you're getting from God in his word

[00:38:31] The perspective that you need for that moment right and I think that's one of the things that happens when we step out

[00:38:37] To serve the Lord when we when we

[00:38:40] Put our lives on the line

[00:38:42] It's like we are

[00:38:44] Preparing the soil of our own hearts for God to speak to us

[00:38:48] Sometimes we're waiting for God to speak to us and to show us things, but we're not in the game

[00:38:52] Yeah, so it's like what you're there. You are you're doing it. It's like God. I need to hear from you

[00:38:56] I need perspective. I need wisdom

[00:38:59] So I love that you feel like maybe the Lord's stirring you up to serve him more

[00:39:03] Um, I have yeah absolutely. Yeah, yeah, Lily has been inviting a lot of the Thailand team to do our reaches with her and her dad

[00:39:09] Awesome, so yeah, I'm trying to be available to do those self-dense again. That's cool

[00:39:14] That's cool. All right, Kristen. How about you? It was one of the big things God spoke to you

[00:39:19] I think that through this trip one thing God was teaching me was to be more vulnerable with the other people around you and

[00:39:27] Because I think we can get so self-absorbed that

[00:39:30] We think even like with God's plan even if we're trying to follow God's plan

[00:39:34] We're like well, how is he gonna use me in the sentence? How am I gonna do this and it can be rough because sometimes

[00:39:40] We're not going to be used and I remember that when we were going to house to house sometimes

[00:39:47] I wouldn't be sharing the gospel and I would feel like oh, I'm not doing anything

[00:39:50] Even though I was praying

[00:39:51] I still did not see like at the time

[00:39:54] How God just provides these different people and then one time when I remember I was sharing the gospel at one house with

[00:39:59] Ella and a few other people

[00:40:01] People like it wasn't just one person. I was sharing

[00:40:04] It'd be like I shared some in Ella shared some in Bryce said something at the end

[00:40:08] And it was really cool to see how that worked out because we're so we're supposed to be unified in Christ

[00:40:12] And that was something I was struggling with but also to be unified with others

[00:40:16] You need to be vulnerable with them because how can someone be unified with someone?

[00:40:20] They don't really know

[00:40:21] How can they support you if they don't actually know

[00:40:24] Like what you're going through or what you've been through

[00:40:27] So um

[00:40:28] I got to do that with some of the people on my team and that was really helpful because

[00:40:33] People can just support you in better ways because God's gonna support us

[00:40:36] But he's also going to encourage us and support us throughout there's it's so important to have people like that around you like

[00:40:43] We are called to be a light among others

[00:40:45] But we're not called to only be among them believers

[00:40:47] We should also be with each other and that was just really encouraging and

[00:40:51] Even though we have different gifts like I'm also going to be talking about Corinthians later because it's really cool

[00:40:56] Because the Corinthians like struggled a lot in their faith sometimes so I'm like oh yeah me too

[00:41:00] But um one thing that Paul talks about is how there's so many different parts of the body of Christ

[00:41:05] And just because like you can get so much into comparing and

[00:41:10] Being like well, I'm not like this. So I'm not part of the body

[00:41:13] But there's different parts and some things are like very figuratively some things are like an ear and some things

[00:41:19] Are in eye and some things are like a mouth

[00:41:21] And it's okay because they just work together

[00:41:23] But you also need to like be confident that God has you where you are for a reason

[00:41:29] And not like get judgmental over yourself or harsh and so that was really cool

[00:41:33] It's kind of a multi-folded answer

[00:41:35] But it's something that God's continuing to teach me and has been teaching me for years

[00:41:38] So it was really cool to see that grow more when I was there

[00:41:42] Yeah, being part of a body

[00:41:44] Being part of the team

[00:41:45] Yes, and that yeah, I know you're talking about like as a as a pastor

[00:41:52] You know, it's a super common issue for pastors to compare themselves with other pastors

[00:41:57] You know, and when I first started in pastoral ministry it was like

[00:42:01] It was hard to even like it was it took a few steps to even hear someone else's sermon

