The race is hard. Really, really hard.
From a social media standpoint, it looks like I’m having the time of my life. Which I am, don’t get me wrong. The Lord has blessed me with the ability to experience life overseas. He’s given me an opportunity to see Him move in ways that I haven’t been able to back at home. He’s given me chances to meet new people and hear their stories. I’m having an amazing time. But there’s other times when it’s not so amazing.
There’s people you don’t get along with, there’s bad days where you just want to scream at everybody but you can’t. There’s days that I want to get in my car and just drive for hours but oh wait, I don’t have my car. There’s days you’re tired of being woken up at 4 am from the rooster outside. There’s [many] days when you’re tired of eating rice and don’t know how you’ll be able to eat anymore of it. There’s days when I just want to cuddle in bed with a dog but realize third world dogs are disgusting. The race is really hard.
If you look at my social media, you’ll see a lot of pictures from our adventure days. You’ll see me exploring temples, visiting waterfalls, eating food, and pictures of my new friends. And from a social media standpoint, it looks like all I do is explore and have my own agenda. But that’s not the case.
Back in the states, I didn’t post a lot of pictures of my job. People knew I was working regardless of if I posted pictures on Instagram about it. The same is true being a missionary. I’m working 5-6 days a week to spread the Gospel and love on people.
The thing about social media is that it’s all a facade. Of course I’m not going to post the hard times. I’m not going to showcase my struggles, or exploit my new friends by telling their stories that they’ve entrusted to me. I’m not going to tell the internet about all the things that drive me crazy. Nobody is really interested in that anyway. There’s things that are really hard, but there’s also some moments that are too precious to capture in a photo.
Like when a baby that’s been abandoned and doesn’t know how to receive love actually sits still and LETS you hold him.
Or when a woman trapped in sex trafficking cries out to you and your team because she’s devastated that this is her reality.
Or when a 10 year old orphaned boy who has no valuable possessions gives you a peacock feather he received as a gift because he says he wants you to remember him always.
Or when you get the opportunity to share your testimony with a group of Muslim girls.
Or when a local friend cries to you because they are so overwhelmed by the reality of the poverty in their life, but can’t seem to find a way out.
Or when the whole squad had a worship night for hours just to intercede for another member of our squad, believing and fighting for freedom in the name of Jesus.
Or when you befriend a family and they invite you to dinner and cook the most extravagant meal you’ve seen since Thanksgiving in America.
Some moments are too good to show everyone.
The thing is, life in general is hard. Regardless of if you’re back at your home, if you’re traveling the world, or if you’re flying to space. Life is hard.
Even though the race is hard, I’ve learned to lean more on God. He gives me a reason to be joyful. Despite all the struggles I’m faced with, I have a reason to praise Him.
I cried to him with my mouth, and high praise was on my tongue. If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. But truly God has listened; he has attended to the voice of my prayer. Blessed be God, because he has not rejected my prayer or removed his steadfast love from me! – Psalms 66:17-20
#AlexsAsianInvasion
