Discernment While Waiting

March 26th, 2013

It has been over two months since my last blog post.  I haven’t blogged for several reasons, but have longed for it like crazy.  Since I’ve last blogged, God has done some phenomenal things in the lives of me and my family.  For one, we have been able to move into a home of our own that only God could have blessed us with.  I was extremely timid when the door opened up for us to view the home as it is in a neighborhood that we know we could not afford.  We decided to step out on faith and view the home and seek the Lord as to whether or not the house was for us.  God confirmed with both me and my husband that the house was for us, but there was the one thing of the rent.  The rent exceeded what we could afford on a monthly basis.  Oddly enough, God told us to take it.  Since I’ve moved to Laredo I have learned one thing about God and that is when He tells you to trust Him, do just that.  Don’t waver, don’t second guess, and don’t try to make logic out of His instruction because His thoughts are not our thoughts.  We have to understand that we serve an all seeing and all knowing God who has our best interests at hand.  I cannot explain with my human brain why God would tell us to take a home that we cannot afford on our own, but He did and I trust Him with everything that is in me for His provision.  Choosing to step out into full-time ministry to serve God’s people has taught me true reliance on God.  Many have no idea of the tormenting thoughts that try to come my way to not trust God and His promises that He would never leave or forsake me.

Sitting here patiently waiting on supernatural provision has also taught me to trust in His discernment as well.  There are many who mean well by offering to partner up with you for ministry ventures or even instruct you to get under the leading of those who have walked the missionary path before.  I have no problem with linking up with whom the Lord leads us to, but refuse to link up with someone due to their notoriety of others.  The season that my husband and I are in is one of being separate from the distractions so that we can truly hear the voice of God.  I felt awkward as I felt as if I should have weekly reports to show people what we’re doing here in Laredo, but God told me to be still and focus on the prayer points He had given me and my husband for the city of Laredo.  What I wasn’t understanding was before we could walk the streets and feed His people, we needed to be fully equipped as we will be entering a realm of warfare that if ill-equipped would consume us.  I have become more at peace with God and His plans for me and my family and am excited to see how everything will pan out for us.  We have not given up on God’s commissioning to feed his sheep, but have directed our focus on how to properly and effectively feed His sheep.  I pray that all who read this blog is inspired by what the Lord has given me regarding sharpening our discernment while patiently waiting for His instructions.

If you are able to assist with a financial donation, we will greatly appreciate it as it assists us with properly taking care of our family and tending to the ministry needs that we do here in Laredo.  Your prayers are also needed and appreciated.

Yours in Christ,

Lakeesha Adams

lakeeshaadams@yahoo.com

P.O. Box 450514

Laredo, TX  78045

Help the Adams Family in Laredo

This is a blog that describes the different experiences me and my family have had since taking our journey to become full-time missionaries in Laredo, Texas.

Now what???

So here we are two 1/2 months living in Laredo, Texas.  There have been so many ups and downs regarding this move.  More downs than ups honestly.  I’ve been really perplexed on how many think about what full-time ministry really is.  I guess I can say that I can really understand how a preacher feels when they’re in the pulpit petitioning God’s people for offering to support the mission/ministry.  I have never been one to have to ask anyone for much of anything as I have always had a secure job to depend on.  Key word, “secure.”  Ouch, I have begun to see where my security actually was.  It should have always been in Jehovah Jireh, my provider, not my job.

For the past couple of weeks I have been repenting to the Lord for me placing my security in the wrong place.  I am really learning to understand where in the word it states that, “all things work together for the good.”  What I mean by that is that it has seemed like the bottom has fallen out from up under me, but God’s main objective was to get me to lean and depend completely on Him.  I’m at the point in my life now where I’m like, “Okay God, I get it now.  Trust you only.  Now can you please release your blessings to me?”  Just like an impatient child I know, but cut me some slack here this is the first time I’ve ever given up all I know and move to a state 17 hours away from my hometown.

As stated in my last blog posting, the plans we had for us ministry-wise here have been completed shifted.  It’s not a bad thing, it’s just starting from square one all over again.  Lord, how I would have wished we had known about this twist/turn prior to leaving Florida.  It’s too easy that way though.  One thing I’ve learned about the Lord is that He typically doesn’t work in the easy realm.  There are a vast amount of ministry opportunities here in Laredo.  My husband and I are so eager to dive in and work, but it seems as if the Lord is telling us to be still so that He can place some more tools and wisdom in us for this immense assignment He has for us.  See, our plans were pretty basic here.  Move to Laredo, help save some souls, feed some hungry people, and share God’s love.  However, God has a far more intense and better plan than our human brains could ever imagine.  Remember, His word says, “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the LORD. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.”  Isaiah 55:8 NLT

