Challenges and Growth

I met with the team that will be going to South Dakota for the first time this morning.  I am excited for the trip and it looks like its going to be an awesome team!  Throughout the morning I was challenged in many areas, but one really aligned with what God has been teaching me lately.

I've been here now for 2 years ... its been a fast and busy 2 years, but its been really great.  Lately, I've been reflecting on my past and how I've changed in the last couple years.  God has been teaching me that its ok to be who He created me to be and not who others want me to be.  He's been showing me my past experiences and how through those experiences He has molded me into the person I am today. Ultimately, He has been teaching me that my past is my past - and it can be used to help others ... its not something to hide!

This will be my fourth trip to a Native American Reservation.  I sat down last night and began thinking about this trip ... and asked myself ... why?  Why Native Americans?  Why the United States? Why?  Through my thoughts and conversations with God I realized that I have a lot in common with those I am going to minister to.  My background is much the same as those I will minister to - we come from different places, yet there is a commonality between us.

We all have a culture ... it's where we're from.  What's your culture?