Archive for the 'Encouragement' Category

Ambassadors, Bread, Fish, and Motherhood

Published February 9, 2012 Encouragement , Motherhood and Ministry 2 Comments

Have you ever struggled to believe in the value of your contribution to your ministry as a mom? This feeling will certainly differ widely among us for many reasons, but from my experience, even though I believe our whole family is called to ministry, once I finish devoting my necessary time and energy to my family, there is not a whole lot left over to pour out elsewhere, meaning that this issue has crossed my mind many times. Some older mothers have told me that it gets easier as kids get older, and from others I have heard that this is not the case. Whatever the future may hold, I know that with 3 kids ages six and under, our normal family life is busy and tiring.

Though I wholeheartedly believe that my first priority aside from abiding in Christ is to love and serve my family, as I’ve wrestled with the issue of my own personal role in ministry, I’ve become convinced that God has me here in Russia for a specific reason. Yes, probably the majority of that reason for now is to support my husband and raise my kids, but I think He has other special things here prepared for me specifically to do too!

By the simple fact that we do not live life in a vacuum but are surrounded by others in community, whether or not we have a big visible ministry responsibility, we have been given gifts and opportunities and people in our lives to purposefully invest in.  I believe that God planned and placed each of us exactly where we are for special and unique purposes.

Some of us might have official ministry roles, and some of us might have a quieter daily-life ministry of keeping our eyes open to the needs around us and looking for open doors to share Christ with friends and neighbors and shopkeepers, etc., but the fact is, we are all ambassadors for Christ! You have been entrusted with vital ministry designed just for you (or you for it), whether or not you get a paycheck with your name on it or ever organize any sort of formal event.

I think it is so important to remember that, yes, we’ve been called as a family unit to our ministries, but also very much so  as individuals to be His ambassadors wherever in the world that we are.  But do you ever find it hard to believe that you are actually contributing much of consequence? All sorts of little lies love to try to plant themselves in my mind along those lines. Things like, “You have such little time, how is anything that you have the time or energy for going to make any sort of difference?” or “With your language abilities, how are they ever going to hear the gospel fully, let alone have their hardest questions answered?” and so on.

Over the past few years, the story of Jesus feeding the 5,000 has taken on such dear significance to me. I feel like that is exactly what my ministry outside of my home is like at this life stage. I am that kid, with an inconsequential little sack lunch that on its own could do nothing to satisfy the appetites of that overwhelming crowd. But we all know this story so well! In Jesus’ economy, 5 loaves and 2 fishes means a filling meal for 5,000 men, plus even more women and children, and left overs for tomorrow! Why should I let the size of my offering prevent me from giving it to Jesus in faith?

I fully believe that God has given us just enough to offer back to Him to equate to nothing short of a miracle.  We may see results right away, or we may wait a lifetime and never know what was accomplished by our efforts, but we must never forget stories like the feeding of the five thousand, as well beautiful promise like this from God’s word:

“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven
and do not return there but water the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout,
giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.”

Isaiah 55:10-11

God can use us to accomplish the miraculous if we humbly yet faithfully give our small offerings to Him by seeking to love our neighbors both in word and deed. The only way we cannot be fruitful is to keep our offering to ourselves, believing them too insignificant for God to use.

How have you felt about your personal call to ministry as a mother? Do you ever struggle with whether or not you are able to contribute anything of worth? What is one thing this week that you can do to offer a fish or loaf to Jesus? Be encouraged friends, God desires to work in great ways through YOU!!!

(Post by: Ashley)

Tuesday Topic: Encouragment from the Word

Published January 31, 2012 Encouragement , Tuesday Topic 7 Comments

From Noelle in Kenya:  What Bible verse has strengthened or encouraged you the most during your time as a missionary mom? I have had chronic tummy problems since moving overseas, and am looking for some perspective and encouragement from God’s Word. Thanks!

(If you would like to pose a “Tuesday Topic” question, please email it to formissionarymoms@gmail.com . Provide your blog address if you would like to be linked to, and specify also if you would like to remain anonymous. Thanks!)

Guest post: Serving From the Mess

Published January 16, 2012 Encouragement , Hospitality 4 Comments

My little girl crawled behind me as I ran into the kitchen to grab a piece of bread to give her for an improvised breakfast. I wanted to keep running—from my own stench. But I supposed I should return to my surprise guests who caught me finishing up an early morning workout.