We have gone through a season of losing friends, people losing faith in our calling, and just plain loss in general.  CiCi Winans sings a song called, “It wasn’t easy, but it was worth it.”  I assume that’s what the Lord is trying to convey to me and my husband.  Answering the call is not the hard part as so many think, but maintaining faith while in the call is the hard part.  Keeping the faith when you have people who act like Job’s friends in the bible telling you that you must have missed a step somewhere, or secretly sinned that’s why your path is so difficult makes it an even more difficult task to keep your faith at its highest.  One thing I’ve learned about the story of Job that many fail to bring to light is at the very end of the 42nd chapter in the book of Job is that the Lord blessed Job after he chose to pray for his friends who actually were some of the main reasons why he toiled over the uncomfortable position he was in.  Wow, what a freeing experience that must have been for Job.  Once he chose to forgive and bless the same ones that told him his circumstances were his fault the double blessings of the Lord were released.

My prayer for my family and I regarding the drought we are currently experiencing is that I chose to focus on blessing and praying for those who somehow feel we made a wrong decision to move here.  My prayers are that they chose in exchange to lift us up in prayer as well.  How I wish they could see what we see here.  Desolation, poverty, hatred, drug abuse, sexual abuse, and so many other saddening scenarios.  I pray that when you people think of us they think about how we are out here in the trenches dealing with the spiritually oppressed that many in their own town have given up on them.  Any prayer or financial support you are able to provide is greatly appreciated.  My husband and I truly believe that God has called us good ground and if you choose to sow into us, we believe that the same blessing the Philippians reaped for sowing into Paul will be bestowed upon you.

Yours in Christ,

Lakeesha Adams

Our status since the move to Laredo

Our move from Florida to Texas was quite an adventure.  We encountered flat tires, severe allergic reaction to bug bites, my husband being pulled over by the cops who thought we were smuggling drugs in our Uhaul truck, and the list goes on and on.  At one point so many things were occurring that I began to chuckle hysterically to prevent from crying.  We made it to Beaumont, Texas where we stayed with family to get refreshed and geared up for another long day of driving through the huge state of Texas.  After 2 days of driving in the hot summer heat we finally made it to our destination of Laredo, Texas!  We were welcomed by a team from the church who helped us unpack our Uhaul truck that contained all of our possessions from Florida.  There were so many of my pictures that had broken into pieces due to the traffic stop my husband incurred in Mississippi where the cop rummaged through our truck searching for drug paraphernalia (in my sarcastic voice).  I felt like I had been torn to pieces looking at my pictures.  The Lord reminded me that obedience comes with a cost, but He is so faithful that He will repay all that was lost during the transition.  Yes I had lost precious pictures that I worked so hard for to decorate my home, but God has bigger rewards in store and He just wants me to sit tight, thank Him for what I still have, and wait for my blessing.  The first night in our new home I fought with so many emotions that I thought I was going to lose my mind.  I thank God for my husband and my close friend Jaime who rode all the way down from Jacksonville to help us move.  Jaime stayed up and consoled me and told me that she felt a peace about us being here in Laredo.  Through the tears I accepted her words and cried myself to sleep.  The next morning was even more emotional due to us having to get up and drive Jaime to San Antonio to fly home to Jacksonville.  I sobbed uncontrollably the whole morning because Jaime was my last piece of familiarity in a strange land.  I almost felt as if I were being punished and placed on a deserted island with my family.  God reminded me that my perception was warped and that I need to take this time of unfamiliarity to learn more about myself and my family.  What a weird word from the Lord.  Really God, “take time to get to know myself?”  I already know myself inwards and outwards so I thought.  I begin to learn that I need more patience, more prayer time, and the willingness to sit still and hear responses from God once I pour my heart out to Him in prayer.

It’s been a whole month since we’ve been here and I must say I am impressed at the seamless transition my children have made.  New school, new friends, new city, and they’re still upbeat and positive.  Praise be to God for that!!!  Considering we are in a completely different setting than Jacksonville, Florida my children have shown their ability to adapt to any environment that they are placed in.  I guess I can say that I have learned how to be resilient  from my children.  It seems as if the very thing that God tells us to do and we chuckle at Him about it, we end up doing it and thanking Him for it.  Earlier I stated that God told me to learn myself and my family.  I actually have done just that.  I have learned the beautiful attributes I have such as a friendly spirit and the ability to make friends easily, and the not-so-beautiful things about myself like sometimes doubting God’s plans.  Either way, I can honestly say that this move is not just for the people of Laredo like I first assumed, it has a lot to do with the process to transform me and my family into the kingdom workers God originally created us to be.  There have been so many twists and turns in the plans that my husband and I had for our stay here that we finally put our plans in the trash and told God He can take the wheel and steer us where He sees fit.  For those reading this, always remember when God calls you He may not give you all the details of the calling, but know that because they came from Him they are exactly what you need and the people He sends you to needs.  Please keep my family in your prayers as we are still standing in faith for financial support while we’re here doing a work of the Lord.

