Chapter 5: Surprise on the Sabbath

“Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it.... there remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone sho enters God’s rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his” Hebrews 4:1 & 10

Since the beginning of the race we have been intentional about taking a Sabbath rest day. This has looked different in various places and has been a sort of trial and error. Before my perception of Sabbath was sleeping in then spending the rest of the day worshipping with my arms up in some isolated area then praying for a long time. 

I’ve discovered rest can be a hike with a few of my teammates, trying to surf while in awe of how God created waves that people can ride, or watching “A week away” (new cheesy Netflix movie... highly recommended)with my team.

Yesterday (Saturday) was our Sabbath! We had a slow morning. I woke up ate some oatmeal with chia seeds, cleaned the chia seeds out of my teeth, listened to some worship music, chatted with a teammate, and then we were set to go to the Parque Central (Central Park) in the afternoon. We got there and it was pretty chill. A big concrete open area, a white and green painted pavilion, and a beautiful Catholic Church. There were some vendors on one of the side streets selling bracelets, baseballs made out of rocks, and cute crocheted keychains. I started chatting with one of the vendors, Robert*, and was praying for him. The lady from the booth next to him was coming closer and after I was done praying for him I asked about her. Her name is Chelsey* and she told me she was a Jehovah’s witness and I asked her if she needed prayer for anything. She said her business and world peace. I put my hand on her shoulder and began to pray. Confident the Spirit was working... in the things she had requested but also the inconsistencies of her faith. Afterward she exclaimed the pain in her shoulder had gone! I was like what?!? I didn’t even pray for that but the Spirt knew exactly what to do. We rejoiced in what God did in that moment and gave a good ol’ “Gloria a Dios” (Glory to God) God is so good! Thinking I didn’t have the gift of healing or thinking God was withholding gifts of the Holy Spirit from me I have now seen God will give us the gifts of the Holy Spirit when NEEDED. Not when we want them. For him be the glory forever Amen.

This is only chapter 5 of a 6 chapter story! Check out chapter 1 (my teammate Jenn) and chapter 6 is being written today!! (https://victoriagroves.theworldrace.org/) 

Chapter 1: https://jennparis.theworldrace.org/ 

*Names have been changed for privacy purposes