While in Africa I felt like I was going through a dry season with God; there just wasn’t much communication, and I was honestly starting to feel alone. One day in the middle of a church service in Malawi He spoke to me again. “Open your eyes, look around. This…this is what heaven will look like. People from every tribe, speaking different languages, worshipping in their own way. This is a glimpse into what heaven is.”
I looked around and instantly felt every emotion. What I saw around me was beautiful. The man in the front row on his knees worshipping Jesus, the woman in the third row sitting there crying with her hands held high, and the man pacing up and down the aisle boldly praising his God. What a beautiful and emotional sight.
I felt that same emotion today while at a Christmas program with our host. First of all, the whole program was spoken in Vietnamese, so none of us actually knew what was being said and what was happening, but it was still beautiful. A room full of Christians. A room full of people who could easily be beaten, robbed, and arrested for their beliefs. A room that resembled what heaven looks like.
While the pastor prayed today and my eyes were closed, I again heard the familiar sound of my Father telling me to open my eyes and look around. “These are my children too, and I am very pleased with them.”
You see, at times it’s so easy to get annoyed and frustrated. I post pictures and y’all see me having a great time, but I don’t post the hard times and the ugly times. I don’t post when I’m on the verge of a panic attack after spending all day with a bunch of teenagers; I don’t show you all my frustration when I get corrected by my host for not correcting someone my grandma’s age-shes trying to learn English, but she just can’t get the L’s and R’s right.
It’s frustrating. I get frustrated. Sometimes (okay, a lot of times) plans change and things get moved around. We do sports ministry? Cool! *we show up to the field* Wait, you want us to play?? Not cool.
So while I’m frustrated that suddenly we have to go to a church service that we can’t even understand, the Lord simply reminded me that these are my brothers and sisters. He loves them. He delights in them, and while I do a good job of hiding my feelings, He reminds me that my thoughts are still negative.
So I’m hearing from the Lord more, and I don’t always like what He has to say-but it’s true and He’s right. I have to work on my patience, and I have to remember to be thankful even for the hard and frustrating times. I’m growing, and He’s teaching me so many lessons throughout these experiences.
With love from Vietnam,
Brandi
