I sat down today to write a blog with no clear idea of what was going to come out because honestly, it has been hard to discern just exactly what the Lord has been teaching me over this past week and how he wants me to communicate that.
A lot has happened over the last week. Since we can’t go to the University of Botswana, we visited a different campus here in town. We shared God’s love, and we saw one of my teammates, Blair Grace, healed of pain in her back. We have spent time in shopping centers and neighborhoods praying with people and sharing our stories of how Jesus changed our lives. We have encountered hurting and broken people who need the hope of the gospel. We have ministered to high school kids by helping launch a program called G412 that is designed to help teenagers navigate questions that come up at this stage of their lives and successfully transition from childhood to adulthood. We have met daily as a ministry team for the month to begin our days with prayer, seeking God for his direction and praying for the people of this city. We have met with members of the church and youth group for Bible study, spending time in God’s word to learn what he is saying for our lives today.
We have laughed and worshiped. We have cried and prayed. We have opened up to share, and we have kept silent when there were really no words to offer. We have done all these things in Botswana, but I think what I’m seeing as I write this is that you don’t have to be in Botswana or devoting a year of your life to missions to do these things. People in your city are hurting, too. Co-workers you know need the hope of Christ. Employees at your gym need prayer. Friends you haven’t seen in a while still need to know you care. Students in your area are trying to figure out what comes next and how to make the most of the season they’re in right now.
I don’t say any of that to make you feel guilty for not doing those things. Far from it. I think as we approach the halfway point of the Race, I’m beginning to realize that this season won’t last forever. In six months, I will be back in America, and I will be trying to figure out how to bring what I’ve learned here home. Because one thing I know is that God doesn’t just intend for this to be how I live eleven months of my life. This is the kind of life he is inviting all of us to live daily, wherever you call home, whatever job title you may have. It’s not about the place, and it’s not about what you do. It’s about the people who are in desperate need of the hope that we have, and it’s about the God who wants to use you to show it to them.