My 3-year-old son saw the bread and wanted one, too. So, I excused myself again to get one for him, looking longingly at the bathroom—its promise of cleanliness calling out to me.

I returned, and smiled, though the sweat rings were still wet on my t-shirt, and my hair was plastered all greasy and sweaty on my head. I racked my brain for the polite thing to do in this culture. Excuse myself for 10 minutes so I could shower and just hope the kids don’t cry and pound on the bathroom door like they often do? Excuse myself for five minutes to change into the more appropriate long pants and long-sleeved shirt, and run a comb through my hair? Excuse myself for 30 seconds to go scream my embarrassment in a locked room?

But nothing felt right and they didn’t teach me what to do with 7 a.m. visitors in language school. And so I sat in my smelliness, hoping my guests had stuffed noses.

They must not have minded because they stayed for a couple of hours and we had one of the best conversations I’ve had since moving to Indonesia six years ago. Though we differ in our religions, we talked about beliefs and life and struggles and faith.

To be completely honest, even when I get a shower in, I spend my days here messy. Sweaty from the relentless tropical humidity. Covered in spit-up or sticky granola or flour from making bread. Confused at words I don’t yet know. Annoyed at something that goes wrong, then annoyed that I’m annoyed since I really want to face all this with grace.

My kids are sometimes fussy, or rude, or just shy. And I am sometimes fussy, and rude or just shy. And though some cultural stress eases as the years pass, I have managed to counter balance that with extra challenges of having kids, and therefore, multiplying all that mess.

And yet… when I learn to serve out of the messiness and receive the grace I wish I always gave, I live the Gospel Truth in its purest essence. When I open my home up to others, even when dinner is boiling over on the stove, I am demonstrating the importance of relationship over works. When I share my struggles, my own heartbreaks with those whose own souls hurt daily, I show the need we all have for a Heart Healer. When I act from my own sin, then return, humbly seeking forgiveness, I seek what I want to offer others—a second chance…and a third one and a fourth.

And I pray that His aroma overcomes my own stench; His grace shows through my need; and His plan is made perfect despite, and maybe just maybe, through all my messiness.

What does messiness look like in your life? What has it looked like for you to strive to continue to serve from the mess?

Rebecca Hopkins lives in Indonesia with her handsome Mission Aviation Fellowship pilot hubby and two cute kids. She blogs about Living for More in a World of Less at www.borneowife.blogspot.com .

Guest Post: What is Your Drug of Choice?

Published January 12, 2012 Encouragement , Furlough 2 Comments

Today please welcome a special guest post from a dear friend, Cheryl, who served for over 11 years in Eastern Europe and Russia and recently transitioned to a new ministry role State-side. She originally posted this here on her blog, and I am grateful for her willingness to let me share this post with you!

Today I am about 17 days away from my next visit to my native land.  There is a baseline anxiety that has already become a part of daily my subconscious processes.  Part of it comes from a normal, physiological reaction to transition.  I am gearing up for a 22 hour journey, the duration of which my mind will be filled with details that must be processed and prioritized in order to navigate my way home.  This anxiety is compounded by the fact that I travel the whole way on standby.  It is a privilege I am grateful for, but it does add to my stress level.

The main source of my anxiety comes from the reality of my “normal life” there, though.  Don’t get me wrong – I LOVE going back home.  The biggest reason is that I get to spend a lot of time with my family.  It is hard to be away from them!  We are close (relationally as well as geographically – apart from me, that is), we spend lots of time together, and we are fun… at least we think we are fun!  I also look forward to time with my friends and ministry partners.  It is great to catch up on life, hear the latest, and share what is going on with me.  And then, of course, there is Mexican food, Target, Starbucks, Bahama Bucks, Red Raider Football, The State Fair of Texas, The Dallas Cowboys, The Texas Rangers, movies, non-stop television coverage of news, sports, …..  The list goes on and on.  The root of my anxiety – distraction.  White noise.  The bombardment of things that keep me from focusing.  The fact that these are pleasures and treats that I don’t have access to most of the time makes it even harder to resist.