[00:42:06] You know, it was like get it like order a tape or something. You know and get it like mailed to you

[00:42:10] But now it's like you could listen to all the best preachers with a couple

[00:42:15] pushes on your cell phone, you know

[00:42:17] So it's like you're exposed to people that it's like wow they said that better than I

[00:42:23] Say it or that you know they're doing that better than me and

[00:42:26] But to be confident that like no this is who God made me to be I have my part to play and on this team

[00:42:33] And just because

[00:42:34] Donia's good at this or Elias is good at this I can celebrate that even if that's not what I'm good at

[00:42:41] So I love that what what did it kind of look like to be um

[00:42:45] Have that

[00:42:46] Vulnerability with people on your team is it just kind of like talking together praying together kind of saying like

[00:42:52] I'm a little freaked out right now. Like how does that how did that look?

[00:42:56] Yeah, for sure there was a lot of moments where we didn't have like

[00:42:59] I know some of the teams would do like a nightly team debrief or a morning team devotional

[00:43:04] But we were more in smaller groups with people and

[00:43:07] Just talking about like when you would share a devotional talking with other team members before with stuff that you know

[00:43:13] They never heard before so

[00:43:15] um just like showing them those parts of you so that they could support you in those moments was really important because

[00:43:23] It's okay that you have those fears um like you're not gonna never maybe be perfect or anything like that

[00:43:28] But it was just like being open with people and telling them like how you felt in that instance whether

[00:43:33] It was at a fine glorifying the God or whether it wasn't and it's hard

[00:43:37] But it was so worth it so that you could um grow through that and it was just learning to not

[00:43:44] Just learning to talk about like what really did happen in that moment and what you really felt versus like what you want people to think

[00:43:50] You felt and that was really important for just continuing to go

[00:43:55] Further on that trip and like develop further and grow from what we've done since we're just continually growing and

[00:44:01] Trying to become more like Christ instead of just being content with where we're at so

[00:44:06] Um, it's definitely something I'm still learning

[00:44:08] So it's not something I have like a dead set answer on um, but I think that's a really cool thing

[00:44:12] Yeah, that's beautiful

[00:44:14] I one of the things I'll say sometimes the people that I serve with

[00:44:17] When I'm having times of

[00:44:20] Discouragement or doubt or like I don't I'm not able to believe that God is gonna do this or that as I'll say to them in

[00:44:27] candor

[00:44:28] I need to ride and borrow your faith right now like I'm feeling

[00:44:34] Weak. I don't feel like I can see that God's doing it

[00:44:38] But I can tell you believe so I mean there I need to ride your coattails for a second

[00:44:44] All right, so the last question you guys have done awesome

[00:44:47] This is so great to hear from you

[00:44:50] The last question we're gonna look at today is

[00:44:53] How has this mission trip impacted your life?

[00:44:57] Okay, so this could be like a this could be one of those like

[00:45:00] 10 part podcast series

[00:45:02] I'm sure because I know it's impacted your lives in a lot of ways

[00:45:06] And then also there's certain things that you'd have no idea

[00:45:08] You know in 20 years you might be able to answer this question better than you can answer this question right now

[00:45:13] But I'm sure there's things that you guys know yeah God impacted me and here's a way that this trip impacted my life

[00:45:20] So if I let'll start with you again

[00:45:23] Okay, so I feel like well beforehand before the trip we read a book from

[00:45:29] David Joannies called gospel privilege and it was like

[00:45:33] It was cool to read it and you were kind of like oh yeah, yeah gospel privilege like you know

[00:45:37] We're Americans like whatever and then you go there and you just realize like how big

[00:45:44] Of a privilege we have of as Americans of knowing the gospel like for me of having grown up in a Christian home is also

[00:45:52] a privilege and I remember one instance where

[00:45:55] Leia are

[00:45:57] One of the people who is on the within reach global staff was with us and

[00:46:02] We were talking to like an older person and everyone was kind of like scared to talk and she was just like you guys like

[00:46:09] This person might never hear the gospel again. She might die before

[00:46:13] She ever has that chance again, and we were all just like oh yeah like

