Problems Aren't Your Problem

One piece of advice that I read the other day was to not let your problems intimidate you.
Upon reading this, I realized how much I let that hinder my decision making process that ultimately leads to the action that I must preform.

Honduras was intimidating.

A new culture to experience.
A faster language.
Overwhelming poverty.
Plenty of problems within the country.


I let this get the best of me. Granted, culture shock is bound to give even experience travelers a wake up call, but it all depends on how you handle it. It was so overwhelming, going there and only staying for a week. It is taking twice that long to process it all!

So, now knowing that problems should be looked at not as intimidating, but more opportunistically, I am beginning to be able to apply this to my life more. It also goes back to the whole thing with trust--if God is on our side, who do we have to fear?

 ^"What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies.  Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?...No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us."

 

Romans 8: 31-37

A Lesson on Trust

So here's a piece of my Honduras adventure that starts with the end or the trip rather than the beginning. It's a lesson I learned that helped me make more sense of what I was missing on the trip and in the many other areas of my life.

While in Honduras, I was completely culture shocked even though nothing out rightly surprised me. Because of this, I wasn't convinced it was culture shock. Why would it be if nothing surprised me?

With everything that I experienced there, it takes a different type of processing when you come back, to really understand what I saw. In this, it is so difficult to trust that God has a plan for the world when there are fourteen year olds in the maternity ward in the hospital. Or when there are open wounds on people. Or when these little kids don't eat regularly. It's especially difficult to see that He has something planned for me when my first reaction is to back away and trust my independent capable self who clearly fails instead of running into His arms and collapsing in another ultimate surrender. Sometimes it's hard to trust that He loves me in the middle of all this.

This all came into my view in a time where I actually slowed down my heart enough to listen.

"Trust in the Lord forever, for in the Lord God you have an everlasting rock."

Isaiah 26:4

 

This is what I was--what I AM--missing. We are called to trust in all circumstances, to live in the peace brought forth by an everlasting rock.

Faces #1

 

The Distance to Digest

I have never been hit with a wall so hard as the intense week I've had in Honduras. Looking back on it now, I have to make sure that I remember my memories correctly so I do not over glamorize anything. Sometimes can't even believe I went.
When it all hit me though, I was caught off guard by so many things....it turned out to really be a bigger challenge than I thought.

Now that I'm back the transition is so hard, but an answered prayer is what is getting me through this. What's different is a new mentality created by new experiences and sights. Much of what I'm learning is after digesting what actually happened this past week. So, as I learn things I will pray and continue to post, which may be awhile. I also want to give you all epic pictures :)

Blessed Are the Feet

                                                                                                                                                                    

Pray for my feet as I go,

as I go tell others the good news

as I go to Honduras

as I go to work

as I go back to school

or as I just go home

pray for my feet as I go.

Thinking of Honduras #6 Inch by Foot

It's been inching closer, but today we've taken the extra foot. I would open up by saying today is the day, but technically it's tomorrow because I have to meet my people at 3 am. How fun. Even though I'm a morning person, 3 is a little early.

But as much as I say I'm ready, the realization that I'm going to live in another country for ten days with a bunch of people with only 35 pounds of stuff is kinda becoming more real. Two bags of 25 and 10 pounds is pretty good packing, if I do say so myself. Plus, I kind of hate airports because they stress me out.

All in all though, there's nothing to be afraid of.
You can "worst-case scenario" all day long but since the Lord's on our side, there is absolutely nothing to worry about. Sure I may get nervous at some points, and maybe freaked out and hopefully not sick, but there is literally nothing to worry about. So I'm just not worried or worrying. I swear it is not as hard as it seems.

So, while I leave you with two posts today, and leave for another country, please pray for me an my team. Specifics? For our bags, airport times, sleep, words--Spanish and English, time with children and time with adults and teens, the heat, more sleep, families back home, safe food/water, protection from the Evil One, prevention from sickness, and most importantly of all, each of our team to fall more deeply in love with our Jesus.

p.s. I - promise to take pictures and blog about it when I get back, just be patient! :)

Thinking of Honduras #5 Getting Closer

I never realized how long a week actually is. I'm sure when I'm down there time will fly by, but back home things will move at the same pace they always do. I may come back and feel out of the loop, but returning from mission trips you don't settle back into the exact place as you lived in in the past. This is really a good thing--progress and growth making an impact.

The day is getting closer and I keep thinking about it and I really can't believe what I'm doing. That's why I have to believe in God more than me, rather, not me at all.


What do I want to learn on this trip?

Humility. Lord knows I need it.

Why I am in some of the places I am.

What's missing in surrendering my life.

What I need to do.


What do I want to practice on this trip?

Loving people and sharing the gospel.


What do I want to teach others on this trip (One thought skipped over most of the time)?

JOY and prayer!


What do I want to experience on this trip?

Jesus.

His love, living it, giving it and receiving it.