Haha. Did the title draw you in? I’ll explain shortly.
It’s the day my team and I will depart for 22 hour flight to THAILAND! We have learned so much the last few days – literally so much – and I am AMPED TO SHARE THAT KNOWLEDGE and even apply it to my own life! Hopefully you will find something interesting in this post but maybe it just bores you. I know it excites me because realistically, I would like to say I am open minded and I try to effectively communicate between cultures but I am not and I do not. The lessons we have been taught have helped stretch my thinking.
I have had an UHHHHMAZING time getting to know my team…. and only using bucket showers…. and porta potties…. and eating with our hands.
Really, though. Bucket showers, I’m not opposed. Porta Porta Potties, eh not great. Eating with our hands, different but sincerely… fun? ??
I am in the right place and I have so much peace about it.
Of course I would love to scribe every note onto my blog about every lesson we learned…. but I won’t.
Before I left, my friend Anne spoke out the phrase “desperately dependent” and during my first day of training camp a speaker mentioned the expression “desperately wanted”.
My wheels started turning with this act of desperation. I am, we are, you are desperately WANTED by the Father. We also must be desperately dependent on him for guidance and to be led in truth and light especially on field (THAI THAI BABY).
What is God trying to accomplish? What is his purpose? What’s the point of missions?
Ephesians 1:4-10. Of course there are TONS of scriptures that state God’s purpose along with this one.
“ 4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8 that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, 9 he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10 to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ. “
His purpose: TO BRING UNITY TO ALL THINGS IN HEAVEN AND ON EARTH UNDER CHRIST.
Boom. Holla. Praise break.
Because worship of God doesn’t yet exist in all nations, missions does. Make sense? We have missions because every knee has not yet bowed and every tongue has not yet praised.
Missions isn’t the end goal. Worship of God is. We get to be apart of it.
We were given a really good analogy of how the Lord likes to use us.
Imagine you have a four year old kid, let’s say his name is Tod. Tod wants to make eggs for breakfast. You as the parent know how to already make the eggs. You know what goes in them. You know how to prep them. You know how long to cook them. You just know.
But, Tod wants to make the eggs. So, you let him.
The parent doesn’t have to have the kid to make the eggs. But, he still lets him.
Are we not the kid? God doesn’t ~~have~~ to use us. He already knows how to make the eggs. He ~~chooses~~ to use us and allow us to experience Him in new ways. All to glorify Him and His goodness!
Without Jesus’ sacrifice, there would be no point in sharing the redemption and freedom that He has to offer. There would be no purpose in GOING to the nations.
If you read this, you are a trooper. Congrats. Thanks for reading my ted talk. Hah. I wanted to type more, but don’t feel like it. Enjoy the photos below of my team and thank you for supporting me.
Much love and many blessings,
Shlyn!
Encouragement: In the Lord’s prayer- Matthew 6:9-14 – it says on earth as it is in Heaven….
If we are ever wondering if we have the right to pray for someone especially when doing on field missions, well one, absolutely. If something on earth would not look like it does in Heaven, you have the right to pray. Just a cool perspective of looking at earth as trying to mirror Heaven and how can we glorify His name even more and see where He needs to be.
“Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you
