I was retelling a story about Ethan to a friend via email about some things we have been working through with him and some of his relationships. We knew when we moved here that we would encounter new aspects to life as we live where we serve. We had several conversations with close friends about this and how it would change our lives. We have to purposefully determine to daily die to our self in order to live next to our disciples and the community in which we serve. It is so easy to judge and point a finger, but then the realization comes that their are four other fingers pointing right back at me as well as that big, cumbersome plank in my own eye (sound familiar?).
We have a specific call to live here and it is in that we encounter things we may not have encountered before in our time on the field. It makes our life a little different. We've really been struck by Paul and Timothy and their relationship, their specific call, and their specific sacrifice and hardship. It is painstaking the suffering, sacrifice and persecution Paul endured and considered a blessing.
UGH! That really hits me square in the face. That he considered his suffering a blessing while I complain over little things.
While our life and call may be different than others, it doesn't mean that it is better than anything or anyone's else's. We are blessed to have missionary friends all over Costa Rica as well as throughout different parts of the world. They all live different lifestyle's. We have many friends here who have or have had different style houses than ours. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that lifestyle, and we are thankful for the blessing God has given them. We are thankful, too, that they blessed us in different ways through sharing their blessings (like the pool one set of friends had in their house just down from us). There are some beautiful homes here and awesome surroundings where you can find peace amidst the daily happenings of life. When we first moved here, I was invited to be a part of an English speaking Bible study in the home of the woman leading it. She had lived her for many many years and has built her life here. She has an amazing condo that she built and designed. It is beautiful. It was wonderful to spend time in her home and I cherish how God changed me through the study we went through those first few months of life here. I remember the mornings spent at one friend's home in a more secluded spot in our neighborhood. We met by the pool each week and it was an absolute blessing to be amidst nature and the quiet and calm of that area studying God's Word and in prayer. And then, the mornings spent with another friend in her condo with the amazing view of Villareal. We would sit and pray for the city and ministry needs and for each other as we studied the Word.
I thank God for those moments and blessings and quiet times of respite. I thank God for others who offer to share in their blessings as well. God is good all the time. He places different calls on our lives, we just need to be obedient to the call He has placed on our own life.
God's call on our life is rich with blessings, just in a different form than that.
When I read Paul's words to Timothy to 'live differently,' it resonates in me down to the bone. A great friend who serves in another part of Latin America recently shared with me that God was working in her family in the same way.
I pray that when I share parts of my heart, you, too will be blessed. I love to write and share our lives, my thoughts, and my struggles, and my sin here as a way of demonstrating God's great love, mercy and ultimately His GRACE in my life. He takes my sin, breaks me, and then builds me back up. Many times, He carries me through because my heart condition has made me so weak I can't walk on my own. I pray, as always that everything I write here will be a reflection of His grace and that when you read what I write you would pray for me in that way. I pray that if you read something here that doesn't jive with the life of Christ or God's Word- you'd take the time to be 'iron sharpening iron' and write me, share with me, teach me what God has taught you.
I am a sinner saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. Not perfect, but being perfected by the Master Potter. I am forgiven by Christ's death on the cross. I have surrendered to Him. I am clay in His hands. He shapes me and molds me, and sometimes, as when clay is on the potter's wheel, I fall and lose the beautiful shape He has started. And then, He begins to form and mold and shape me again. It is a continual process and He will never be complete with me until we see each other face to face. I long for that day.
Will you pray for me to remain on His wheel, obedient to His call to 'be different?'
Just a glimpse into our lives following JESUS as He leads us to serve Him in the nations. Thanks for stopping by!
3 comments:
Thanks for your sweet comment back- what an encouragement!!
Wow, I am just so inspired by all you are saying and if for no one else but me, I know God had you write just what you did at just this time! That does sound so freeing- your friends with the 6 or 7 totes! John and I have been having tons of talks lately- I have been confessing sin- like always having "surplus" that I had always prided myself on having for "being a good wife/mom"- but surplus is so NOT how our Peru friends live and it is spending money before it needs to be spent and it's even kinda lazy- John just asked me, "So, what happens if we run out of shampoo?" I sheepishly laughed and answered, "Well, I guess I'd walk the half a block and buy some!" !!! Please, Lord, change my heart, shape me to be more like You! Thank You, God, for Brooke, and using her to speak such powerful truth in my life! Amen!
Oh my, we are so going through the same kind of thing right now! I, too, loved (well, truth be told, the correct tense should be 'love')to stock up and seeing the cabinet/freezer/fridge full gets me going...but honestly, the Lord has been placing on my heart how so many of my friends here have nothing in there fridge or cabinet- if they even have an area to store things. Being away from a PriceSmart has helped tremendously ;), but even in my trips to the grocery store I saw unnecessary purchases that I was making. So now, instead of going once a week, I go every two or three days and buy for the next day or so, just like most of the people I know. I make sure I always have rice and beans, tortillas and eggs, etc. But everything else I buy as I need it for the most part. There are still many ways we are different, and I am sure there always will be (I'll always drink my coffee with milk - and soy milk at that since I can't do the stuff from cow's anymore- and without sugar- so I'll probably never be a true Costa Rican) but we are trying- and it is because we feel God leading us to it that we strive for this life. I used to stock up on so much when we would go back to the states and bring back so much stuff- that I really didn't need but there were just so many options I bought compulsively when I was there. Now, I have a list of certain medications, creams, and personal hygeine/cosmetic things I use that I either cannot get here or are more than double the price and when we do go I stick to the list. Even in that I am struggling with if it is too much. Sometimes I feel so weird that I analyze purchases like that, so I am glad to have some dialogue about it going with you...sometimes I wonder if I am not wrong about what I am thinking since no one else seems to be dealing with these same thoughts...but regardless it does not matter, it is what the Lord is placing on my heart.
You are so sweet, Jenny! Thank you for your comments and prayers.
What is your biggest concern about going back to the states?
You are so sweet Jenny! I will say for me, being away form a PriceSmart has sure helped me! I've gone to buyng groceries every few days and only what I need at the time. I love surplus and a full fridge/cabinet/freezer...but the reality is that most people I know do NOT live like that- and many do not even have space to store up at all.
Thank you for your comments and encouragement and prayers. Thank you for being such a good friend over the pas three years, even if time passes between our 'conversations' like this it is wonderful knowing we are knitted together by our Father.
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