Written Friday, May 3rd:
Currently I find myself traveling on a charter bus across the English countryside just on the outskirts of London. I can’t help but ask myself, “What’s my life?”
Yesterday I left the states to head back out onto the mission field until December (except for a detour in July to the states for Matt Vinson’s wedding)! It really snuck up on me this time even more so than when I went on the World Race. Time really does fly by and there aren’t enough hours in the day usually to accomplish all we need to get done. Y’all know what I mean…
Colby & Mark dropped me off yesterday in Atlanta where I boarded a plane to Toronto, Canada. It was a huge blessing, because I had a 10 hour layover which allowed me to spend the day with Michelle & Ben! Michelle was on my World Race team for 8 months. It was nice to see her, and they even surprised me with a trip to Niagara Falls! It was legit!
After my layover, I boarded another plane bound for London, England.
If you know me at all, you know that I don’t meet a stranger. I can’t help but talk to folks when I see them or run into them. Even just small talk is important to me. I believe that’s a gift God has blessed me with, and I just can’t help but love people and make friends wherever I go… Just ask my World Race team/squad or my friends and family.
As I boarded the plane I couldn’t help but think and ask, “Lord, who are you gonna set me next to that I need to talk with on this flight?” I took a glance around at the people boarding the plane with me and wondered, “Which one will it be?”
Eventually I found myself sitting in my window seat being approached by a dark haired, 26 year old, Canadian woman, who had the seat next to mine.
In no time at all, we struck up a conversation.
Her name was Suraya and long story short, we talked the majority of the 10 (or so) hour flight.
Suraya and her family were Muslim. Originally from Palestine, but all her life she had lived in Canada.
This was fascinating. Of course my heart broke because the fact that she wasn’t a follower of Jesus, but I’d never had the chance to really sit down and have a deep conversation about the Muslim faith.
This went on for hours. It was a good conversation and I learned a lot.
I’d like to say that she accepted Jesus, but she didn’t. However, leaving that plane, I had a peace in my heart.
Suraya talked a lot about love and helping people. Unfortunately, for her, most Christians she had met were anything but loving. They were condemning and had looked down on her in the past.
As she explained this, my heart broke for her.
Here we are trying to preach The Gospel to folks, but a lot of times, all we’re doing is turning people off to this “Jesus guy” that we’re suppose to be following and representing.
I’ve heard it said before that, “People really like Jesus, they just don’t like the people who follow Him.”
Painful, but the Truth hurts sometimes.
I feel in my Spirit that I’m gonna experience that a lot on this trip. I believe that I’ll meet a lot of people and have a lot of similar conversations like this one.
I’m gonna go for now. I’m surprised I’m not puking already from blogging on this bus (I get SUPER BAD motion sickness)!
Love y’all.
P.S. If you haven’t already, please sign up for my Kingdom Journeys blog. I will be switching over to it for the remainder of this trip. You can find it at:
https://kingdomjourneys.squarespace.com/dustydills
