Olivia/UK - A “Daily Dose of Courage” & A Ceramic Cow Mug

Goodbyes: Pastor Niron at Cafechurch 

Goodbyes: Tracy & Rachel at Food Bank

Goodbyes: Myna & Ivonne at Cafechurch 

Though I'm only a little over half done with my time here in the UK, this past week was a week of goodbyes as I left my host site of the past four weeks. A few days ago, I packed up, cleaned out my room and headed off to these last few days of beautiful weather and rest at Pastor Surekha and Pastor Chrishani’s house before the next part of my internship. But perhaps I'm jumping ahead of myself...

About a week ago I got to be a part of one of my favorite things in this world: a house group. Now perhaps you think that is a strange thing for year 21 year old girl to be wildly excited about. That's fair. However, house groups have been my passion since I started leading them after high school and they are the reason I have decided to pursue full-time ministry. When done right, they are incredible for enacting change in your life, getting to learn more about God, and bringing you into healthy, strong community. I could probably wax eloquently further still on the subject but I think you catch my enthusiasm here.

I was given the opportunity to teach a leader training for house groups at my host site (like father, like daughter, eh?). The house group was product of this training and it was a wonderful thing to be a part of. It was a group of eight Iranian men who spoke mostly Farsi and only a few spoke minimal english, We sat around talked about the EuroCup final and one man played the harmonica beautifully while we waited for everyone to arrive. The group leader asked the men their reasons for coming. Through this simple question I heard several stories of lives led through Iran, Islam, alcoholism, and family trouble and out to finding God. I heard genuine and simple answers of “to learn more about God”, and one man even said that he came simply because he heard “an american lady” was coming and he wanted to know why I would come all this way just to talk with them. So sitting on a little couch, squashed between several Iranian expats and drinking tea out of a ceramic cow mug, I shared with the men the passion God has given me for house groups and the regular meeting of believers to “fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers”. (Acts 2:42-47)

The First of Hopefully Many House Groups!

Some of you may have read my previous post about being discouraged. I think that often we get discouraged when we lose sight of who we are, not simply who we think we are but who God intentionally created us to be. When I am taking part in or leading a house group, the feeling that God is saying “This is what I created you to do” washes over me. There I am in my element and I have such a clear view of this aspect of my identity in Christ. When I was taking part in this house group, I was so encouraged because I felt reaffirmed in my identity in Christ. Do you have something  similar that reminds you of your identity in Christ?

In Ephesians 2, Paul writes about our new lives in Christ and pens these words “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Being created intentionally for specific work in Christ, if that isn’t identity what is? When we lose sight of this truth, we are bound to get discouraged.Yet, God is faithful. When I was discouraged, God reminded me of one of the things that He created me to do. What do you feel God created you for?

Waiting For A Food Bank Delivery & 
Representing LPC Global Life!

All this to say, that God is working here in the big and in the little! And even greater than that he has already worked something in all of us!

And that is my daily dose of courage for you.

Much Love & Curried Chips,

Olivia Faith Sales