Don’t get me wrong!  I battle distractions living in Russia, too.  Here’s an example…

I wake up this morning after  collapsing exhausted in my bed last night.   I was anxious to spend some quality time in stillness and quiet – time with my First Love.  But… I had a pounding headache.  To be able to focus, I decided to take some pain killers.  That meant I needed to eat something.  Coffee couldn’t hurt either.  I stumble to the kitchen.  While the coffee is brewing, I might as well put the clean dishes away.  By the time the last glass is in its proper place, the coffee is ready.  Coffee and cereal in hand, I go back to my room/living room and decide to catch up on the news while I eat, drink, and wait for the medicine to take effect on my head.  I barely notice the fading headache as I take my dirty dishes to the sink.  Wanting to keep the kitchen clean, I turn on the hot water, wash the dishes and think, “The floor sure is dirty.  While the hot water is on, I might as well mop the floor.”  Mopping the kitchen led to mopping the rest of the house.  In “cleaning mode”, I also start some laundry.  How many hours have gone by and I have yet to stop and enjoy that stillness that I longed for as I awoke?  Frustrating, but remediable.  I finally stopped everything and sat down in silence.  Enjoying the peace and the reminders that without Him I can do nothing, He doesn’t want my good works or activity, He wants my heart…..  The stress evaporates in gratitude.

So this was how my battle with distraction looked here.  As I already mentioned, in the States, it is much harder to put aside those rare pleasures and stop the inundation of noise and activity.  If my life is sprinkled with distraction in Russia, it is immersed in distraction in America.

If I am bombarded with distraction, convenience and entertainment in America, you could say that I am bombarded with darkness and reality of suffering in Russia.  In Russia, my daily routine involves walking miles to and from work, the store, friends houses, all the while experiencing the “scent of homelessness” and the harsh reality of survival.  Both have the potential to draw my heart and focus away from things that are most important.  However, I find that the potential distractions in Russia can also serve to drive me back to my purpose and meaning in life – my inability to make a difference without the power of God, my desperate need for Him – and the desperate need of those around me.  In the US, the distractions – even the news – seems to lull me into forgetting the pain and suffering of a world so desperately in need of hope and life.  I rarely think of the Cora people in Ethiopia whose lives are sustained by a landfill of putrescence.  I forget about the dilemma faced by a mother in Pakistan – deciding whether to give her children dangerously dirty water to drink or to let their life-endangering, energy-draining thirst continue to go unquenched for yet another day…  It seems like the few voices that remind me of these realities during my short stay in America are hard to hear.  The signal to that transmission is weak.  And, if the issues were really that serious, Fox News would break in with a special report, right?!?!

No, reality is hard to come by in America.  Reality is hard to deal with in Russia.  I need grace wherever I am.  I need constant reminders that there is more to life than what I see, smell, taste and hear.  That perspective only comes with stillness and abiding.

So, what is your numbing “drug of choice” when it comes to reality?  How do you fight distraction and focus on what is most important? 

(Post by: Cheryl)

New Years Goals

Published December 30, 2011 Encouragement , Holidays 8 Comments
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There is something beautiful about the new year and the possibilities that it brings with it. I love setting goals and dreams, so new years resolutions have always been about dreaming big and setting my goals high for the coming year.

Often these goals inspire me to love God and my family more deeply, but everything in life has a season. This season of goal setting for our family looks much simpler than in years past. We just welcomed our fourth child into the world and are in the process of raising support and moving to South Sudan. With our house filled with the noise brought by four children under six, it is easy to think of many good goals for the coming year.  I could categorize these goals into categories such as educational, financial, spiritual, family, marriage and many more,  but instead I find myself stepping back and trying to simplify my goals into what is really important for our family.

This year as we cuddle our newest addition and look toward moving to another continent, I find myself seeking to do three things; to  that ensure my family has clean clothes to wear,  clean dishes to eat from, and to begin each day with time set aside to know God more.

I have the opportunity to set the tone of my home, this tone can be one of organization, chaos, stress, or peace and this tone overlays every activity or disruption that life brings (especially life in another culture). But the best tone that I can give my family is one of gratitude and worship which comes only from seeking to know God. Other responsibilities and goals are important but if I can focus on this one main thing, the other pieces fall into place.