If you would like to assist financially in any way, please feel free to contact me at lakeeshaadams@yahoo.com and I can give you the organization information to send any financial donations to.

Yours in Christ,

Lakeesha Adams

“‘Not called!’ did you…

“‘Not called!’ did you say?
‘Not heard the call,’ I think you should say.
Put your ear down to the Bible, and hear Him bid you go and pull sinners out of the fire of sin. Put your ear down to the burdened, agonized heart of humanity, and listen to its pitiful wail for help. Go stand by the gates of hell, and hear the damned entreat you to go to their father’s house and bid their brothers and sisters and servants and masters not to come there. Then look Christ in the face — whose mercy you have professed to obey — and tell Him whether you will join heart and soul and body and circumstances in the march to publish His mercy to the world. — William Booth, founder of the Salvation Army

A year ago today if you would have told me that I would be packing up my family of five and moving to a remote area in Texas called Laredo, I would have laughed in your face and told you to not play with me like that.  Don’t get me wrong, I love Laredo and the people of Laredo.  It’s a couple of minutes away from the Texas/Mexico border and is full of beautiful Hispanic history and the most loveliest people you’ll ever meet.  While there I formed relationships with so many and found it extremely hard to board the plane without being in tears.  I love the fact that the people there treated me like I was someone of importance.  Pastors Luis and Lucy De Leon of the New Vision Community Church of Laredo also played an instrumental part of making it hard for my departure of my first missions trip.  Even in all of the beautiful experiences I had, moving there was not a permanent thought in my head.  Yes, I came home on fire for the things of God and could not stop talking about the loving people of Laredo and Nuevo Laredo.  It never once crossed my mind that while talking about the people, my experiences, and the work of the Lord that I did there that I had fallen in love.  I had fallen in love with being a servant.  I would be at work trying to figure out ways to be a blessing to the people of Laredo while I actually should have been working.  I talked my husband into a coma about how I wanted to go back and do the work of the Lord there (on a visitation basis only).  I talked about it so much that I even got my husband fired up to want to take his first missions trip.  In Aug. of 2011 we ventured together as a couple and within an hour of being there, my husband Devonne turns and looks at me and says he wants to move to Laredo.  After thoroughly ignoring such a monumental statement from my husband I continued to eat my meal and push the thought of living in Laredo out of my head.  Oddly enough the more I was there the more I was silently falling deeper in love with the people.  They have such a hunger for the things of God that I have never encountered in my entire life.  I have done numerous acts of servant work within my own city, but have never seen gratitude for service as I did in Laredo.  Even with having language barrier issues, my heart and spirit were able to translate gratitude.  Deep down inside I had started to settle in my heart the thought of moving to Laredo.  Of course I never told my husband as he would have packed us up once we got back to Jacksonville.  Once we got back home, my husband talked almost daily about our trip which made it even more difficult to cancel out my attempts of erasing the thoughts of moving to Texas.  To make my running away from the call even worse, I reached out to Pastora Lucy De Leon and called her to see how they were doing.  Deep down on the inside I wanted to tell her I couldn’t keep Laredo off my mind, but she never gave me that opportunity as she started talking about all of the different things they had going on and how they were excited and overwhelmed.  Wow, overwhelmed.  I understood what she was saying as I too had experienced a recent season of being overwhelmed with no help.  I became so full of compassion and was drawn to tears during the call.  While ending the call Pastora Lucy was brought to tears and said to me, “Lakeesha, you have to let go of all of the fear and trust the Lord with everything.”  Her saying that was a humongous seed planted in my heart which started a reckoning within me to truly trust God.  I told my husband about the call and he said it was time for us to pray to make the transition there as he knew the first day he was there that we were to move there as missionaries.  I had so many reservations as we don’t have savings or family support to just up and leave jobs.  On top of that we have three children that solely depend on the two of us to feed and clothe them.  I could go on with the “natural” excuses, but it still doesn’t negate the fact that I knew God was moving us and He was awaiting a definitive yes from me.  What a weight!  Our decision to move was all contingent upon me saying yes.  After months of praying and constant tugging from my husband and the Lord, I finally gave in and called Pastora Lucy to tell her we are willing to answer the call of being full-time missionaries.

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