[00:46:19] We like you just made you realize like

[00:46:21] What an immediate need they had there and then like coming back here

[00:46:26] It's impacted my life realizing like not to waste opportunities and like

[00:46:32] Taking advantage of the privilege we have but also not just letting it go and just be like well everyone in America's

[00:46:39] heard about Christianity

[00:46:40] So it doesn't matter anymore like not wasting the opportunities and almost like

[00:46:45] Still realizing like the immediate need is still here and I feel like

[00:46:53] I'm trying to

[00:46:55] Think about that and everything I do now in my life. I love that by I mean

[00:47:02] Yeah, we in the culture that we live in there's probably not a lot of people who haven't heard the name of Jesus

[00:47:07] But they've probably heard the wrong things about Jesus or had the wrong representation of Jesus or had

[00:47:13] Jesus followers who weren't quite following Jesus in their lives. There's like so much work to do and

[00:47:19] To embrace that vision. I'd love that I'm with you

[00:47:24] All right lily how about you? What was uh, how did it impact your life?

[00:47:28] Um, I feel like I just learned so much about God in this trip

[00:47:30] Let really like impacts just the way I act as a Christian like

[00:47:35] Just seeing how much I could trust in him like like I was thinking about this earlier and I was like

[00:47:40] Oh, yeah, when you like if you go on like a zip line or something like that

[00:47:43] You trust in like the straps and the harnesses

[00:47:45] Before you get on because like people tell you you can trust them and because you know

[00:47:49] You're gonna make this big leap but then once you actually jump off and do the zip line

[00:47:54] Then you're like yeah, I trust it and you're just like having a great time

[00:47:57] Just like flying through there

[00:47:59] And that's like how the mission trip felt is like walking up the really big steps to the zip line

[00:48:04] I'm like okay better trust these straps because we're gonna do this

[00:48:08] And then and then we're like flying and it feels amazing and just like

[00:48:12] That feeling of like knowing that you can trust God

[00:48:14] And just like witnessing his power and like how he wants to use us

[00:48:19] Really makes me want to be like more bold and available for God and

[00:48:24] um

[00:48:25] And I found this first that kind of encapsulates that also from Isaiah

[00:48:30] All these things my hand has made and so all these things came to be declares the Lord

[00:48:34] But this is the one to whom I will look he who is humble and can try and spirit and trembles that my word

[00:48:40] And it's just really cool

[00:48:42] Knowing that God wants to use us and he's so powerful and he could just share the gospel on his own

[00:48:48] If he wanted to and reveal himself to people

[00:48:49] But he delights in using us and showing himself to us so that we can share him with other people

[00:48:56] And just like knowing that like if we take on the spirit of humility and just exalting God in our life

[00:49:02] That's also a big theme of like Isaiah is

[00:49:04] um

[00:49:06] Just putting God above ourselves

[00:49:08] Just knowing that like if we do that God wants to use us and

[00:49:11] Um, he's like so powerful to

[00:49:14] Do that just by ornatic with seasons stuff like that

[00:49:17] And it just made me more aware of like the presence of God and how he's like

[00:49:22] He's so with us like at the end of the great commission. It's he says like I'm with you to the end of the age

[00:49:27] um

[00:49:27] So just knowing like God is with us and we can trust in him and like

[00:49:32] Like doing it like sharing the gospel was scary definitely at times, but like like we have assurance that like

[00:49:38] This is the right thing to do and like like God is with us

[00:49:43] Yeah, I'm putting that zip line illustration in my

[00:49:49] I'm rocking that one

[00:49:52] I'll be like as lily pound

[00:49:58] How about you don't know what was uh, what was something that God uh or that that uh you're bringing home with you

[00:50:05] There's so much

[00:50:07] It's just so hard um trying to answer this question

[00:50:10] But one of the main things as I had previously talked about it made me realize that we have

[00:50:15] um a burden slash privilege

[00:50:18] Of sharing the gospel through reading the book of David Joanne's gospel privilege

