Course Correcting Our Joy

We love sharing the ways that God is moving in the lives of our friends in Africa and within our refugee community, but we would be dishonest to report that every week is good news in our lives and the lives of those we love. Some weeks, we can be like the disciples when they returned back to Jesus after being sent out in Luke 10 - "Look at all these great things that happened!"

But what about when our refugee friends are on the brink of being homeless and our best efforts aren't helping them? What about the 10+ job applications we've worked through with desperate families in the past month to no avail? Did I mention we prayed in the name of Jesus for these things?

What about the faithful 3rd generation worker in East Africa who, after intense persecution, decided to leave the network and give up? Or the business that sparked from our PBP training that failed? What about the teenager of a 2nd generation leader who, once again, can't afford to go to school this term?

What about the family that had started showing interest in Jesus, but got pulled away and doesn't come around anymore? What about the man who stood up and walked out in the middle of a Jesus story? The Central Asian girls that bullied our daughter because she refused to mistreat the Central Asian outcast that no one else liked? What about our own moments of loneliness, discouragement, or fear?

Many of our weeks contain beautiful moments of the Kingdom that we love to share because, quite frankly, they make a better story. But they are also filled with discouraging and heartbreaking moments.

When Jesus got the disciples' "newsletter" after their first adventure in his mission, he acknowledged their experiences and confirmed the great ways in which the Kingdom had come. Then, he provided a bit of course correction for their rejoicing- "But don’t rejoice because evil spirits obey you; rejoice because your names are registered in heaven" (Luke 10:20). This is the results to relationship correction we all need from time to time. Jesus knows that there days, weeks, and seasons where the road is more painful than it is fruitful; and if our perspective and joy is anchored in the fruit, our joy will soon wither away. So instead, we anchor in knowing that we belong to the Father, that we are His beloved, and nothing can steal that joy.

About the author: Jeremy* and his family completed CPX in Kansas City in 2024 and joined All Nations then, but have been participating in training programs with All Nations since 2021.

“My wife and I have been married for nearly 14 years and we have four kiddos (ages 12, ten, eight, and two). Our main ministry focus is to create spaces for individuals and communities to thrive amidst earthly tragedies, like war and poverty. We engage with UPGs, refugees, and the impoverished with the hope of introducing Kingdom principles and good news of J. We believe that healthy, engaged family-on-mission is a potent force in the world and that our kiddos are indispensable members of our team. As a family, we love to recreate in nature, eat good food, laugh, and play games.”

* name changed for security

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