Despierta (Awake)

Mariam Webster defines AWAKE as follows:
Verb : to cease sleeping : to wake up : to become active again
Adjective : fully conscious, alert, and aware : not asleep

Every year for the past few years I have prayed into a word for the year. Something to focus on, a theme if you will. It may be something I want more of (Joy – 2021), or it may be something I need to remember (One day at a time – 2020), or it might be a mantra (Do the damn thing – 2022). This year (2024) the word AWAKE felt fitting.

In a means to be AWAKEned more I embarked on another trip this January through April with Adventures in Missions. This time I co-led a group of amazing young adults down to South America. Since we would be in Spanish speaking countries I decided to see what AWAKE was in Spanish. It is DESPIERTA. This felt perfect because the squad I went with was “D-Squad”.

D-Squad was AWAKE (wake up Hannah!). I know God used this trip to make these souls active for Him again! From our first evangelism opportunity at training camp, these kiddos were eager and ready to talk to people and share Jesus’ love. And that fire didn’t dwindle once we hit the field.  

In Colombia we worked along side a ministry that was a homeless shelter at night, a rehab program for men and women wanting to get off the streets, a church on Sundays, a children’s outreach and Academy on Saturdays, and community outreach on Wednesdays. They had a lot going on but were using all their resources and skills to bring Kingdom growth in Medellin. We jumped in where ever we could and even got to join a German team who was also serving with this ministry. 

Ecuador’s ministry was a restoration house for girls who are victims of human trafficking. We got to help the ministry by spending time with the girls, working in the greenhouse where they harvest uchuvas, and helping lay pavers and cement for pathways around the foundation. We also got to go into the community every afternoon and play soccer or baseball with the kids in the surrounding area of the foundation. We had a slower pace and a lot more space in Ecuador but we utilized it to become closer to each other as a squad and press into what God was trying to teach us in this season. 

In preparation for our squad, Raquel and I prayed into what God wanted this squad to be. We had a lot of amazing things spoken over D-Squad and came up with the ABC’s for D! And we grew into each of these areas in big ways.

We Abide in the True Vine. Jesus is our source – John 15:1-17
We are His Brand ambassadors. We represent Christ – Colossians 3:1-17
We Carry our Cross daily and die to self – Matthew 16:24-27
We Dwell and Delight in the Lord and in each other – Psalm 37:4 & 133:1

I don’t know about you but I want to live AWAKE. I don’t just want to be present in the moment, but AWAKE to everything the Lord is doing in every second. I want to fully abide in Him, I want to pick up my cross and carry it proudly being an ambassador for His brand, and delight and dwell in Him and others around me in this life. I am tired of settling for a life of going through the motions or just doing things because someone tells me thats what I “should” be doing. So learn from D-Squad like I did and wake up!! Start living actively for God! It’s so worth it.