Freedom In Being Vulnerable

“Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” ~ Galatians 6:2

I remember reading this in NY the night I met my team. Lets be real. I never expected to go to Africa for two months and leave with a family. Yes, I knew I would get close to people. But the friendship I built with my team wasn’t just a friendship, it became family. I was beyond stoked when we landed in Uganda and was so ready to go to orphanages, do street evangelism and feed the homeless. Pretty much everything you expect to do on a missions trip, but the Lord had other plans for Uganda. We didn’t get to do loads of mission work like we had thought we would and I kept asking God “why”

Didn’t He send us to Africa to do missions work. So why then was there not a lot of opportunities to do it?

On a sunny morning in Uganda when I was asking God these questions this is what I got.

“If you want to serve my people, you need to serve me first. If you want to teach my people about me, you need to surrender everything to me and live every day sold out in my name. If you want me to use you, start opening up your heart so it can be used. And if you want to share my love, start knowing my love for yourself.”

God wasn’t about to send me out to the people of Africa to tell them about Jesus when, first, I wasn’t truly living for him and, secondly, if my life wasn’t one that radiated Jesus.

That first started with me and my team having to be open with each other. Our past, our hurts, why we do things the way we do, our struggles and sins. We had to know each other’s hearts. Let me just tell you, when you open your heart to fellow believers in Christ and let Jesus move, freedom comes like you have never seen. The kind of freedom that brings you to tears and breaks what Ephesians call “the spiritual forces of evil.”

This kind of freedom can only be attained by the power that is in Jesus Christ. That’s what changes missions trips to be more then helping people. I now could go out and share Gods love because I was experiencing that love for myself. I could proclaim freedom and healing over someone, because I knew God was proclaiming it over me, and I could serve along side my team with love and joy because I knew them and their hearts. I will never take for granted what I got to do last summer.

I’m still in awe that I get to do it again next summer! If I would tell you something it would be this.

Be vulnerable with God and fellow believers, let Christ come into those parts of you that you have kept hidden. Let Him change you. Also.. go on a trip with Africa freedom Mission. You will be forever changed by what God does in and through you. You will also have a family that loves the heck out of you. Not just the best parts of you, but all of you and when you encounter a God and people who love like that, freedom over flows into every part of you, freedom that only He can give!

~ Mena Fox

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Mena Fox is 19 years old and lives in Southern California. Her desire is to serve full-time as a missionary in Africa. She will be going to Zimbabwe in the summer of 2020 to serve with Africa Freedom Mission’s summer leadership program. If you would be interested in supporting her trip this summer, you can do so at the following link: MENA FOX

The Quiet Place

“18 Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, 19 and after taking some food, he regained his strength.  Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. 20 At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. 21 All those who heard him were astonished and asked, “Isn’t he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?” 22 Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Messiah.”  ~Acts 9:18-22

The context of this scripture is the conversion of Saul (Paul).  Paul was a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee (Philippians 3:5).  He knew the scriptures, but, now, for the first time in his life, they were made alive.  He was seeing them from a completely different perspective.  Before conversion, he thought that in the Scriptures he had eternal life (John 5:39).  But now, he realized that the Scriptures were testifying to Christ and that in Christ, he had eternal life.

The light had come on, he was now alive proclaiming it.  But he also had to grow in his newfound knowing of Jesus.  Notice the scripture didn’t say that he was growing more and more in knowledge, but in power.  It’s also translated strength.  He was becoming more and more powerful or strong in his faith.  I imagine that this verse speaks both to ministering in the power of the Holy Spirit and to growing in strength of relationship with Christ.  It’s the latter I would like to focus on.  He was growing in strength.  Paul had the scriptures all along, but now he had the Christ in the scriptures.

 As Paul spent more time with Jesus, he was strengthened for the work to which he was called.  We cannot neglect time with our Savior – time spent basking in His presence, listening to His Holy Spirit, studying His Scriptures with the intent of knowing Him better, worshiping Him through song for who He is and what He has done, and laughing, crying and just talking with him as you process all this life has to throw at you.  For it is this time spent with Him, when no one else is watching, that strengthens us for the work to which he has called us, mainly confounding the world with the knowledge and beauty of Christ.