4 days. That is all the time I have left at home.
4 days to spend time with those that I love.
4 days to say goodbye.
4 days to regret the decision I have made to be obedient to God’s call.
4 days to try to convince God that what he wants me to do is right here at home.
“Just stay.” –Satan
I would be lying right now if I said I was excited about leaving on Sunday.
I cry every day knowing that I am that much closer to saying my goodbyes.
I knew when I agreed to do this that it would be difficult, but now that the time has come I am -overwhelmed
Have you ever tried to change God’s mind?
The enemy has been working overtime on my mind as the time to launch for the World Race comes closer. His urges for me to ask God to change His plans for me are strong, and my will to stand against the enemy is weak. It is tempting to give in- to beg God to let me stay. I don’t want to leave home. There is so much I could do here. Can’t I do the same things I would do overseas right here at home? Are you sure you got this right, God?
God doesn’t make mistakes. I know begging to stay isn’t going to change anything. I have made it so easy for Satan to place those thoughts of doubt and regret in my mind. Those two words, just stay, are so powerful because both God and Satan know how much I will miss home and how hard it is going to be to leave it. The only thing I can do is ask God to remind me why He has called me into this new season of my life.
The answer begins with sports ministry.
While I am in Colombia, my team and I will be just outside of Medellin working with a Christian soccer club that brings in the young in attempt to keep them out of the drug industry. I don’t play sports. I don’t know anything about sports. But sports ministry is the only thing keeping my spirits high this last week of being home.
I was asked at the beginning of this if I wouldn’t rather do something that would specifically utilize my degree in education, but the draw of the World Race was that my background as a teacher wasn’t the focus. I didn’t want to do something I was good at. I wanted to be used in ways where I would say “I have no clue what I am doing” because then there would be room for God to shine. Those are the moments when I have to rely on God to work through me.
But this sports ministry is just a small portion of the big picture that I have been failing to see.
Has God’s mind ever changed yours?
I was driving yesterday evening when God opened my eyes to the fact that there was a bigger picture. Right in front of me was a dark gray and gloomy sky. My eyes were focused on it. But as I gradually looked to the left the sky changed from dark gray to navy to light blue to pale yellow to vivid orange and bright pink. The gradation was beautiful.
It took looking around me to see that the whole view was not dark gray.
My eyes have been focused on the dark gray of leaving everything behind here at home. God reminded me that I have to look around and see that the sadness of leaving is only a portion of what I will experience as I enter into this new season. I am going to get to see and experience some beautiful things, and it is all because God has been gracious enough to fulfill this desire of my heart. I know that this won’t be easy, but God has already promised me so much as I continue to walk in faith and trust in this plan of His.
I would be lying right now if I said I wasn’t excited about leaving on Sunday.
I smile every day knowing that I am that much closer to starting this incredible experience.
I knew when I agreed to do this that it would be worth it, but now that the time has come I am-overwhelmed
“Go” -God
So now all I have is 4 days.
4 days to enjoy the blessing of a home.
4 days to embrace the decision I have made to be obedient to God’s call.
4 days for God to remind me that what He wants me to do is spread all over the world.
4 days.
