I woke up in a bad mood.
During my quiet time I just could not stop thinking about how much I had to do that day. I was grumbling about the schedule. This week we have work to do from the minute we wake up until the second we hit the bed to go to sleep. The days are long and the work is tough and everyday just looks completely different. This is what I signed up for, but down time has not been easy to come by. Most “down time” this month has been spent exploring the beautiful, ancient city of Plovdiv, Bulgaria or going out to cafes and trying to find wifi to complete a task on my never-ending list of things to do.
Instead of focusing on myself or the book of Psalms which I was reading, I was sitting there comparing my plans for the day to everyone else’s. I kept thinking how unfair it seemed that I would be leaving at 10AM and out working past 9PM while some of my teammates only had jobs to do in the evening.
Allie, who was seated next to me in the queen-sized bed that I have shared with her and MC all month, called me out.
Allie: What are you so bitter about?
Me: I don’t know, I’m just not excited about today..
Allie: Well stop complaining and just get excited about it.
I did not like that answer. She’s really great at the whole tough love thing, though and I usually need it. Plus she’s usually right.
So, I sucked it up, changed my attitude, and decided that I would make the best out of my day. Instead of dwelling on the time that I wasn’t going to be able to spend resting and relaxing, I thanked God for providing me with so many different ways to serve Him in one day.
I went with four other girls and handed out flyers at the University to invite people to our English club. After lunch Emily and I went to sort clothing donations with one of our ministry contacts at a church. Then she took us (along with 14 boxes of donations) to a Roma Village about 30 minutes away.
When we got there we walked up and down the streets as she told us about the lives of the people who lived in that community. As I listened to her words and saw the faces of children running up and down the street my heart grew heavy. I just wanted to meet all of them. I just wanted to take it all in. I knew in those moments that this would be a night I would never forget.
Then we went to a church service and I just sat there. Since our contact was preaching we did not have a translator and my mind was wandering. Yet I felt so present in that moment; I was so aware of everything that was happening around me.
I grabbed my pen and journal from my bag and began to write…
Moments like these I am reminded that I am not here for my agenda I am here for God’s.
Moments like these my worries disappear.
Moments like these I can’t understand why I complain so often.
Moments like these I can’t imagine doing anything else with my life; I can’t imagine being anywhere else, but right here in this moment..
In this church.
In this widows home.
In this Roma ghetto.
In Bulgaria.
And I would never experience moments like these if I wasn’t faithfully following Christ and willing to do everything that I can to serve Him.
I am eternally grateful for moments like these and a heart that burns with passion for the Lord and His kingdom.
After the church service we were invited to a home to eat traditional Bulgarian food. We were welcomed with so much hospitality and I loved every second. The night even took an interesting turn when I found out that one of the guys was a barber and he could shape up my undercut for me.
So all in all, I started the day not wanting to leave my bed and ended it with at least ten new friends, a new hair-style, and 3 new sweaters (that I may or may not have been ordered to keep from the donations). I was able to share my testimony with and sing in front of a church full of Roma men, women, and children. My eyes were opened once again to the wondrous ways in which the Lord works. I may never understand His plans for me, but I am so excited to be open to going on more adventures with Him everyday on this race and into the future.
