Friends! This is my last full week in ministry in Ecuador, starting next Wednesday we are leaving for Thailand! With a twenty-four hours layover in San Francisco wahhoooo!!! I cannot believe how much time has past since first coming to Covi. I’m going to be so sad as I leave some of the sweetest people I have ever had the blessing to meet. This week I have been teaching English to ninth and tenth grade students and it’s been both a challenge and a blast!
Throughout my life, I’ve had a difficult time putting my wants aside for things that I know I should be doing instead. School was always a hard want to ignore. Let me preface this by saying I absolutely despise school. Sorry, not sorry, but homework, tests, and essays weren’t my idea of fun. It got even harder when I had online school because I *wince* crashed my car so I could no longer go to the school everyday. But what I failed at was putting my time and effort into the online classes because it was sooo easy saying that I’ll do it later, and then and up “forgetting”.
Your probably wondering where the heck are you going with this Ashley, but I promise I have a point to the rambling. There’s always going to be things you have to do in your life that you DON’T want to do. Things like school, work, family, God and so much more. The easiest excuse is I’ll just do it later. Later may not always come, you never know what could happen. Later isn’t promised and isn’t always in the way you expect. Do today what you may not be able to do tomorrow. Don’t let the wants come before your shoulds.
Family should be a priority. It’s ok to work to provide for your family, but when you spend more time at work than with your family, your not only hurting your family, but yourself as well. You never know if you’ll that tomorrow with your family. Build up that love in the small moments. One thing this race taught me is the little things mean so much more than the big things. A hug or a kind word that shows you care can mean so much more than giving flowers or a box of chocolates. Don’t let time take away the small things with your family and loved ones because you put your wants before your shoulds.
This the same for spending time with God. He cares about the small things just as much as your family and loved ones do. If your excuse is ‘ I don’t remember what I read when I read the bible’. I have a response from God for that. “I may not remember what I had for breakfast this morning but I know it nourished me.”
Another excuse I’ve heard is ‘I fall asleep when I read the bible or pray’ and again God has a response. “I’ve never gotten upset when my kids fall asleep in my arms.”
Don’t let your wants push aside your time with God because he will always have a response ready to your excuses. Don’t push off what you can do today.
