Adventures WorldRace SethBarnes Sponsorship Giving

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A few months ago I was teaching and a group of 5th
graders were smarting off to me.

In attempt to bother them back I told them that I don’t like
Kimchi. (I know real mature of me)

Their eruption of anger and disdain at my remark was
overwhelming. It was like I had killed their favorite pet!
 
 

For those of you not in the know – Kimchi is a fermented
radish or cabbage with a spicy flavor that can be prepared many different ways.

It is the national pride of Korea and known all over the
world.

I do not enjoy at all and probably never will.
 
 

I came to South Korea to teach English so that I could pay
off my student loans.

Never in my life did I want to come here or teach English as
a profession.

As my time at G42 Leadership Academy in Spain was coming to
an end I knew God was giving me an opportunity to get my finances straight
before heading into full time ministry. (Plus
I knew there would be at least 4 awesome people I knew there with me!)
 
 
So I committed for a year and on March 1st arrived in South Korea.
 
 
I am in what you call THE
DEFINITION of a Stepping
Stone Season.
 
 
Limited
in Nature. (1 Year) Direct
in Purpose. (Pay off Debt) Connected
to the Future. (Free to do Full Time Ministry)
 
 

During my first couple months here I started discovering
Kimchi wasn’t the only thing I didn’t like about Korea.

I don’t really enjoy the rest of the food, culture or
rampant pollution either.

I don’t mean to paint a terrible picture – there are some things about Korea and
my job that I like  and many things I am thankful for .(Example: Picture Blog) but overall I just don’t connect with this
place.
 
 

In some regards, this had me getting through my days more
than living each day to its full potential.

This is when God said to me:
 

“People
aren’t stepping stones”

 
 

Let me explain.

God was trying to explain to me that even though I am in a
Stepping Stone Season so to speak – the people around me are there to be loved
and loved well.

He went on to say to me:

“You
don’t have to like Korea but you are going to love people”

 
 

I am waiting until later in the year to let everyone know
the details but I can tell you that my future after Korea is set and that it is
very, very exciting.

This has further potential to make me want to hurry out of
this season.

But I know that even when I enter my next “dream
season” of life that the core of it will be still be about how I am
loving those around me.
 
 

A week later after the Kimchi debacle with those 5th
graders I apologized for my utterly
offensive remark.

And now when I am asked about anything Korean (Food,
Hyundai, Samsung) – I just immediately say I like it and that it’s amazing!

The truth is for the majority of things, I probably don’t
like it.
 
Regardless, I know that if I have embraced each day here, stayed
positive and loved those around me
the best I can:
 

That I
will have grown as a person.

People
around me will have been blessed.

And that
my flight home from Korea will be filled with no regrets.
 
 
 
 
i am learning that no matter the season of life we are in the core of it will always be about how we loved the people around us and the attitude we chose.
 
*Note: I wrote this about 3 months ago. Since then I have found even more to enjoy and be thankful for!