Why Didn’t I Think of This Before….

Lately I have been struggling with some very important decisions. Now when I am wrestling with things, I usually do it alone. I get by myself more, read my Bible more, and pray a lot more. In this process, God has shown me something I am embarrassed to admit that I have never really thought about before.

We are often told as Christians that we need to be careful of setting up idols in our lives. Up until now, I thought I had done a pretty good job of keeping God first. The devil is smart and very sly though. While you have your hands raised in worship, he will sneak up behind you and whisper in your ear and begin to wrap chains of bondage around you. A lot of the time we don’t even realize it was the devil at all.

Thanks to God’s patients and creative means of instruction, I have just gone to another level of understanding. It amazes me at how deep your relationship with God can get. Just when you think you have it under control, God throws you something you weren’t expecting. I am very thankful for that.

Let me see if I can put into words what I am talking about.

Up until recently I didn’t have anything to compare to when it came to lifestyles. All I have ever known was the American way of life. Now I have seen all aspects of the American lifestyle and experienced everything from being comfortable to being so broke and poor that I didn’t know where my next meal was coming from. But even in the worst of times, I realize I still had it pretty good.

Now that I do have something to compare it to, I can see a few things differently that, although right in front of me, I never saw before. For example, in America, we put having a good paying job above most everything. Before you get the wrong idea, hear me out. I’m not saying it isn’t important, just not the god we have made it. Think about it. If our boss calls us up and needs us to do something extra or work late or work over, most of us don’t hesitate to say yes (myself included).

Another thing we stress is leisure time. Taking time for ourselves and relaxing is at the top of our list in America. I remember a time when working meant from sun up to sun down 5 to 6 days a week with only a few hours of sleep in between the days. It was a way of life. Today, most people need time to relax everyday! How lazy have we become?

Now I know these two issues are almost complete opposites, but that’s they beauty of living where we do. You have a choice. It can go either way.

So what does all this have to do with what God has shown me? Basically, when we put ANYTHING above God, we are not worthy of the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross. It doesn’t matter if it is our jobs, our personal leisure time, money, or whatever. God must be above all things or He is not God at all. Everything has a place and time, but nothing takes the top spot.

I know this is a lot of rambling, but it’s the way I process things. I will leave you with this thought:

Want to know where your faith is? It is in whatever you spend most of your time doing. What are you doing?

 

Reflections of my trip to the Dominican Republic

Where do I begin? I have never been to another country before so I didn’t know what to really expect. And even if I did have some ideas of what I thought it would be like, I wouldn’t have even been close to the actual impact it had on me. I will never be the same.

A lot of people told me that mission trips make you appreciate what you have and thank God that you live in the richest country in the world. The trip did do that for me, but that wasn’t what touched my heart. My faith and my conviction was strengthened. I am truly thankful for the opportunity to have been part of what God is doing.

One of the first things I noticed is that God’s Word knows no bounds. Culture, language, or demographics don’t matter when you talk about God’s love, mercy, and power. God’s attributes are universal. God is God no matter where in the world you are.

The second thing I noticed was the hospitality of the people. I don’t think I have ever eaten that good or been treated that well before. I truly felt like an honored guest…no, let me correct that…I felt like part of the family. There is a very special place in my heart for the people who went our of their way to provide for me and allowed me to share my life with them.

The third thing that stuck out to me was how much ministry is done there with so little. There are places with no running water, no electricity, and no money, but the ministry of the Gosple of Jesus Christ still goes forth and even flourishes! I know well funded ministries and churches here in America that don’t do half of the good works I saw happening over there. It is amazing to see what God can do with just our willingness to obey.

In conclusion, I will never be the same. Things I thought were important no longer are. All you truly need is God. He can make anything happen. I will forever be indebted to the people who not only cared for me over there, but taught me so much more than I could ever teach them. This trip was never about me ministering to anyone, it was about me being ministered to. Thank you God for what you have done.