[00:50:23] It made me realize the impact um that the gospel can have

[00:50:27] Um and that even though we may not be able to go to another country every year

[00:50:31] We still can do a big impact um in our home country and our home city

[00:50:36] Even with one person that it says like in the heavens, they will be rejoicing once somebody receives Christ

[00:50:42] so

[00:50:43] It was um just knowing that made me like oh I need to go home

[00:50:47] And I need to start with like working with my mom because we're starting a ministry hopefully in my home city

[00:50:53] Um reaching out teenagers which I'm so excited for

[00:50:56] um

[00:50:57] And then um sharing my faith with my friends at school

[00:51:01] It's definitely something that I struggle with a lot you know peer pressure um and then stereotypes about Christianity is definitely hard

[00:51:08] And I deal with it a lot but

[00:51:11] The last day that um we were in Thailand

[00:51:14] Um we had like this little like service for ourselves and we it was just a time of prayer and worship

[00:51:19] Because they told us that not only will we be impacted in Thailand, but we will be impacted back home

[00:51:25] so um

[00:51:27] Throughout the prayer and worshiping and everything it made me realize that

[00:51:33] I guess i'm going to start serving in ministry and I don't know where to start but um

[00:51:37] I've talked to my parents and I'm

[00:51:40] Hopefully looking towards an internship in um within reach global and talking to my parents and working with them

[00:51:45] Because we've definitely gone to mission trips to Mexico, but I feel like there's a

[00:51:50] Greater necessity in Thailand or in countries in general in Asia and I just feel so motivated

[00:51:57] I felt this joy in this like

[00:51:59] Just this exciting feeling and wanting to jump up and down when I heard about um Josh and Erica

[00:52:05] Wanting to move to Thailand. I like ran towards Eric and started jumping and I was like screaming

[00:52:09] I was so excited and that's the joy that I feel um

[00:52:14] When it was like we have this privilege of sharing the gospel and we should take

[00:52:18] Are like we should dedicate our lives to it completely

[00:52:22] um

[00:52:23] And that's something that I really felt that I was called to do even before Thailand

[00:52:27] um in the high school like

[00:52:30] Service camp, I guess you could call it um at cleanings. I had said openly

[00:52:34] um that I feel like i'm

[00:52:37] Called to start um either working like

[00:52:41] Um drying peaches or getting them and containers and things like that or actively sharing the gospel

[00:52:48] I was at that moment. I was just like i'm just gonna

[00:52:51] Whatever you give me god

[00:52:52] I'm gonna accept it and work for you as hard as I can

[00:52:55] So that's definitely one thing that impacted in my life and realizing that

[00:53:00] There's a big burden out there. Yeah, that's no small thing

[00:53:05] I love that yeah, that's god

[00:53:08] That's god stirring a calling on your in and on your life

[00:53:12] And the puttness finger on you and saying hey, I'm inviting you to do something

[00:53:17] You know for me Paul the apostle when he wrote to Timothy

[00:53:20] And I love this line. It's in to first Timothy. He says I thank god

[00:53:25] Who has counted me faithful and put me into the ministry and the reason I love that line is because

[00:53:32] His life in a lot of ways was a suffer fest

[00:53:35] I mean he went through a lot of hardships

[00:53:38] But he just looked back on it all and said i'm just so thankful that god

[00:53:42] Decided that I was faithful enough to be able to do this

[00:53:46] You know, it wasn't a holly Lou me kind of situation, but a holly Lou yeah kind of thing

[00:53:55] That's old school

[00:54:00] But just that man god has called me and put his he's inviting me into something so he's doing that to you don't you

[00:54:08] All right, Elias. How about you? What was uh something that

[00:54:12] impacted you

[00:54:13] For home on the mission strip something that impacted me is i mean it's what also what donia said with like sharing

[00:54:21] With people that are around me like at school, you know her talking about stereotypes about Christians and peer pressure

[00:54:28] And it's really crazy because there's a

[00:54:32] Christian sports thing, but i'm pretty sure mage almost every kid in there is not Christian

[00:54:37] They only go in there because they bring peace every week. Okay, so i think that's the main thing why people go in there

[00:54:43] But i mean just being able to share

[00:54:46] When i can and when you are able to

[00:54:50] Um, i think that's just also something that i've really been looking at

[00:54:54] So that's why i wanted to go on more out reaches with lily and her dad

[00:54:56] So that's really awesome that they're starting to do that and i'm able to go and then

[00:55:00] Also just sharing at school. So i've been much more open with what i believe and um

[00:55:06] Just talking about it more. So that's something that's like i've brought back

[00:55:09] Yeah, as you've been doing that have you been surprised at all at the way people have responded to you?

