When I started to tell people that Gap Year was something I was pursuing for this coming fall, I always seemed to be meet with the same couple responses: “Wow I never knew you wanted to do something like this!” or “Really? That’s unlike you.”. For a long time I was struggling with those types of responses. I know who I am, someone who thinks of himself as someone who has a fierce desire to serve people, both those who and who do not know the love god has for them. I just was very uncomfortable with the fact that some of the people who know me best, who see me more than most other people would not think that an action requiring this much sacrifice and patience would be within my character. I despise how the world pushes us away from each other, away from the community in which we were created for. So in preparation to leave to a distant place, I have been attempting to practice the ministry that we will be proclaiming here at home. If you can’t do it at home what makes you think that you will be able to do it across the world? Which brought me to the realization: and this is something that I have to constantly remind myself every single day. Be the rest for the weary, be the joy to the sorrowful, and darn it, love everyone with all that you got.

Gandhi, a devout Hindu acknowledged and valued, even followed the principles of the bible but condemned the trap that American Christians often fall into. He said, 

“You Christians look after a document containing enough dynamite to blow all civilization to pieces, turn the world upside down and bring peace to a battle-torn planet. But you treat it as though it is nothing more than a piece of literature.”

Please, please, please, don’t set the Lord on the back burner. I know how easy it is to be a luke-warm Christian. Its been my most predominate struggle while preparing for this program.

Forgive my lack of ability to write in a blog, y’all will just have to bear with me through my sporadic thoughts on this site.