I leave in just a few days, on a life changing adventure for our Lord. I am filled with excitement, fear, joy, anxiety, etc. It will be a new world to me. It is one of: poverty, new smells and sights and sounds; a world of corruption, chaos, war and disease. It is also a world full of people that Jesus died for. I do not know exactly what to expect, but I do know this: I WILL NEVER BE THE SAME.
Our leader on this trip andmy friend, Greg Woods shared these words with us, and I want to share them with you (paraphrased):
“I wish there’s a way to insure total safety for us, but I cannot. The good news is…there is ASSURANCE! God’s hand is on this mission. He wants it to happen and He has called us to this honor. ….I understand our fears…but, BE ASSURED…You’re traveling in the hands of an all-knowing…all-powerful…ever-present God whose love for you and your family is deeper than you’ll ever realize. He has our best interests firmly anchored in His heart. He apparently believes each of us have the gifts necessary to accomplish His desire and intent in Uganda. Perhaps, even as I compose these words, He is clearing the path before us…Snakes are swimming to the other side of the Lake Saka; big trucks, with careless drivers are being steered clear of our paths; and viruses are being contained and eradicated…and all will be smooth sailing. He can do that! But perhaps not. For the life of me, I can’t see Him doing that for us, if He did not see fit to do it for Paul. And perhaps we are being shaped to be like Paul. When you’ve gulped stormy sea water on your way to the safety of the shore; when you’ve wrenched the fangs of a snake out of your skin; when you’ve had to shake the dust off your feet and move on or been left for dead by the brethren; you finally get to where Paul got when he said:
“For none of us lives to himself alone and none of us dies to himself alone. If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. (Rom 14:7-8)
The only assurance I can extend is that “we belong to the Lord”…this mission experience “belongs to the Lord”; come what may…IT IS HIS!
Thank you all for helping me be a part of this mission! I love you all and cannot wait to come home and tell you all about it! Merry Christmas-
1 comment:
Wow, what an amazing experience this will be for you. Like you said, it will be life changing.
You, your family, and the others on the trip will be in my prayers.
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Yes, I do remember you. From P & C's wedding, and also when I stayed at your house in Memphis. (I still have the Beastie Boys cassette you gave me too.)
One thing I recall about our visit in Memphis... we were looking for a place to eat and the song My Hero by the Foo Fighters came on. You changed the lyrics to, "There goes my hero, P____ B____!" (my brother-in-law's name).
I still can't help but think of that, and sometimes sing it to this day. :)
Merry Christmas!
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