So. I have been talking about home a lot. Not just because it is month 11 but because when you get to know people you talk about where you are from. In case anyone was wondering New Hampshire is not widely known and I am sorry to say Boston doesn’t get much recognition either. Most of the time I say New York. Sometimes I even say Canada. I also have been talking and showing pictures of fall and snow. I love watching their faces as they see pictures of snow and ice covering trees and cars. One person even said, “So then you will stay in your home, right?” It is so neat to be in places where people have never seen or experienced my normal. I am blessed to get to share in theirs.
Lately the questions have been about if I am excited to go home. Back to America. I am excited to see the people but to be honest I wish I could bring all the people to me. My home is America. I love New Hampshire, it is my favorite place on this earth, but the reason I am returning to it is because of the people that are there. The people are what make it my home not the place. I now have homes in 11 countries. I am blessed to have been there and may never get to go back but the people will always be in my heart.
On tgis journey I have experienced many blessings. My eyes have seen crazy things and my ears have heard amazing things. My heart has been broken many times but my spirit is hopeful. God has met me these past 11 months in amazing ways. I have done and seen things that I would never have experienced if I had not left my home. If I had not said yes. The amazing thing though is not sharing my culture, not experiencing new things, not seeing amazing sites, (I saw a volcano this week), but seeing people come to understand who God is and how much He loves them. Realizing that God moved in my heart and sent me to their homes and so I am meeting and sharing Him in crazy ways with people I never knew existed. People whose names I now know, stories I share, and burdens I am blessed to pray for.
I have been doing door to door evangelism this month and though our church host and I see it a little differently, the gospel is being shared and people are repenting and giving their lives to Christ. I am amazed at the humility and vulnerability of getting to pray for new believers and encourage fellow followers. When someone acknowledges the need for God and wants to surrendered their life to Christ. I have also met Catholics this month and it has made me miss my mom. I have gotten to talk with them about religion verses relationship and have seen the love of Christ in their eyes. Yesterday I met a single mom with a story like my sister’s. It made me miss Emily and Joey too. I was blessed to get to pray with her and for her as she renounced the past sin in her life and chose to walk in the freedom of forgiveness and renewed her commitment to Jesus.
Last night Kaysha preached about the women at the well and worshiping in spirit and truth. One man we had witnessed to yesterday came to the service and after it he chose to accept Jesus. People want to talk about eternity. Often times in America we are timid to bring it up because we believe the lies… “People don’t care, they will think I am preaching, they don’t have time, I will seem foolish, they will get angry.” We let these lies keep us from opening our mouths and sharing what God is doing or has done.
I want to encourage you. There are devine appointments in your life everyday. People you meet or talk to who are spiritually waiting for you to act. God uses people for a reason. He does not have a plan B. People whose names and stories you don’t know yet but who may need prayer or encouragement, might have questions about God, may be looking for answers that God has equipped you with. Never be afraid to talk about Him, He promises to always show up and give you the things to say. I saw a post recently and it said, “You will never look I in the eyes of a person whom God does not love.” The Bible says they will know us as followers not just by our love for one another but by our love for the world.
