I’ve posted a few pictures here and there and also tried to reach out to some of you but I know that blogs are necessary and one of the best ways to keep in touch with you all and to tell you about my journey. I’ve obviously done a poor job of keeping up with things; I apologize and will try to do better! Now that that’s out of the way let’s get to the hardest thing I’ve experienced so far on my Journey.
So last time I blogged I was in Rwanda… wow-zers. Since then I have been to 4 more countries and experienced things that I don’t even know how to begin to explain. I want to recap Nepal specifically though and tell you all what God showed me! As most of you know, Nepal was literally shaken with an Earthquake back in April 2015. I was so excited to volunteer in this amazing country and experience its beautiful nature. We arrived in the city and it was pretty smoggy. You could actually look up at the sun some days and it wouldn’t hurt your eyes. (Great for the lungs) Our first mission was to go hours away into a mountain village and help victims of the earthquake and to possibly build a church. After many hours of driving and motion sickness medicine, we arrived to the most beautiful place I have ever been. Supplies weren’t readily available on top of the mountain so in true World Race fashion our plans for ministry changed. As they were telling us what our ministry was going to be I just couldn’t stop staring at this mountain in front of me. Our church we were staying in was on top of a mountain over looking another huge mountain, and as you stepped outside there was such a quiet peace when you looked over at this massive thing but it was also like it screamed at you to look at it and admire its beauty.
Obviously the beauty of this place was captivating but there were other things that caught my eye and held my attention. In my exploring ways, I ventured down to a house that had been destroyed and unfit to stay in but was somehow still standing. The backside of the house was completely gone and other walls were cracked from the bottom to the top. I felt as if one lonely pebble found its way to hit this house that it would crumble down the hillside. Naturally, I take a picture with it. The way this house stayed on my heart, I knew God had something important to show me.
What is it God? My hands are open to receive anything and everything you have to show me today. Speak to me! Show me!
I was wrecked by how God answered that prayer and began to show me my life through His eyes. “Dylan, what are you doing?” That simple question rocked me to the core for some reason. I began to ponder and come up with quick answers.
Umm, I’m on the World Race doing THE thing. I’m doing what you told me to do, what kind of question is that Jesus?
After all the answers I still sat there and contemplated why that question hit me so hard. I figured out that I was big-picture-ing things. I zoomed in a little closer and began to see what God saw and it was not pretty. Sure, I was following God’s will in doing this endeavor but that didn’t mean I was perfect. Sometimes we get caught up in what we have answered to and tend to forget the conversation. Do you get me? Sweet, I answered to God’s calling and I’m doing His will in whatever way He said. Now what? Nothing? Often times, whether it is intentional or not, we tend to puff out our chest and seem to get self-righteous because we’ve picked up the phone and slid to answer the call. What then?
Silence
In this silence I started to build up what I thought was good and forgot who was trying to talk to me on the other line. Do you see where I’m going with this? Matthew 7:24-27 talks about two men who had the same vision. They wanted to build a house but Jesus says in His sermon on the mount that the wise man built his house on the rock and the foolish man built his house on the sand. They both faced a storm and only the wise man’s house stood. God showed me that my foundation was good but my house was unfit to live in. He was about to do some shaking and some things had to fall in order for me to stand.
Mark 3:25 also talks about a house but if it was divided it cannot stand. God speaking straight into my heart and telling me that my house cannot stand the way it is. You see, I was building things that I never consulted God about. I was throwing up rooms as if He had asked me to do. In turn, whether my intentions were good or bad, they were not of God and that’s how I got in trouble. There I was struggling with so many things that I didn’t understand.
JESUS! I answered your call. What are you doing to me?!
Cambridge defines a conversation as “(a) ) talk between two or more people in which thoughts, feelings, and ideas are expressed, questions are asked and answered, or news and information is exchanged”. Ahhh that’s what I was missing. Don’t get me wrong, I would pray all the time but usually it was a one-way street and if you’ve ever been on the other end of an exchange like that it’s pretty boring. Here God was though in his pursuing nature just running after me and beckoning me to him but I was too busy building things that didn’t matter. I finally stopped and waited to hear from God for once.
Hello? God? Are you there?
Yes I’m here; I have some things to tell you!
I would love to hear it!
Dylan, I love you and I am so proud that you have sought after me and pursued what I said. I just want to rid you of some things in your life that aren’t of me.
Ok, I’m ready!
It’s not going to be the easiest process and I’m going to tear down some walls that are going to hurt but trust me when I say it will be worth it. What you cannot see, I can see. What you cannot bear, I will help you bear. If you hold my hand YOU WILL get through this and our bond will flourish over this. Is this what you want?
Yes! I would want nothing more! I’m trusting in you.
This was the conversation I had with God and I have stood by it and so has He. It isn’t easy removing these things and some of it still hurts, but His love never changed and his presence didn’t leave me. Some of you may be in the same predicament I was in and that is fine! Don’t read this and think negatively of yourself. If you have heard the whisper of God and dove head first into what He said to do, then you’re ahead of the game. Just don’t forget the conversation. God has a word to speak to you every day and if you listen, He will show you what to build, how to build it, and what to build it with. It’s all about relationship with Christ and that only comes with proper communication. Pray the dangerous prayers. Do the unconventional things. Pursue after God. You will not be disappointed.
