With all of this prep work I’m doing to get back on the field (which generally includes thrift store shopping, blog and Facebook stalking my squad, trying to text 60 people as often as possible, performing regularly scheduled cardio and writing prayer requests on post-its) I have been conversing with Jesus quite a good bit and He has had a lot to say to me. I really didn’t know what I was getting myself into when I sent in my squad-leading application but suddenly adding 62 other people into your life (that # includes my co-leader, Erin and our squad coordinator, Hannah) is quite a lot of lives to be involved in. I know I’ve talked about it a little already, yet knowing that the days are getting closer to our launch date and knowing just how much I need to accomplish between now and then can seem quite daunting at times. My regular schedule can be dually flexible and busy but I am grateful for all I have been asked to do and I enjoy doing it all. He is so faithful in everything that He has asked of me, which is what He promised us! Man oh man, what a great guy.
While I listen to Him and I hear all of the good thoughts He has for my squad and for myself, I have really started to see everything at home with eyes of light. Every day I am willing to ask Him questions regarding anything that is going on around me or within my squad or otherwise and He always knows just what needs to be said in the perfect timing. He keeps finding ways to challenge me and I keep getting blessed with more and more of the abundant life He so graciously gives. It’s wild to hear what He thinks about everything and how He truly always wants the best for everyone in all situations. Whether on the missions field, in the office, in a car, at a dance party, while water-skiing, during a lightning storm, when we struggle to deal with a challenging situation, when we don’t know where money is going to come from, when we are sick, when we choose to disobey, while we listen to our own voices rather than what He has for us… through everything He continues to be good and never changes who He has promised us He would be. When He continues to show me just how much more of Him there is to know and just how faithful He is through all things, it makes me want this incredible love for everyone I meet at home or otherwise even more than I ever did before.
As He continues to spring forth with so much life from His beloved mouth and I continue to see Him moving in so many incredible ways around me, I have started to notice just how often people walk with or without any zest for life. I recognize that not every situation or lifestyle is particularly ideal to recurring natural standards, but it is even harder to know that so many people have no idea at just how much Jesus loves them. He shows me so much of how specific His love really is and I can see it in the lives of people everywhere I go. It is frustrating to see that people don’t even notice the abundance of love and life that they are encountering ALL THE TIME. It is crazy to know that I hear Him tell me such wonderful things but so many people go their entire lives with no desire to hear a single encouraging word from their loving Dad. I am pretty tired of seeing my brothers and sisters live in bitterness and walk with the weight of the world on their shoulders. I am not trying to complain nor am I trying to force you into doing anything, I just want to try and get you to understand at just how much I want to see the light of the world shine so much brighter than all of the dark rubbish people choose to swim around in. We aren’t called to be miserable and loathsome children who despise life, but we are called to live an existence full of radical gratitude for the eternal love we never stop receiving.
As the joy of the Lord abounds in and around all that I am and He IS, I ran across something that really struck a chord with all that I had been experiencing. His Word was and is constantly coming alive to me but it seemed to really sum itself up in Psalm 34:
Oh, ztaste and see that athe Lord is good!
bBlessed is the man who takes refuge in him!
9 Oh, fear the Lord, you his saints,
for those who fear him have no lack!
10 cThe young lions suffer want and hunger;
but those who dseek the Lord lack no good thing.
11 eCome, O children, listen to me;
fI will teach you the fear of the Lord.
12 gWhat man is there who desires life
and loves many days, that he may hsee good?
13 iKeep your tongue from evil
and your lips from jspeaking deceit.
14 kTurn away from evil and do good;
seek peace and lpursue it.
15 mThe eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous
nand his ears toward their cry.
16 oThe face of the Lord is against those who do evil,
to pcut off the memory of them from the earth.
17 nWhen the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears
and delivers them out of all their troubles.
18 The Lord is near to qthe brokenhearted
and saves rthe crushed in spirit.
This passage and so many more continue to reassure me of just who He is and how our Father never stops being our Father. His is the Dad of all and He He loves us all excellently and specifically. He is so much more than just His name and I love getting to know more about Him every day. Why don’t we all try seeing just how good He is rather than depress ourselves with the meager attempts of Satan. Jesus love is never threatened by the nonsense of evil and we shouldn’t be either. He is way too good and His love is too great for us to choose to ignore Him.