When I say that my goals are to simply to seek God (and feed and clothe my family) it is not that I do not value things such as my children’s education, our support raising process, housework, finances, or marital relationship with my spouse, rather it is that I cherish those things so much, meaning that I choose to do the one thing that makes them all work together. Simplifying goals also helps me focus my time and efforts on things that truly matter and challenges me to let go of the things that do not. At the end of the day I can look back and see a home that may not be as clean as I had hoped, a to do list likely full of un-checked boxes, and I can measure success not by what is unimportant, but by what matters. If the tone of my home is one of gratitude and worship, the other items become details of lesser importance.

What about you?  What are some simple goals you mothers have as you look to set the tone for your family this coming year?

(Post by: Amie)

Guest Post: Surviving the New Adventure

Published December 15, 2011 Encouragement , Missionary Mom Issues , Transitions 5 Comments
(Jolene, who has been serving in Ukraine for the past ten years, has kindly offered to share this honest and deeply encouraging post that I think will strike a cord, either in our past or present experience, with each one of us serving overseas. And what a blessing for moms preparing for the field to learn and store up this wisdom for the future!)
You have waited many years for this moment.  You surrendered to the mission field, graduated from Bible college, spent many months on deputation, and now you are headed to the field!  Life could not be more exciting, more adventurous!  The moment you have anticipated, dreamt about, and talked about is finally here.
When you get to the field, it is exactly as you dreamed.  Everything is so different, yet so intriguing.  The people live differently, shopping takes a whole adventurous day, the local language sounds just like you stepped into a foreign film setting.  It is a lot to take in, but you are basking in the thrill of it all.  “Yes, this was exactly what I had in mind.  This is exactly what I have been looking forward to all of my life,” you reflect.
The people do quirky things, and you think it is charming.  Things happen that you just know the people at home will not believe, so you write home about it with great pleasure, knowing your friends and family will be just as amused as you are.  You journal each day (whether on paper or on your blog) about the incredulous things you are seeing and experiencing.  This is the life!
And then, a few months down the road, those funny things slowly start to lose their humor.  They start becoming ordinary, and the excitement that got you through those first few months starts to subside.  You have thrown yourself whole-heartedly into learning the language, and you are coming to the realization that learning a language is a much slower process than you anticipated.  After all, you have been here nearly a year and still cannot say an intelligible full sentence correctly.  People still ask you where you are from everywhere you turn, especially whenever you speak.  Winter comes and it is bitterly cold (or even the opposite extreme and in the 90′s!)…. not at all like back home.  Christmas Day arrives and you might find yourself completely alone or, at best, with another missionary family; and well, quite frankly, you are slightly disappointed because you were not able to celebrate like you know your family was celebrating at home.
Living on the mission field becomes harder and harder, and suddenly you look back and realize that it is no longer an adventure.  Those customs that were “cute” to you at first are, really, just rather annoying.  After all, don’t these people know that there are better ways of doing things?
And slowly, little by little, the adventure has worn completely off.  Life trudges on and does not always take the directions you had anticipated.  People are not asking “What must I do to be saved?” like you always dreamed they would.  In fact, if they were to ask, you would not even be able to tell them.  “Does everyone realize how hard it is to learn a foreign language?” you wonder as you think about how embarrasing it is that you have not been able to lead one person to Christ’s sweet salvation yet.
The letters from home stop coming as often, and everyone expects that you have settled into a happy, little routine.  And you have… except that you feel kind of stuck.  “This is where I am supposed to be, but I did not realize it would be so lonely.  Every time I open my mouth to speak, people hang onto my words trying to understand me like a mother watches her toddler trying to speak.”  You feel foolish and want to crawl into a shell and hide.  And it does not help that you do not understand anything that is being preached at church either.  You, the “great missionary” who left all behind to serve Christ, even start feeling un-churched.  Of course, you sit faithfully in every service (while training under a veteran missionary) but still only catch words here and there – certainly not enough to feel conviction or encouragement.  You miss your home church; you miss traveling to the greatest churches of America and being in the greatest Missions Conferences ever to be conducted.  Forget all of that… you just miss hearing English everywhere you turn!
Slowly, discouragement sets in.  “I will never fit in here.  I will never speak this language correctly.  I will never adapt to the way they do things, etc…“  And then you find that you are in a place you never thought you would be.  After all, was it not you who, when you talked about foreign missions to children’s Sunday school classes, watched as those small eyes widened in wonder at the adventure of taking the Gospel to a foreign mission field?  Was it not you who gave touching testimonies to ladies’ groups about your burning desire to reach these people?
But, oh, dear young missionary wife!  You are crossing a bridge between two mountains.  The first mountain is the one you left back home, and the second mountain is the one you will reach once you start making friends and learning to adapt in your new home.  But, right now you are caught between those two mountains, on a shaky, rattling, swinging bridge.  It seems so much safer to turn around and run back to the first, comfortable mountain that you left not so long ago.  But, if you will just endure and keep taking one small, shaky step at a time, one day you will find that you have reached the other side.  And, it is a beautiful mountaintop, filled with the greatest pleasures and beauty one could ever imagine!   From one who has made it to that second mountain, I encourage you to hang on!
I often wonder, if young missionary wives understood this transition process… from adventure to loneliness and change and, finally, to adaption, would there be more missionaries who made it through those first, transitioning years?  Most missionaries who give up on their calling, do so during the first four or five years.
I also wonder if praying friends back home truly realize the lonely tears that are shed during that transition period.  If they did, I am sure they would be more faithful to write little notes and send little care packages to those young missionary families.  If you are one of those praying friends, let me encourage you to find a missionary family who has been on the field anywhere from one to five years and focus on that family.  And when the devil comes and tries to rattle that already-unsteady bridge, the missionary family will hold on tighter and take another step forward…. another step toward their future of staying.
Where are you today on this journey? Are you on the first mountain top preparing to leave? On that shaking, rattling, swinging bridge, feeling lonely and discouraged? On that second mountain top of adaptation? Let’s join together in praying for our dear sisters in Christ who are crossing that bridge. And if you are looking on that bridge, do you have a minute to share a word or two of encouragement to spur your sisters on?
Post by: Jolene

