So I realized that its been quite a while since I've updated
my blog! I hope there are still a few
people who will read it!!
Since I have been here in Ghana for over a year now it seems
that nothing really surprises me anymore.
This means I don’t have the urge to write a blog post about something
new that just happened to me! But God
has definitely been teaching me through the “everydayness” of living here
now.
I am learning each day to enjoy and cherish the time I have
here with the people God has blessed me with.
So many times I get focused on the things I have to do and want to
do. I think of all these things I can do
in ministry and other things I can do to serve God. I have been learning to stop thinking that I
have to do all of these things to make God happy! He already sees me holy and blameless! All he is asking me to do is to live in the
light of His view of me. Yes, He wants
me to serve Him, but that service is not wearing myself out to show others Christ. That service is learning to love others in
the moments and opportunities He gives me!
I am not the way to Christ!! He just allows me to be His tool! You don’t hear a hammer shouting about all
the things it has done to build the table in the dining room. I know that is a funny example, but I really
think it applies to us! I am continuing
to learn to just obey and love and let God do the rest. No matter how hard I try to be good and to
teach others, it is nothing unless Christ is working through it. Even in my weakest attempts at obedience and
love He works! I don’t have to have all
of the right words and actions!
Let me share with you a couple of examples of how this is
playing out in my life. Each of them is
from the past couple of days. On Saturday
Becca and I planned on finding some of the neighborhood kids and taking them
out to lunch. Instead we found no one
and had lunch and hung out at her house.
Around 3 in the afternoon FeFe came to the gate and wanted to come and
see me. So I went down to see what he
wanted. Little did I know that I would
be spending the next 3½ hours with him!
Basically we just hung out and spent time with him, but I know that this
is exactly what he needed and needs. I
know that FeFe does not get that time with his family and I so badly wish that
he did!! I wrestled with FeFe for about
half an hour and while I was sitting outside resting I just thought about how
much he needs this from his father and doesn't get it. Throughout the day I just kept praying that he
would understand the love and affection that he can know from God the Father
and Jesus Christ His Son!
The second example comes from Sunday afternoon. I came home from church to an empty house so
I decided to sit outside, read and listen to some tunes. While I was in the relaxing and thinking mode
FeFe and Eddie came to the gate. I
really did not want to be disturbed from me reading and relaxing. I sat there debating what I should do and
what I actually would do. I had planned
on going to play with them later in the afternoon, but wasn't ready yet and
they were disturbing MY relaxation time.
After a while I stopped reading and we went and played in their
compound. I didn't really do a whole lot
of playing, but just let them play and jump all over me. As I was being covered with the dirt from
their bodies as they were fighting over who would be sitting on my back, I
closed my eyes and prayed and thanked God for them and for His love for them. I prayed for them to understand His love as
they grew up and to trust Him for even their basic needs. I was not much in the mood to play (to some
of you that might seem strange that I ever get in a mood where I don’t want to
play haha), but I know that God was using me to share His love with them in
that moment. (side note: I am not a
parent so I wouldn't know, but I am guessing parents go through a lot of
moments like that. Moments in which they
have to give up the things they want to do in order to cater to the needs of their
kids. So Mom and Dad: THANK YOU for all
of the time you spent with me instead of doing the things you felt like doing!)
Each of these moments are teaching me that my time is not my
own. They are also teaching me to take
the opportunities God gives me to share His love, even when they are an
inconvenience to what I want to do!
Please pray with me for our school. Pray especially for the high school students
and their attitudes. Pray for us as
teachers to be able to love them and guide them toward understanding and
knowing the love of Christ. Pray that we
would also remember that no matter what, when we obey Christ, HE WILL WORK,
even when our obedience has its imperfections (which, at least in my life, it
almost always does!). Want more
information about all that is going on in my life and in the school here in
Ghana? Send me an email and ask!
