The Journey The Father Has Laid Out For Me: As Dreams Become Reality

Ever since I was a young teenager, I had a dream to take the news and the Love of Jesus to a foreign country. To live among a people of a different culture than that of my own. To live like them, to eat like them, and to talk like them. Slowly but surely that dream is becoming a reality. Currently I am living with a family from the church here in Mexico, practicing my Spanish and learning more about the culture. They are a tremendously hospitable family and are incredibly patient with me as I learn the language.

A normal day consists of waking up, having my devotions and eating breakfast around 9 30 or 10. Between breakfast and lunch, which is usually around 3 o’clock, is when I do most of my studying. Sometimes that consists of doing flashcards, pages in a workbook, or just talking with someone here at the house. After lunch is not quite as consistent. Sometimes I will take a nap, do more studying, read, or play with the children here at the house. We usually don’t eat supper until after it is dark, which is somewhere around 8 30. The meal schedule took a little bit to get used to, but just like other things I learn to adjust and let it become the new normal.

So how am I doing? That is a hard question to answer. Some days are great and I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else, but then there are others that aren’t so great. It’s in those days that sometimes I question and doubt. But it is amazing how God finds ways to lift up my spirit in those hard times. Sometimes it’s a good chat with a friend. Other times it’s a starry night sky, or a sunset over the mountains that just takes my breath away. His love is sufficient. Here is a journal entry from one night last week that kind of explains better what those hard days can feel like.

"As I sit here, I can’t help but think about what is going on at home. It is almost 11 oclock P.M. there, and normally I would either be getting ready to go to bed, watching tv with Jay, or hanging out with the family or with friends. But because I surrendered my life to Christ, my life is not quite as normal as sometimes I am tempted to wish it would be. Instead, I am sitting here in an adobe house in Mexico, listening to the beautiful voices of Hermano Martin and Hermana Reina sing Ranchero style worship songs.

Yeah it is not quite the same as hanging out with Jay in our air-conditioned basement, or as a warm summer night in Intercourse watching the playoffs with friends, but it is exactly where my Father wants me to be, and therefore, where I want to be.

Of course that doesn’t mean that everything is going to be all perfect and bright all the time. There are times when all I want to do is just fly home and put on that orange jersey, get on that ball field, and play under the lights on a beautiful August night. There are times when I want to be able to tease my sisters and hear them laugh, or hear that annoying, teasing tone from my brother that I miss so much. Times when I want to wrap my Mom up in a big hug, or talk with my Dad about market. Yeah, those times are incredibly hard.

As hard as those times might be though, deep down inside, at the foundation of my desires, is the yearning to live out the plan that my Heavenly Father has laid out for me. And no, that foundational desire did NOT come from me. It did not come from going to church enough of times, or reading enough of chapters in the Bible, It came from Jesus. The same Jesus who rose from the dead three days after being beaten, spat upon, and eventually hung a cross to die. And he did all that for me (and you). As hard as it might be at times, I should count it a PLEASURE to serve THAT Jesus, no matter what the cost."

Just a quick thought here following the journal entry. Do I, do you, count it a pleasure to serve Jesus, even if it means that it’s going to cost you your life? Do we really know who this is that is giving us this invitation to follow Him? Sometimes I wonder. I mean look at those who really knew Him in person. His first disciples paid great prices to spread the news of the Gospel of Christ, and they still counted it a pleasure to serve Him. Do I, do you, count it a pleasure to serve the Creator of the World?

Thank you all so much for all your prayers and the words of encouragement that I got through email and facebook messages. Here are a few things that you can specifically pray for.

          - My body would continue to adjust to the new foods and weather conditions.
          - I would have persistence in studying and learning the language.
          - I could see the people through the eyes of Jesus with love and compassion.

This is the view from the road above Guadalupe.