Making time with God

Published December 3, 2011 Encouragement , Missionary Mom Issues , Prayer 4 Comments
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God greatly desires relationship with us and for us to continually acknowledge and experience His presence. We need His love, encouragement, and instruction and to be filled by His Spirit in order to succeed each day in what He has called us to do! How do we do this when the duties of motherhood don’t really come a with a whole lot of spare time or freedom from interruption? Here are some of my ideas, but what I’d really love is if you could share your wisdom and ideas in the comments! Let’s encourage each other to make our relationship with the Lord of utmost importance and priority!

1) Pray or listen to sermons while doing laundry or dishes- One of my dear friends here has a collection of little spiral note-pads by her sink, and on each page she has different prayer requests. Some are for our team, some are for our ministry, some for family, some for friends… She spends her dish washing time praying through those requests.  Another thing that I love to do sometimes is to listen to sermons on my computer as I do the dishes.

2) Listen to the Bible in the car or on headphones as you walk if you’re traveling alone- There is really something amazing about listening to God’s word!  I have heard many people say that it is good to engage as many of our senses as possible when learning, as it aids in understanding and retention. This is true for study of the word! If you haven’t already, I think you will be surprised at the little nuances that you pick up while listening that you might not catch as easily while reading. You may also find that you remember it even more easily! (And as a quick note, you can listen to the Bible for free at Biblegateway.com . I’ve been listening to the ESV version, also during dish time, and though I don’t really love the narration style, I still find that I get a lot out of it!)

3) Memorize scripture with your kids- Find verses that you would like to memorize that you can also teach to your kids! It is so great for  both us and for our children to store up God’s word in our hearts, and it is more fun to do together! One thing my daughter and I like to do is choose a verse and then draw a picture or make a craft that goes along with it. Again, engaging with the word through various means helps with memorization.

4) Pray or meditate on scripture as you wait- If there is a place where you often find yourself waiting, either in line, or for a child to get out of a lesson, etc, (living in a former soviet country, the post office immediately springs to my mind!), perhaps designate that time as a time for prayer meditating on memorized scripture.

5) Listen to praise music at home- You can be busy at home doing pretty much anything, but the words of worship songs can serve to edify you and the rest of your family throughout the day.

