It is good to be home! And I would like to share so many great things that happened on my Cuba trip, but I will save those for a little while. I’d rather use this e-devotion to tell you a couple things that are very important to me.
Proverbs 11:25 NLT
The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.
So many people helped make this nine day Cuban excursion with purpose a reality. I will be reaching out to each person to give a report and say thank you.
But what really sticks out is the reality that none of us are ever alone. We need each other. Others refresh us. Others build us up. Others make us better and stronger. Others fill in the gaps where we can’t. Others are vital. I am so grateful for the others in my life. And you know who you are!
I am reading a book by Pastor Benny Tate, Defy the Odds, and in this book he commends the reader to stop and say thank as well as honor those who have showed up in your life. There are so many, many people I am indebted to in this way. My heart overflows with thanks.
Bigger than that is knowing that much of the outcomes will bring a blessing to each and every person who helped. Those who gave money… those who prayed… those who filled in for me back home… those who I served with… those who helped with the trip in country… and beyond. Wow!
Proverbs 27:17 NLT
As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.
I can’t say this was the favorite part of the trip, but what I am about to share may have the most lasting impact for God’s kingdom. Let me try to just give you a small piece of what this means.
Three days this week I spent time with many of the leaders of the sports ministry in Cuba and had the honor of teaching them. It was incredible, but the things I did weren’t the great or important things. It was their time together.
Tuesday night we finished up our session together at almost 10 o’clock. I was tired. These awesome people wren’t done. They talked. They laughed. They shared. They prayed. They enjoyed the time together well in to the late night.
All through these three days I watched God put them together more than this team has been in the past. Some of them lives hours away and don’t get to be together often. A few live close to each other. But for the most part this was the first time they were able to all be together for a significant amount of time.
This was amazing. I believe that God continues to build a team that will impact the world in Cuba and far beyond for the cause of Christ using sports as a tool to reach athletes, coaches and their families. They are dedicated to their mission and to doing what God called them together to do.
I saw iron sharpening iron. I heard how they are working together and how they desire to be better and stronger. I saw that come alive. It truly was amazing.
Again, thank you to all who helped make this trip a reality. Pray for the team in Cuba and pray for me as I try to get my head back on straight after seeing God do so much in a short amount of time!
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