[00:55:15] um

[00:55:16] Yes actually

[00:55:17] I mean, i've gotten a couple like weird looks because

[00:55:21] um

[00:55:22] There's the way i i mean the way i present myself like i dress i don't dress like

[00:55:28] Like um you don't wear holy garments

[00:55:31] No, i dress i dress like the kids at my school right but i mean i don't sag

[00:55:37] That's a big plus but um

[00:55:41] But um i don't talk like them

[00:55:44] That's the main thing and i'm very thankful that i'm not doing that

[00:55:48] And i'm able to just like show that like living for god isn't

[00:55:53] Like shutting everything down out of your life like being close with people and having that that friendship

[00:55:59] Doesn't have to be only with christians because you can share and like try to help the people that

[00:56:03] Aren't christian and help them come to him. So

[00:56:06] Yeah, it's been awesome

[00:56:07] So it sounds like it's been important for you to help people see that like

[00:56:12] Believe in a jesus and becoming a christian it doesn't mean that you just become weird all of a sudden

[00:56:18] Yeah, yeah

[00:56:19] We're people too. Yeah

[00:56:22] Oh, i love that alliance. Okay, how about you christian?

[00:56:24] Okay, yeah, so it's kind of someone a way to like both what liais and violet were saying is um on this trip

[00:56:31] There are so many willing people that we're willing to hear and it's crazy because you don't have that much opportunity

[00:56:36] Growing up where people are like yeah, i want to hear all entire 45-minute story the gossel and you're like

[00:56:42] You're like you have like maybe like a minute or two and um before i went on the trip when i was in florida actually

[00:56:49] There was one girl i had been friends with and um there was a church that i went to a couple times

[00:56:54] Because i was in an internship there and she was telling me that she had never like she didn't really know like anything about

[00:57:00] Jesus or god and i didn't know what to share with her so i didn't and

[00:57:05] But i took her to church and i just really like regret like that opportunity because

[00:57:10] That doesn't come very much like where we live especially in monoray and california

[00:57:15] And um, i think it really helped me just learn like

[00:57:19] How it's really like not about us when we're sharing the gossel

[00:57:22] It's about like who god is and um just sharing a true story and because i can get so selfish or like have idols in my life

[00:57:30] And it's um

[00:57:33] sorry

[00:57:34] And it's just something we need to learn to minimize because god can like only speak through us if we're like

[00:57:40] Minimizing ourselves because that's just how it works and

[00:57:44] If he's gonna use us then we have to just constantly minimize ourselves and not worry about that fear

[00:57:50] And we don't have to worry about like always making those opportunities come up because they will just by

[00:57:55] Falling god and doing literally like what he says in the bible you're gonna stand out like in work

[00:58:00] People always are like why are you different? You're not swearing. You're not like constantly upset

[00:58:06] Like with whatever they tell you you're just joyful and willing and that's because of like

[00:58:10] Falling gods commandments like it's truly amazing and it's such a testament to

[00:58:15] Like his truths and how like

[00:58:17] Impactful they are so knowing how to take it like further past that was something that we learned to do like

[00:58:23] Constantly in Thailand like going home to home and sharing the gospel and just

[00:58:28] Encouraging them and you don't have to get super specific about your life

[00:58:31] Like maybe that's what i thought like well

[00:58:33] I became a Christian when i was three. No, it was about the story of god to someone that had never heard and there's there

