From Peru to Purpose!!!

In this powerful episode of From Creepin 2 Preachin podcast.  I shared how a life-changing mission trip to Peru transformed my husband's vision on life.  Serving through ministry and using his camera lens as a photojournalist, he captured unforgettable moments of faith, communion, worship, and the daily lives of people who were truly blessed with less.  Later, his journey continued in Ukraine, documenting how the gospel was shared and how communities worshiped God with deep gratitude despite limited resources.

Through his photography and personal experiences, God opened his eyes to the emotions, resilience, and faith of people around the world.  Those moments behind the lens didn't just change him-they also changed me.   It reminded us how easy it is to take our blessings for granted here at home.

This episode is about faith, gratitude, perspective, and seeking God move through the lives of others across the world.  Sometimes it takes stepping outside of our comfort zone to truly understand how blessed we are.

Listeners: Has traveling or witnessing another culture ever changed your perspective on life and gratitude? I'd love to hear your story.

#FaithJourney#MissionTrip#PeruMissions#UkraineMissions#Gratitude#ChristianPodcast#FaithAndPerspective#FromCreepin2Preachin#LifeChangingMoments#BlessedWithLess

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:31

From Creepin Up Preaching, I'm your host, Renee R. White, proud native Washingtonian, born and raised and still live here in the heart of DC. I spent many years of my life in this incredible city. And it's not just my home, it's where my story began and where my passion for uplifting my community, especially the youth. This podcast is a space where we can have real, raw conversations about life, faith, and purpose. All rooted in the experience of someone who has walked these very streets and understands the struggles and the beauty of life in DC. Hello listeners. We season 3, episode 20. Season 3, episode 20. I like to call this From Peru to Purpose. How a mission trip transformed my husband's faith. That's from Peru to Purpose. How a mission trip transformed my husband's faith. Welcome back to Creepin' to Preaching. Yeah, well we thank you, family. Welcome, welcome. Our relationship didn't just grow in one area of life, it grew in layers. First, we were learning how to hand dance together, build in rhythm in our marriage, then we started bowling together, learning compromise and patience. But what happened next took our relationship to another level. Because once we started growing together socially, God began to grow us spiritually. And that's when ministry entered our lives in a deeper way. We started getting more involved in the church ministry. Our faith continued to develop. We began to serve more at church. You see, serving at church does something powerful, it moves you from just sitting in the pews to living the word of God. My husband discovered something special. He joined the photography ministry. Now many people don't realize how important that ministry is because photographers capture the history of the church. They capture the baptisms, the weddings, the conferences, the revivals, and the church outreach. Moments that people would look back over the years, and my husband loved it. He would photograph different church events. One of the biggest events was photographing the new the New Year's Revival featuring T.D. Jakes, Bishop T.D. Jakes. Now, if you've ever been to a New Year's revival, you know the atmosphere is powerful. The worship is intense, the word is strong, and the expectation for a new year with God is high. And there he was, not just sitting in the crowd, but capturing, capturing history through his camera lens. You know, when your gift makes room for you, one thing you have to learn in life is your gift will make room for you. My husband didn't know that his love for photography would lead him into something even greater because through serving faithfully, he was later selected for something even bigger. He was invited to join the missions ministry. Now missions is serious work. This is when the church sends believers outside the country to spread the gospel, serve communities, and support pastors across the world. And my husband went, not once, not twice, but three times to Peru and once to Ukraine. Let me tell you something. Traveling for vacation is one thing, but traveling for missions work is something completely different. When my husband went to Peru with the pastor and the missions team, they were there too. Spread the gospel, encourage local churches, pray for families, and support ministry leaders. But he but he had another role. He served as a photo journalist for the mission trips. He documented the journey. The people, the smiles, the struggles, the worship, and the faith. And what he witnessed in those countries touched him deeply. When my husband returned from those mission trips, he said something that stayed with me. He said, When you travel to other countries, you learn how to appreciate what we take advantage of. That hit me. Because many of us here in America don't realize how blessed we truly are. Things we consider normal, other people pray for clean water, food in the refrigerator, electricity, safe homes, freedom to worship God. In some places, people walk miles just to attend church. And when my husband saw that firsthand, it changed him. He told me that those trips changed his trajectory of his mindset. That's a powerful statement because sometimes we think growth only happens in classrooms. But real growth often happens through experience, through seeing the world, through serving others, through stepping outside of your comfort zone. He said that through those mission trips, he gained a deeper appreciation for life, a deeper appreciation for people, and most importantly, a greater understanding of the Word of God. You see, reading a Bible is one thing, but seeing the gospel living out in different cultures, that changes your understanding. When you see people praising God with very little, when you see faith that doesn't depend on money, when you see people worshiping with all their heart, you realize something powerful. Faith isn't about what you have, it's about who you trust. And those experiences strengthen uh my husband spiritually. Now let me tell you something important. When my spouse when one spouse grows spiritually, it affects the whole household because spiritual growth is contagious. When my husband returned from those trips, I could see a difference. He said, more gratitude, more patience, more per perspective, and a deeper faith. And that energy flowed into our marriage. It reminded me that sometimes God sends one person on a journey so that He can bring back wisdom for both of them. Marriage just isn't about love, it's about supporting each other's purpose. When my spouse stepped into something meaningful, sometimes you have to give them the space to grow because your journey may also strengthen your relationship. And watching my husband grow through ministry reminded me of something important. God doesn't just work on individual, He works on couples too. Looking back on that season of our lives, I realized something. Our journey had stages. Hand dancing taught us connection, bowling taught us compassion, but ministry taught us purpose. And purpose was strengthening a marriage in ways you'd never imagine. If so, what what did you notice about them afterwards? Did it change how they think? Did it change your relationship? Did it make your your bond stronger? Because sometimes the most powerful growth in marriage happens when one person steps into their purpose. Now this story spoke. If this story spoke to you today, I'd like to hear from you. Send me a message. Tell me, have you ever seen your spouse transformed by a life-changing experience? How did it affect your relationship? Because your story might help someone else who is listening. Thank you for joining me. And remember this: sometimes God will send someone you love on a journey so that they can come back with a testimony. Grab your copy of my book on Amazon of Bonds and Noble. As you read along, you'll see every twist and turn in triumph unfold, gaining a deeper understanding of my testimony and life-changing lessons behind every story. Let's walk this path together. Your journey of healing and hope is just one page away. Let's keep this conversation going. I'm excited to hear how you're peeling back your layers and embracing your moment of From Peru to Purpose, how a mission trip transformed my husband's faith. Also, visit my website at Creepin' the Preaching for more updates for Smirch. I'd like to thank my producer McKinley with moving in motion by map. See you next week.