6) Post scripture around your home- I have seen many beautiful pieces of art lately where people have incorporated scripture into their home decor. Whether it be something artistic in a frame, or simply a verse on a note-card on your bathroom mirror, having scripture around your home gives you opportunities to reflect on scripture all throughout the day.

7) Set aside time when the kids are sleeping or are otherwise independently occupied where you will make a habit of reading the Bible and praying- This is not really an easy thing to just squeeze in wherever, but we simply need to be spending time in the word each day!  Other “needs” should come after our need to be with God, and though it is often easiest to push to the edges of our schedule, meeting with God and being in His word is the most vital of tasks. We cannot live and continue to walk in the power of the Holy Spirit without this source of strength, truth and communion with the Lord! I was recently reminded that if you do something each day for 7 weeks, it is more likely to form a habit. If you struggle with making consistent time for study of the word, pray and make a commitment to read your Bible and pray every day at about the same time for 7 weeks and see if it doesn’t become much more of a habit after that time!

Ok, like I said, those are a few ideas, but I’d really love to hear other things that work for you! Please share your ideas!

(Post by: Ashley)

Homesick

Published December 1, 2011 Encouragement , Grief , Missionary Mom Issues 7 Comments
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This is our 11th year in Niger, so it really shouldn’t catch me by surprise, yet it does.

Every year.

Just before my September birthday, I find myself moody, easily angered, tearful, rapidly frustrated by the idiosyncrasies of living here, and continually questioning God. My husband remarks on my unusually temperamental nature, wondering if I’ve been getting enough sleep. My kids know that I’m going to fuss at them about the messy state of their room – and on particularly bad days, the state of the entire house. Others words that would normally roll right off like water on oil penetrate and hurt, whether intended that way or not. Oversensitive, glum, fatigued by everything about life in this land, I plug along for another month or so.

Then one day, usually sometime in early November, the sky changes from unrelenting sun and faded blue to bright but cool blue, a breeze blows and most days there is a morning haze of harmattan dust or fog over the river. I look for my single cozy sweater to wear while sitting on the terrace and drinking my morning tea. The children (and sometimes even their daddy) dig out socks to wear with their flip-flops. Orange squash are plentiful next to the bridge on the far side of the river. And yellow leaves begin to tumble from one particular type of tree.

And I remember.

I remember why I’ve felt so not me. I’m homesick. Fall is my absolute favorite season of the year, beginning from my birthday and lasting through Thanksgiving. The chill in the air, snuggly sweaters, hiking boots and hot chocolate… Hayrides and bonfires, roasting marshmallows, harvesting apples and fresh mulled apple cider… College football (any football, really) vivid and vibrant colors gracing the trees, piles of raked leaves and giggly children playing, and deer season… Turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and all the delight of friends and family at Thanksgiving… Autumn arrives back home, leaving me here, melancholy and nostalgic, wistfully longing for favorite things I miss, and on those really hard days, evoking regret for this decision to live, work and minister in this place.

As one living in an adopted home that is far away and so different from what I’ve always considered home, bouts with homesickness are not surprising. What is surprising, to me at least, is the strength of that longing for another place, my place– and the guiltiness that wells up within because in this moment, I’m not content where God has placed me doing what He has called me to do. I don’t doubt that I’m where I’m supposed to be. I simply don’t want to be here. If I let this continue, I’m stepping into sin.

At least once I remember, once I’ve recognized the problem, I know what to do. It really isn’t a 1-2-3 list of steps to follow to banish homesickness. I wish I could wave some sort of biblical wand, like the fairy godmother in Cinderella, to erase that longing for another place, but I find that for me, it is actually a process of confession, choosing contentment, thankfulness and praise.

I first recognize that, while that feeling homesick is not a sin, my resulting discontentment and ungracious attitude towards God and others is. I repent and confess, remembering that contentment is learned. It is also a choice I can make each time someone or something tempts me to let disgruntlement consume. After setting things right with the Lord, I also have to admit my sinful behavior and ask forgiveness from those who’ve been hurt or offended by my season of short temper, spiteful words and other “yuckiness” boiling over.

