Forgiveness is More than Saying Sorry.

In one of my more recent blogs I talked about how some days I can feel God everywhere and it seems like I am constantly in His presence, whereas other days I don’t feel Him at all. I had another great day with the Lord on Thursday.
 
            The day started off the same as most here at CG, woke up to the loud voices of the boys laughing and singing in the kitchen. I woke up, stumbled into the kitchen, still half asleep and ate some breakfast. Once I had given myself some time to wake up I got my journal and Bible and started to read. Two of my other teammates were out in the kitchen and we started talking about what the day was going to look like. Lexi realized that she was supposed to teach at the women’s prison that afternoon but wasn’t sure what she wanted to talk about. I suddenly felt such a strong conviction from the Lord that I had to do it. So, despite the fact that I absolutely HATE to do any form of public speaking, I volunteered. I told her I would do it and I knew exactly what I could speak about. 
 
Normally before any kind of opportunity where I have to go in front of a group of people and speak, I freak out. My heart starts racing, my palms start sweating…more than usual, and I feel completely out of control. But it was clear that in that time, God was completely in control. I had such an amazing calmness and ease, I felt confident in what the Lord wanted me to share with these women because it’s been something that I have been working on as well. Forgiveness.
 
I shared from the New Testament, Colossians 3:12-17. It is something that, over the last month or so, the Lord has seriously been pressing into my heart.
 
It reads,
            “Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. Let the message about Christ, in all it’s richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.”
 
 
After reading through the passage, I shared with them my honest struggle that I have with forgiving people in my life who have hurt me. I shared with them the grudges I still hold with against those people. I was honest and shared that I still hold grudges against certain people in my life for things that have happened years ago, but that God is working in me everyday. He’s showing me how to forgive them and how to love them despite that. It was so amazing to see these women, in physical bondage from the rest of the world, open themselves up. Declaring that they too had been selfish in the past, made mistakes, held things against people in their lives, but they were so willing to give all of it to God and change their hearts now.
 
Before we left, the girls on my team and I went throughout the room and prayed over the women there that God would really just release a sense of urgency upon these women to forgive themselves or others in their lives so that they could grow closer to God and be freed from the things holding them back in their own lives.
 
After we prayed for them, they encircled us all into the middle and began praying for us as well. Between the broken English and Tagalog, I heard these women pray into us closeness to God, mercy, grace, honor to our Father, and hearts broken for the Lord.
 
These women have made such an impact on me and shown me how true it is, that there is never a time where God will not meet you right where you at. Literally, it can be in the living room of your house, sitting at your desk, in the middle of a powerful church service, or sitting in the middle of a classroom inside of a women’s prison. 

**Also one more quick thing! There was so much that happened on Thursday and I could honestly write 4 seperate blogs about it but I don't have that kind of time! But I just wanted to post a couple of pictures from later on that day. At night I went with my contact Sharon to visit Tisoy's mom, one of the boy's at CG, at the hospital with my contact Sharon. Here are some photos!**

This is me and Tisoy! One of my favorite boys here at Children's Garden! He loves taking pictures whenever he sees a free camera!

This is me and Tisoy's mom. After having unexpected surgery at the hosptial, Sharon and I visited her at the hospital and prayed for her recovery and her family. Such a sweet woman! 🙂