Life across the Border.

Oh goodness, my brain is a swirly mess of meaningless thoughts, deep insights, and joy. The fast few weeks have been ones chocked full of emotion and memories with special people.
I crossed the border last week to spend nine days in desolate villages desperate for medical care and the love of Jesus. It was a breathtaking time of giving and pouring out into His loved people. Our team was able to come in contact with a myriad of people, ranging in age... all with smiles as wide as the sea, and happiness leaking out from their eyes. The language barrier seemed to fade away with each tight embrace and look of thanks. At the end of each day, exhaustion set in and our team looked grimy and rugged. Looking at pictures from the week, I'm beginning to think that's when Jesus saw us as most beautiful. The sweat, the dirt, the wrinkles, the frizz... it's a sign of service, of sacrifice, of love. In our messiness, we were able to lift up praises and beg Jesus for healing... play with children in the sand and dirt... cry with mothers... rejoice with men as they receive glasses and are able to read... smile at the sweet baby with sad eyes... watch families do back-breaking work for close to no payment... meet fellow believers and offer up our humble worship in separate languages... and laugh with excitement at the thought of making more memories as a team.
Our messiness is God's beautiful. I one hundred percent believe that with my whole heart.
I saw, experienced, and felt things this last week that will forever have an impact on the way I serve my incredible Jesus. I was taught that messiness is OKAY. In fact, it's beautiful. God USES messiness. While physical messiness is very much included in this, and there is incredible beauty in allowing yourself to literally sit in dirt, slave in the sun, and get paint in your hair... I'm talking about the deep, ugly messiness that we all carry. The secret, most intimate parts of us that are scary, painful, shameful, and vulnerable. The MESSY parts. I saw this week that God wants those parts of us, too. He wants those scary, painful, shameful, vulnerable pieces of us. I saw the RAW beauty that comes from allowing God to have complete control over a life, even the messy parts.
Messy is beautiful. God works in messiness.
I think also of our team. Ten BREATHTAKING girls who journeyed together across the border to serve. God orchestrated moments, memories, and conversations that I never could've dreamed or planned. Because of His love for us, He allowed our team to grow together and enjoy time spent with one another. Our team consists of a small but fierce "ghetto" sweetie, an organized leader who does a legit British accent, a master story-teller with a heart for service, a Happy Birthday song genius with a perpetual smile, the hardest worker I know who literally had to be pulled away to rest, the gentle and quiet spirit from Africa with the cutest laugh, the most precious and lovely nursing student who didn't know gray cows existed, a prayer leader who fought for unity, a witty and hilariously funny random thinker who never complained... and yours truly. They blessed my socks off. Whether I was hurdled over laughing on car rides, or lifting my hands in worship during the unplanned worship times... this team was so perfectly put together by our God. There was growth. There was messiness. There was friendship. There was love. There was joy. There was peace. There was unity. There was togetherness. There was service. There was hope. There was LIFE.

I am realizing that my thoughts are kind of all over the place... not eloquently stated or planned. I just sat down and started to write. It's well... messy. But I pray you see the beauty of our Savior through this post. The absolute, undeniable beauty of a GOOD God who allowed a team of girls to serve Him in Mexico and will be forever changed.

A HUGE thanks to the beautiful team of girls, but an ever bigger thanks to the God of the Universe. The people You created, both here and in lands far away... leak of Your glory. Thank you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

LOVE,
Alyssa

P.S. Photo Credit~ the amazing CP