Then I begin to give thanks. Homesickness is living at least one thing the Savior knew quite well: a longing for another place that never quite goes away. In that opportunity to share in the earthly experience of the Lord, I can begin to give back to God a sacrifice of praise, a gift of gratitude and obedience. I think of words in Philippians 3 and Romans 8:17:

“What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death…”

“Now if we are children, then we are heirs–heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.”

That longing I feel for another place? It brings to mind so many blessings that I could never begin to number them all. People, places, poignant memories, precious moments, perfect splendor as I regard God’s handiwork… all are priceless treasures. I do have a choice: I can mope and complain that I can’t live those moments every minute, that I can’t metaphorically grasp them all in my hand all at once… or I can be overwhelmed and overcome by infinite mercies and graces bestowed each day and then let my cup of praise and thankfulness run over.

I can also permit this yearning for home remind me of an ever growing longing for my forever home and the awesome presence of God – directing my thoughts upward, near to the heart of God, toward heaven and eternity.

The Lord, in His grace, allowed me to remember a bit sooner this year. Maybe that means I’m making progress!

How has homesickness appeared in your life? Would you have a moment to share a bit and encourage others with how God has led you personally through these tough seasons? Would anyone appreciate prayer as they walk through a time of homesickness? Let’s all be praying today for our sisters around the world who are facing this heartache right now.

(Post by: Richelle)

Blessed Inconvenience

Published November 14, 2011 Encouragement , Missionary Mom Issues 10 Comments

After over four months of furlough in the US, here I am again hand washing dishes, cooking from scratch, and hanging clothes to dry (at least for the past several months since my dryer broke),  and I am seeing how many of the “inconveniences” of life here that I have so often sought to minimize actually carry with them a quite wonderful blessing.

This past summer was exhausting as we ran here and there, doing way more each day than I am used to. Part of this was just the reality of trying to fit so much into a short period of time (any of you who have been back on furlough can totally relate I’m sure!), but I also think part of what stressed me out was a pressure that I felt to do a bazillion things every day, and that I could actually do it since there were so many conveniences to eliminate much of the mundane daily work that I’ve become accustomed to. Pre-made food, jumbo sized washers, dryers, dish washers, one-stop shopping, a personal back yard where the kids could play without constant supervision giving me more time to get more things done as they played…

Are these things bad? No way! I love the convenience of America!! This is a huge blessing and privileged aspect of our culture. What a blessing to find ways to create time in our days! What happened for me though was that with all of this saved time each day, I kept packing in more and more stuff that often required greater emotional energy than scrubbing dishes or hanging laundry. Though my days were often full of wonderfully fun and meaningful experiences, those quiet moments usually spent on mundane work were greatly minimized, often leaving me completely exhausted!

I remember my mom telling me that when computers were first being invented, the idea was that eventually people’s work would be decreased to a mere couple of hours a day due to increased productivity. Has that happened? Of course not! We work the same number of hours, and often more, and have now have simply increased our standard of productivity! Please don’t get me wrong, I am all in favor of productivity, but I personally experienced a great loss when my productivity increased at the expense of the peaceful and apparently restorative mundane.

Since our return, though the amount of work that I need to do each day just to keep our household running has increased greatly, I  feel so much more healthy and at peace with my life. Washing dishes is a chore and consumes hours of my week, but I can think, and pray, and just let my mind wander as I do this monotonous but stress-free task. I don’t enjoy the task of hanging laundry and can’t wait for the day that my little dryer is repaired, but at the same time, I have found myself glad for the quiet moments that demand simply hanging things neatly in rows on racks. No-stress. It is often inconvenient to have to go out of the apartment every time the kids need time to play outside, but it forces me to be outside, away from my house work, away from projects, away from the computer, just with the kids and in the fresh (or sometimes fresh) air.

I am all in favor of streamlining tasks and redeeming time, and sometimes I crave to spend those moments spent on laundry and dishes on other things that would seem more worthwhile, but sometimes monotony is a blessing too! Since these sorts of mundane tasks are a non-negotiable part of my daily life, I am thankful that God used this experience to help me dread them less and see them even as a blessing.

What do you think? How do you view the mundane tasks in your life? I pray that you might received these things in your own life as a blessing today!

