Immeasurably More

By Lindsey Keith – Guatemala 2 Week 2nd Launch

Immeasurably more. Two words, that put together, speak such volumes. Some never fail to know that God will provide, that he will love, that he will comfort you. But what if there’s more? The Lord we serve provides prolifically more. He loves radically and unconditionally, and he comforts beyond comprehension. These two words, “immeasurably more” have been my phrase of focus since coming to Guatemala, a country and culture that has completely enthralled me. Ephesians 3:20-21 reads, “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations.” For me, it’s a matter of praying and knowing my words reach his kingdom, are heard, and blessings will be more than multiplied.

At the beginning of this trip, I set a goal: to be able to love like God: radically, intensely, and unconditionally. Far outside my comfort zone, I wanted to love big and love well. This kind of love is no easy task for a person who doesn’t like to be vulnerable and fears their love will not be accepted. Journaling one night searching for more to formulate, I realized love doesn’t have to be perfect, it just has to be genuine. And that hit me hard. On this trip, God wants nothing but genuine love from me and through me. This has rendered me to begin to live in the incredible freedom that The Lord provides.

Visiting the school in San Pablo for the first time I was timid, but accompanied with a sense of excitement. The second the truck pulled up and I saw the kids peeking around corners and giggling uncontrollably, I was overwhelmed with a sense of joy that I’ve never felt before. As soon as we started to talk with the kids, I felt a love that I’ve never experienced before. These kids don’t pity themselves, they don’t wish they had expensive clothes, or dwell on their situation. They carry joy in their laughter, love in their words, and excitement on their face. God was showing himself to me through these kids. The intense love I never thought I could give to a stranger occurred that day in the most ordinary of places.

That afternoon after school let out, I saw a boy standing outside of the fence and a couple girls from our team nearby. As I walked over, I didn’t know what to expect; if he said something, surely I wouldn’t understand him. Immediately we exchanged names and he began to joke, asking how I can answer him and understand, but the others are confused. I continued to explain to him that the other girls didn’t speak Spanish and definitely didn’t know what he was saying. I continued to talk and laugh with him, and in that moment, my confidence to speak a language other than my own came from God, and any timidity left fled without a trace. My ability to love on the kids so well was not my own doing, but the Lord’s. The Lord had done immeasurably more than I could have ever imagined, all in the span of a day.

Into the following days, I was shown more of who God is and what more He planned on doing beyond my comprehension. We had our first house visit and it was nothing as I expected, but entirely better. Trekking up a backstreet and into the brush, we landed upon the first place we were going to pray. A makeshift house, big enough to fit a bed with space to spare maybe one more. In it, an 18 year old boy living on his own, unable to work because he suffers from seizures. His mom had died a while ago and was left with only a semi-present father. Through it all, he stays obedient to attending the church of pastor Antonio. As his story wrapped up, it was time to pray. I bowed my head and God overwhelmed me again with the grasp of immeasurably more. I continued to pray with the knowledge that every prayer lifted up under that makeshift roof would turn into blessing poured out over that home. I no longer felt that tears of sadness were appropriate under that roof, but tears of joy. Joy in the knowledge that our God is a God of comfort and a God that provides. A God of wisdom and a God of perfect timing. A gGd that won’t forsake or abandon. How overwhelming, yet calming at once, is the awareness of the vastness of God and his power. His ability to encompass himself in the seemingly mundane, and time and time again fulfill immeasurably more.