*The pics have nothing to do with this blog!*
Here in Cambodia they have these shirts that say “Same Same,
But Different.” I actually heard a woman use the term one day. It means that
something is similar to something else but a little different.
The
World Race started in January and consisted of living in tents, cooking for
ourselves, and bucket showers. Then February had us living in our tents again
and cooking and fetching water for our bucket showers. Both of these months
were what I expected living conditions to look like for the entire year. Then
March came, and while I am still on the World Race “Same, Same” I am no longer
living in a tent, cooking for myself or taking bucket showers “But
Different”. We have been living at
the YWAM (Youth With A Mission) base in Phnom Penh for the last 3 weeks. I have
had a bed, water pressure and 2 meals a day provided for me.
I
was having a conversation with Tim the other evening and he asked me what was
‘hard’ about this month so far. I could not come up with anything that had been
hard for me this month besides the heat. In all reality this month has been
somewhat like ‘home’ for me. I have all the luxuries of home and I have the
ability to go out and get whatever type of food I want somewhere in this city.
This month has been easy for me. Which can only mean that I have not been
challenging myself enough in other ways.
One
thing that I have been having a hard time with is truly spending quiet time
with God. There are so many other things that I can choose to do that I often
put God on the back burner. I have come to realize that even though I am on a
yearlong mission trip, I can come away from this with the same relationship
with God that I left with. All
relationships take some sort of an effort and I have not been putting in an
effort with God. I thought it would just happen and it does not. I have to be
intentional with spending time with Him. Discipline is the word I have been
praying and I would ask that you pray the same for me. That I would be
disciplined with my time and make time to spend with God even if that means
missing an ice cream run, movie, or sleep. God desires a deeper relationship
with all of us but we have to make the effort. God is on the other side of the
door but He will not make us lift our hand and knock on the door. Matthew 7:7
“…knock and the door will be opened.” He has already chosen us, now we have to
choose Him.
