[SC22001] Guest Post by Andrea: Jireh

A new freaking series has begun and I am glad for you that you are not sitting next to me right now, because Yes, I’m doing my high-pitched yell again. Which means: I Am Excited!

Welcome to the Summercamp’22 Series. Where I invite other summercampers to share their story, to testify their testimony and/or write about their unique experience. And in the beauty of “paying it forward” each guest blogger is encouraged to find another summercamper who would like to do the same.

Now please welcome Andrea as the one to kick it off. I also mention her in the Summercamp piece I wrote about. She is the only, but already the sweetest Ecuadorian I know. I love her beautiful smile and I can’t wait to visit her in Leiria. Enjoy!

What is provision?

According to Google, a provision is a measure taken beforehand to deal with a need or contingency. And speaking about the needs in accord with Maslow´s hierarchy of need, motivational theory in psychology, then from the bottom of the hierarchy upwards they are: physiological (food and clothing), safety (job security), love and belonging needs (friendship), esteem and self-actualization. The physiological needs must be satisfied before individual can attend.

In our life we are always surrounded by people that have supplied our different needs, like our parents, siblings, or friends. But when I moved to Portugal from Ecuador, one year and ten months ago, I felt that all these needs weren´t being met. I felt in need of safety, esteem, self-actualization, love and belonging. Because I was unemployed, I felt that I didn’t have enough resources in my life. I felt alone but in that moment in my life I again began to trust in God in every aspect in my life.

This time in Portugal has been incredible, because I could see the kindness and the steadfast love of God, because in time a lot of my needs were met. But even though I saw this happening, I still felt in need of one area in my life: love and belonging. This because I didn’t have friends of my age in the city where I live, Leiria. Because there isn’t an attending church location in this city, I could not attend church. Therefore I don’t have a community where I can share my thoughts and live my faith in a way that I´m used to. I have been missing my family, friends, and church very much.

Some of the experiences I went through here in Portugal, led me to stop trusting people and to stop wanting to make new friends. But something changed between September 15th and 17th, during the SUMMERCAMP 2022. Summercamp is an event organized by Hillsong church in order to have an encounter with God and meet new people from all Hillsong churches here in Portugal.

Well, I´m going to be honest with you, I wasn´t excited to go to Summercamp or much less wanted to meet people. Because my heart was offended with people and even with the church. But the first day, God began to heal and restore me, the first day at night at a time when we were about to receive a vision or word of God, He started to show me different images. In one of those images I was on my knees in the wilderness, very thirsty and without strength so in that moment God said to me: “I’m your provider, I´ll will provide for all aspects of your life”.

So I hadn’t met the girls with whom I would share the room with those days before. But from the first moment I met them, they surprised me because they was so friendly and I had the opportunity to get to know a little bit of each of these 8 women of God with whom I was able to share those days with. And this was the first time since I came to Portugal when I felt friendship, intimacy and a sense of connection. It was awesome. During those days and through these lovely women, without a doubt, God revived a part of my life that seemed dead. It was a refreshment for my soul and a prayer answered; and by this way, I am able to write to you today in this inspiring space. Because one of the 8 wonderful women I met at summercamp is Tashmyn. Thanks for this opportunity, I feel very honoured.

At the end of Summercamp, I remember that God is my provider, Jireh in my life. And so, like God is my provider, He could be your provider as well. I don’t know your need, but God does. And for that reason let Him be your Jireh in your life, in every aspect, more than you ask, think or imagine, according to His power working in us.

“Jehovah-Jireh” appears only once in the entire Bible—in Genesis 22:14 (KJV). It means “God provides”. I leave you a song that has been a balm for my soul in the darkest moment in my life.