Saturday, September 14, 2013

Seek Truth.









Below are a few pages from my journal this summer. They are longer than my normal posts, but through them I am sharing my heart... take time to read if you wish.

July 26th, 2013
Benque, Belize

The first chapter of Mark says "immediately" six times. Jesus did not waste any time praying for people, healing people, speaking to people, and going to new places where they have not heard of Him. He knew His mission... do we know ours?

July 29th, 2013
Succotz, Belize

Yesterday night I stopped by a Pastors house to drop off a box of food for a family in the neighboring village. As I was there, I had a conversation with the Pastor's wife. I was struck by her genuine love, joy, and sorrow. She was very sorrowful about her husbands current sickness and then also for a woman in her church that just died. But then she turned and was very joyful and thankful about what God is doing in the church. She also was filled with this enduring love for everyone near and dear to her. Wow. I want to be like that. It is not called being bipolar; it is called being real. It is because she is so reliant upon Jesus that she is able to have complete joy and love even within her sorrow and hardships. If she was reliant upon other things she would not be as true... but instead she embraced us as family and shared her heart.

August 3rd, 2013
Pomona, Belize

Mark 10:14-16. So often I hear the phrase "Grow up". As if being a child is a bad thing. However, on my trips it is the adults that give me the most trouble, grief, and headache. Why? Because they are stuck in their ways and have grown accustomed to a certain way of life. Children are flexible. They trust that the food their parents give them is good. They trust that the parents are leading them. When plans change they follow and they learn to trust Jesus without questions. When we get older however... we question everything. We don't like not knowing the plan. We NEED a plan.

I want to become like a child again. One that is humble, trusting, resilient, loving, open, and flexible. So, instead of saying "grow up"... maybe we should say "remain as a child". In things pertaining to trust and faith. However, when it comes to reading and growing in the Word, let us eat solid food and not baby fod. But... that is a WHOLE different topic....

August 4th, 2013
Pomona, Belize

Mark 10: 17-22. Many times Christians are known by the things that they "do not do" instead of the things that they "do". Of course let me say that our righteousness is not defined by works, but that doesn't give us freedom to sit back and be lazy. It gives us freedom to live in crazy trust and love for Jesus. By His Grace we have freedom to enjoy and do great things! However, this man in this passage was focussed on obtaining salvation by the things that he "doesn't do". God doesn't want that. He wants us to "do", and to "do" with a heart of love and sacrifice. Giving up his money was the hardest thing for this man... and that is why he was grieving. The Christian life is supposed to be hard. We are granted trials and hardships. Maybe it is time we start "doing"... even if it means doing the hard things.

These Faces.










"You will never be completely at home again, because part of your heart will always be elsewhere. That is the price you pay for the richness of loving and knowing people in more than one place."

Today I miss these faces and hearts, because part of me is still there with them.

New Life Children's Home.
Lima, Peru.