Living Interruptible: Paula’s Story

I’ve been learning a lot about living life interruptible to the Spirit. I was reading the other day in Colossians and it talks about making the most of all opportunities. It says to “let your conversation be always full of grace”. I was reminded of the heart posture you must have when living interruptible and the fruit that can come from living life that way.

At debrief, my squad and I wanted to be sure to be intentional to what the spirit was speaking to us throughout the week. Some days it looked like stopping a walk to have a short conversation with someone on the street, other days it was praying for someone, but one time specifically it led to sharing a meal with a stranger, who soon became a new friend, in a small cafe. 

My sweet friend, Aby, and I went out to town one day to grab lunch and just catch up. We were expecting for it to be a short lunch with each other before we split off into our next ministry. When we got to the cafe, we ran into some people from our other squad and immediately our voices were surrounding this small cafe. 

After they left, it was just Aby and I in the cafe with one other lady, who was alone. We all shared a meal and Paula told us all about herself. She had been living in the US all her life but shared the broken heartedness she was feeling as she watched leaders and people begin to stop caring for the citizens of the country. She shared how she was experiencing heartache and seeing so much brokenness in the states. She told us of the anger and resentment she was feeling towards the states, which is why she had moved to Costa Rica. 

She told us that her strongest desire was to bring hope to people by making them feel seen, known, loved, and like they have a place to belong. We told her that is the exact reason we are here in Jaco and shared with her that we believe that is the heart of the Lord in her. We told her more about the gentle heart the Lord has and how we could see that same brokenness here in Jaco. We told her that we were here to bring the hope that comes from the Lord. She wept and told us about the fear she was walking in after recently being told by doctors that her bones are frail and that she is not able to walk without fearing that she’d fall because she believes she would just break. She opened up to us about her deepest fears and her deepest dreams and desires for the world. 

It was such a testimony to the Lord and the heart He has for His people. We had the opportunity to pray over Paula, and lift up the kind heart she has to the Lord. We prayed for healing over her bones so that she would have physical strength. We also prayed for her to be mentally strong as she continues to carry love to dark places. And that there would be freedom in her and confidence to boldly proclaim the work the Lord has done in her own life. She has so much to offer to the kingdom, and I pray that she will begin to step into a deeper understanding of what the Lord has called her into. 

Paula has some amazing dreams and has the biggest heart for the people she comes in contact with. After we prayed, she shared how energized she felt and that she was “so ready” for whatever was next in her life. Thinking back on this random moment that turned beautiful, I am realizing that choosing to walk interruptible makes such a big difference. How amazing is it that a simple lunch turned into a moment of reflecting on the Lord’s heart and choosing to walk alongside a new friend in believing the Lord is going to fulfill His promises in her.