[00:58:39] Is people like that in america and

[00:58:42] Being able to share with like my co-workers when i got back some like

[00:58:45] I didn't tell them everything we did on the trip

[00:58:47] But they were interested and

[00:58:49] So it's just continually being willing to share with others about how god who god is you don't have to get super personal with everybody

[00:58:57] But um, you're gonna stand out and it's just really good that we went on that trip because now

[00:59:02] I know more about how to share the gospel because i didn't know how to before because like

[00:59:06] I've grown up in a Christian family my whole life and like was very

[00:59:09] Willing to follow god but

[00:59:11] Like to hear someone that hadn't heard

[00:59:14] about the gospel

[00:59:16] Was in america was like kind of shocking so

[00:59:19] It was just really cool to do that like i said again in Thailand and i'm glad to know like how to share the gospel more

[00:59:25] So i can but yeah

[00:59:27] I love that christian. I love your heart. Thank you for sharing that with us

[00:59:31] it's like

[00:59:32] You know what you said about

[00:59:35] The way that our lives and our attitudes like people are watching us aren't they?

[00:59:40] And they see that attitude or the way we respond to adversity or authority

[00:59:45] And when they see us being different it does something to them it opens a door and i can see that with you

[00:59:51] You're such a sweet positive person so i know god is using you in that way

[00:59:57] Well, I want to thank you guys so much. It was so fun just hearing from you a little bit

[01:00:01] I feel like you were all great representatives of your whole team

[01:00:05] I know that there's so many more people that were a part of the team

[01:00:09] But it was just great to like hear these things and uh rejoice you guys feeling good about josh and america going to

[01:00:16] Thailand. It was pretty cool. Yep

[01:00:19] So we got to keep them in prayer and

[01:00:22] You know be supporting them and i can't wait to see what's next for the youth ministry here

[01:00:27] And uh what god's gonna do there but thank you guys so much my prayers are with you

[01:00:32] Thanks for hanging out with me for a little bit

[01:00:34] And for those of you that are listening to this

[01:00:37] I think that it's looking like every couple of years will send another team over to Thailand of

[01:00:44] of

[01:00:45] Teenagers and young adults

[01:00:47] And so if that's something you'd like to support or be involved in just keep your

[01:00:51] Eyes open your ears open

[01:00:53] For the next time that we have a sign up for that and begin supporting that a fresh and uh

[01:01:00] And then of course around the church you'll be hearing more and more about josh and america and their kids and the adventure

[01:01:05] They're going on in the next a few months

[01:01:08] To Thailand and we can't wait to support them. So thanks you guys so much. Thank you

[01:01:17] Everyone may hold your cheer for the jesus famous podcast

[01:01:20] And i wanted to let you know that i've decided to sunset this podcast

[01:01:26] For a couple of reasons one is just pastoral responsibilities things that are being added to my plate right now

[01:01:33] That are making it tougher to create innovate prepare and actually record for uh secondly

[01:01:42] We're having a tough time really seeing the kind of attraction that we wanted to see with this show

[01:01:50] So that's fine the lord opens doors the lord closes doors

[01:01:54] And uh my hope and prayer is that the episodes that we do have up online would be a great blessing to many

[01:02:00] For years to come we'll leave them there for folks

[01:02:04] But for us we have to think through where are we going to invest our time and energy and talents

[01:02:11] And so it just felt at the end of the day that this was not the avenue we wanted to keep pursuing

[01:02:18] So only so many minutes in the day

[01:02:21] So god bless you guys so much so thankful to be able to have this time together

[01:02:27] With you uh you of course can continue to pick us up at the calvary monoray podcast and also

[01:02:35] So many of the through the bible podcasts that i've released over the years through various books of the bible

[01:02:42] But thank you for those of you who have supported and have encouraged me personally thanking me for

[01:02:50] Some of the conversations and episodes that we've published over the years

[01:02:55] But it's just time to do a few different things and i hope and pray that you understand

[01:03:01] So thank you so much for your love and support you can continue to

[01:03:05] Read and listen to the things that i write and teach at naitholdridge.com or at calvary.com. God bless you guys

[01:03:19] You