(Post by: Ashley)

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life…

Published February 11, 2011 Encouragement 2 Comments

A couple of months ago, I shared during our staff devotional time at the MK school where I teach. The past few weeks had been crazy busy for me, so I was wanting to share something simple, short and sweet… something that was near to my heart because it was something God had already been teaching… working on in me… something that was “testimony” rather than “teaching,” simply because of my personal convictions regarding devotional times in mixed groups…

And the Holy Spirit led me back to where I’d started at the beginning of this school year. During our staff orientation time, way back in August, just after we’d returned to Niger, we were given a small chunk of time to get alone with the Lord and meditate on Psalm 23.

The Lord is my shepherd;

I shall not want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness

for his name’s sake.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.

Surely goodness and mercy

shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
forever.

Psalm 23 (ESV)

I’ve shared from this Psalm several times recently…  the Lord has spoken to me about shepherding the children He’s given… His Spirit has convicted me regarding the importance of reflecting on and listing our many blessings (and no matter how difficult or hard things seem, we all have more than we can count) which changes our perspective from saying we have just what we need that to recognizing that our cup is overflowing. And as He brought me, over the course of the past few weeks, back once again to these familiar words, the following picture came into focus…

David begins the Psalm testifying that he is adequately cared for; he begins listing the ways that God, his Shepherd, cares for him, meeting every need. The Lord is the One Who leads, Who provides, Who renews, Who protects, Who limits, Who encourages.  What is striking is that the first instances of this shepherding are all positive – things we humans traditionally appreciate and/or enjoy. But then, David begins listing hard things. God, his shepherd, is the One Who leads him into times of death (which I believe can be figurative, as in dying to self, or literal, as in the death of a loved one or even a brush with our own mortality and unavoidable death), the One Who brings challenging things into his life, the One Who applies the rod when chastening is needed, the One Who puts everything into order while He brings us into places of confrontation with our enemies…

What I find so striking is what David says right after he lists those hard things: He anoints my head with oil… or He honors me; my cup overflows… or I’m totally overwhelmed by all of these instances of the Lord’s blessing and the unmistakable evidence of His hand caring for me, exquisite and difficult as it might be. That bit about the honoring – it made me think back to something I shared awhile back- a part of Helen Roseveare’s testimony: Can we thank God for entrusting us with those impossibly difficult and hurtful things in our lives? Can we thank Him, counting it a privilege to suffer as He suffered for us and to thus share that experience with Him?

A few years ago, after a teaching a Bible study on Colossians 3:12-14, the Holy Spirit really impressed upon my heart that He wanted to teach me what it meant to be gentle, as described in those verses, as a part of the fruit of the Spirit. I’d always heard gentleness described as strength carefully controlled. That may be one facet of it; however, I now believe a better synonym for gentleness is teachable-ness – holding my hopes, dreams, desires and goals for today and the future with an open hand so that whatever/whenever/however, I thank the Lord for His orchestration of my life, regardless of whether I define my situation as satisfying or difficult. I think it means not throwing my hands up in despair and crying, “Why, Lord?” when He places challenging, painful, scary, unexpected or otherwise-unpleasant-as-defined-by-me circumstances in the path, refusing to see the multitude of blessings past, present and remember the promise of ones future.

The people to whom we seek to minister have an expression that essentially means “As God wills, so be it.” At first I struggled with how this was… but wasn’t… an accurate reflection of the Lord, my Shepherd. That confusion, however, has finally cleared. Our friends here? They toss around this phrase, but WITHOUT the confident expectation that their god is looking out for their absolute best and his perfect will… because he is capricious and so far removed from the nitty-gritty of his followers’ lives. They CANNOT trust that all their god does, even the hard things, he does ONLY because he loves intimately and infinitely, and that they too are evidence of grace.

Followers of the Great Shepherd, the One and Only I AM, can rest in that knowledge. I can be confident that the Almighty is arranging all for my absolute best, His perfect will AND His never-ending glory. He does so, continually, for every soul He has ever created. I can trust Him implicitly because He loves me intimately and infinitely. And so, I want to become one of His children who (because I’m not grasping and clutching to whatever it might be that I’ve decided I value) proclaims… testifies… whispers… or even cries… “As God wills, and I will thank and praise Him for it and for His amazing, overflowing grace manifested to me through each and every situation!” because the only One to which I cling is God alone.

(Post by: Richelle)

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