Price Check

I was in Target this weekend and heard those dreaded words: price check. The customer in front of me left to go find another item like the one in her cart, only this time, hopefully, with a price tag. Usually this kind of thing frustrates me and I immediately start looking for another line. Who has time to waste, right?

Only this time I was so convicted at my reaction that I stayed right where I was. I talked with the cashier while we waited, and when it was my turn to check out, I asked if I could pray for her. Spiritually, the conversation didn’t really go further than that, but I was convicted by my immediate reaction to move on instead of seeing it as an opportunity to share.

My all-time favorite television show is The Andy Griffith Show. In one of the episodes a man’s car breaks down and he has to wait around town several hours for it to be fixed. The man is so anxious to be on his way that he misses out on all the good things happening around him.

I don't want to miss out on divine appointments because I'm too busy and too focused on my own agenda.

Slowing down, Mayberry style

Closer to Home

One of my favorite books and movies is "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe." I am particularly fond of the straightforward Beavers, especially their quote about the lion Aslan:

“Safe?” said Mr. Beaver. “Don’t you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.”

Aslan the king is good because he cares for his kingdom. The battle scene isn't pretty or safe, yet necessary for victory. The Pevensie children experience challenges that although not fun, bring them closer to the king, to victory and, ultimately, closer to home.

The King we serve is good, although not always "safe." One of my professors used to say that the safest place is not in the middle of God's will, although it is the best place.

God's will and purpose for our lives may take us to some not so safe places, but it’s for our good and His glory. I am thankful for the leaders in our training who are reminding us of this truth. One of the orientation directors is a woman who is single and has served in some hard places and situations. Her honesty in sharing her heart has been so encouraging. She doesn’t sugarcoat the hard stuff. Instead, she reminds us that contentment in life is about pursuing hard after Christ because He is near and He is good. I have appreciated her transparency and willingness to open her life to the many people who come through orientation each year.

I actually wrote this post over the weekend, not realizing that the topic for our sessions today and most of tomorrow would be persecution. One theme that stood out to me from the speaker today was his challenge to remember that serving God is not a matter of location, but of obedience.

I wouldn’t call sanctification a safe process-because it hurts. Whether physical or emotional, with sanctification often comes painful refinement as God works to make us more like His Son.  

I pray God redeems everything in my life for my good and His glory. It may not be "safe," but I hold on to the promise that He is good.

Unchanging Identity

We are now into week four of training and one theme that keeps coming up is identity. We are leaving family, good jobs, deep friendships and a comfortable lifestyle for a whole bunch of unknowns, which means we can no longer trust in our professional, workplace identity, because we are about to learn a new job with new team dynamics. No longer can identity be found in relationships because we leave for a new place where we will have to make new friends. No longer can we claim our identity in where or how we serve, because we will all be finding new ministry areas.

When we get overseas, at least initially until we learn some language, we won't be able to communicate very well. We will have to learn how to do basic tasks, such as buying groceries and learning our way around a new city.

So we can't find identity in what we do or what and who we know - which we shouldn't do in the first place but often do without ever really realizing it. Our identity is not based on whether or not we excel at these new tasks with greater ease than someone else. Identity is not found in comparing ourselves to others and trying to stand out and be the best.

Life has hard days, here and overseas. I've had some "reality check" moments already when I realize how close it is to the time to head overseas. With that comes moments of, "Do I really want to do this?" and "Can I do this?" But in those moments it all comes back to identity. It's not about whether or not I feel like doing this at any given moment, and whether or not I feel ready. It's not really about me. It's about trusting in my identity in Christ and remembering that He who called is faithful.

"For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."

Some beautiful sunsets here!

So Many Somethings

I've been wanting to write this post for several weeks now but keep putting it off because I want it to be "just right."

Before leaving for training/orientation about two weeks ago I spent some time visiting friends and family. I'm not sure what I expected this time to be like. I think in my mind I had these great, grand expectations. That the time and visits would be really different, or something out of the ordinary.

The visits before I left were actually quite ordinary. One Saturday I spent the day with friends just running errands and watching football.

One of my favorite movies, if not my favorite, is "You've Got Mail" (who wouldn't want to own a bookstore in New York City?) As the two main characters get to know each other through email, Meg Ryan's character makes this statement:

"The odd thing about this form of communication is that you're more likely to talk about nothing rather than something. But I just want to say that all this nothing has meant more to me than so many somethings."

So to my friends with whom I watched football, and enjoyed rubbing it in when my team won and thus kept my bracket alive, our visit was great because it was normal. Because I have always felt like family and you gave me that day to feel so one more time.

To the friend who went to work at an ungodly hour in the morning and worked late the next day so we could hang out, I'm thankful for our breakfast conversation. You're right-when God orchestrates, it's easy :)

Packing my stuff with friends and then making a Kilwins run, opening Christmas presents on my living room floor, watching Andy reruns, playing hearts and spades, helping grade papers, spending time in prayer, catching up at Starbucks, Saturday morning brunch...all these "nothings" mean more to me than so many "somethings."

I'm terrible at remembering to take photos!