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Walking in the Valley

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by Amanda Cooksey, EM Summer Staff on the Navajo Reservation
Amanda and the rest of her Summer Staff team are coordinating mission trips on the Navajo Reservation all summer long, connecting volunteers to community members and serving alongside them.

Navajo Mission Trips

Megan and I had our first team at Twin Pines this past week. The team was from a Korean 7th Day Adventist Church in Dallas, Texas, and were mostly 12-16-years-old. They were driven for the Lord and were super excited to serve this community. The week started out smoothly, but a series of unfortunate events quickly unfolded, and Megan and I were faced with many frustrations, trials, and obstacles. Everything seemed to go against us this week and I mean EVERYTHING. From falling through floors, to flat tires, to stolen wallets, to exploding grills, you name it and we probably went through it this past week. There were many times when we felt defeated and exhausted from the constant trials we seemed to be facing, but looking back I can see the hand of God in every moment of this past week. Through out all of the events that unfolded I can see how the Lord was putting us in situations where we were forced to rely on him completely and forced to choose him for our ultimate source of joy. I know too often I find my joy in the present surroundings I am in. When I am on the mountain I can so clearly see the Lord and all of his blessings in my life, but when I am walking in the valley sometimes the joy seems harder to come by. There were many moments this past week that felt like we were stuck in the valley. The Navajo community and our Dallas team continued to encourage Megan and I to choose joy and not only in the moments of blessings, but in the moments of trials.

Many of the people I have met over my course of time in Twin Pines seem to have experienced a great deal of loss in their lives, yet have daily chosen to live a life of joy in the Lord despite their sufferings. There are many children under the age of 12 that are forced to grow up early, sacrificing years of carefree adventuring, to join the realities of adulthood because their parents are severe alcoholics. These people experience loss in a way I could never have imagined, yet have continued to look to the Lord. Something I heard this week from a community member was "when your praises go up His blessings come down". What a simple yet truthful statement. Yes, his blessings may not come in the form we want them to, but they do come. The Lord blesses us with community, with laughter, with friendship, but most importantly with his grace and truth. I have never suffered the way many of the people in this community have, but they continue to live a life passionate for the Lord because every ounce of their being trusts in his faithful promises to restore and to bless in abundance. Yes, Megan and I had some rough patches this week, but the Lord used these trials to show us that even in the valley we are to praise Him. He showed us that when we feel down to look up and when we feel defeated to keep rejoicing. One of the verses we turned to frequently this week was from Habakkuk 3:17-18:

"Though the fig tree does not bud
   and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
   and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen
   and no cattle in the stalls,
yet I will rejoice in the Lord,
   I will be joyful in God my Savior."

Navajo Mission Trips

This past week Megan and I learned that even in times of trouble we can choose to rejoice in the Lord. This community has suffered loss, but still they encouraged us daily with their open love for the Lord. When odd circumstances came our way our team and this community constantly pointed us back to the cross, back to the feet of Jesus so that in all times we were rejoicing and in all times we remembered the riches poured out on us so abundantly.


LEARN MORE | Reserve space now for a mission trip to the Navajo Reservation!
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