Heirs of the Father

        In March, the four of us missionaries had a chance to take a step back and refresh ourselves on who we are in the Eyes of God the Father through a retreat just for us. Our retreat leader took a completely new spin on the Parable of the Prodigal Son! We were each handed our own copy of Henri Nouwen’s The Return of the Prodigal Son and were led through it in the perspectives of the younger son, the elder son, and the father. It blew my mind and I highly recommend any of you reading this blog to check out the book! Through it, I learned that even though the elder son never physically left home, he spiritually “left home” in believing that his father favored his brother more than himself. The envy, anger, and sadness that resulted from this belief paved the road away from his father’s heart. I was reminded of the basic truths that I am good, lovable, and an heir to the Kingdom of heaven. You may think that as a missionary I had no need of being told these basic truths, but living a life of endless giving in the ministry field can make me forget Whose I am. The outward ministry flows from this Father/daughter relationship with God. I can’t give what I don’t have. And by March, all us missionaries needed a refuel of truth! What flowed from this retreat was a reset in team life, in personal prayer, and in service.
         A couple weeks following the retreat, Ruby and Melanie led an event held for the girls who attended our weekly youth group called Fidelis, as Christian and I attended an Encounter Ministries conference. In the conference, I learned that even though I am a daughter of God, I am also considered a “son”. Why is this? Because only the son could inherit the father’s wealth in Biblical times. Through my baptism, I become a son of God because I am an heir of His! “Everything I have is yours,” God the Father says through the parable of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15:31. The son didn’t have to earn his inheritance. It was automatically his just for being born! And the same is true for me! I don’t have to earn God’s approval by working for Him. I already have His approval because I exist! And so do you! You already have God’s approval because you exist!
         I have learned over the course of this year that my living in Bremerton was not just about doing but being-being with my teammates, being with the parishioners, and most importantly, being with Jesus. The keys to this year have been love and perseverance. And what better model of love and perseverance than Jesus carrying His cross to Calvary? Our greatest gift was given through the difficulty of the cross! And without the cross, we would not be celebrating the Easter season we are right now!
            Happy Easter, sons of God!
            -Tessa
 “…you received a spirit of adoption, through which we cry, ‘Abba, Father!’ The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit that we are sons of God, and if sons, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if only we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.”-Romans 8:16-17