Comin at ya at 1 am in South Africa. Tomorrow we continue to travel to Swaziland where we will be doing ministry there.
I am having trouble sleeping and I couldnt stop thinking about our minds and how important they are. Hah, yes my mind can keep itself up just by thinking how cool it is *rolls eyes*
But I’ve been on this journey of discovering my mind for the last year. Realizing that everything I put in it or entertain is just as important as the food that goes in my body.
On the world race we have crazy long travel days. To get to Malawi we flew to Panama, then to Toronto, then to Ethiopia, then Malawi… after a long long bus ride. Currently we are on a four day journey to Swaziland and man, it can get long.
Why am I saying this? So on the race, you honestly treat yourself as much as you can when you can.. or maybe thats just me. But before we leave I make sure I have my favorite Aloe drinks, a couple juices, ice cold water, something salty.. and of course chocolate.
My mindset is hey, I’m on my way to somewhere I’m but not there yet. It requires effort to go from point A to point B so therefor I’m gonna chilllaaaax for a lil bit and treat myself.
Heres my question for you:
Do you have travel days in your mind?
You are at one place and are wanting to grow and be in another place.
Personal example:
I struggle with irritability more than I thought. It brings out sides of me that i really dont like. It brings out impatience and his friend, ungratefulness. Nothing worse, right?
Holy Spirit has been convicting me of this mindset that I let myself get into. So I am trying to let Him show me how to be more patient and kind.. but I am not there yet. I am on weird travel day in my head.
I begin to hear this self pity talk that goes like this;
Amanda, you’ve been doing so much. Allow yourself to have a little bit of those thoughts. You really thought you could live without them? Lets be honest, you cant. So on your way to figuring that out, just relax a little bit. Take a bite out of this fruit.”
Does the end of that sound familiar to you? Crazy how the enemy is so unoriginal and uses the same lines since the beginning. But huh, we let them work don’t we?
I want to walk through an orchard filled with kindness and patience and love and grace and gentleness and justice and wonder. But I have to plant those everyday. I don’t just plant them once. After a few days of our travel on the race, we eventually get to our destination. But when our destination is to look like Jesus, everyday we are on this side of heaven, we must plant. We must pick up our cross.. or our 65 liter backpack. Everyday. We need to not give in to the enemy’s taunting.
When people walk through the orchard of your life when they meet you, what do you want them to see? God’s faithfulness or your excuses?
We are on a travel day for the rest of our days here.. plant wisely.
Ask Holy Spirit, what are things in my life that are not allowing me to fully trust in your strength? What is weighing on me that I don’t need to be carrying on this travel day? Lord, show me what to plant and let it all glorify You.
Amen.
