Well, I've been home a few weeks and it feels great to be home. I've had some time to reflect on what God taught me and did on this trip, and sometimes stuff like that is hard to put into words, but I think the main thing is that He is a gracious, patient God who for some unknown reason, wants to use us! Wow! I'm just always amazed that God, the creator of the universe, will take the time to patiently draw us in, mold us, shape us, and I don't just mean to save us, but a lifelong process of patiently shaping, healing, teaching, showing, revealing.... this was seen on this trip for me, because I saw different people in different places in life, and how maybe I was the first person to ever talk to them about the Lord, and others might have had this conversation before, but each one that had a sincere interest was showing me how patient God is with all of us.
I think of how God shows me His faithfulness, and sometimes I fully trust in it and remember this, and then the next week I'm like "What is going on, God?" and He just shows me again, reminds me again, softens my heart again, and this dawned on me during this trip more and more, how our Lord's patience is so long. It's something I never want to take for granted, and it's something that makes God more precious to me as HE shows more of His character.
Also during this trip, God really poured out His grace in traveling mercies. We all think that when we drvie or walk down the street, we're probably going to find our way and come back safely, but when you're put in a place where you don't know the language [Ukraine and Romania] and you're just having to hold onto God more and trust, and hope the ticket lady won't take so long in writing your tickets you miss the train [ haha, this happened, so we took the next one, but it worked out better for a different connection, = GOD KNEW haha!] it kinda pushes you a bit!.... I think I just saw each way that God carried us - a man who spoke English in the middle of nowhere in the Ukraine, pastors who helped us get to trains even when we drove to the wrong station, God putting us in the same train-car as these two Jewish guys from Germany, who had TONS of questions about Jesus, who could ever imagine that?!... That really blew our minds because God knew He would put us in this same train-car. Another train where He put me in the same train-car as my friends', brothers' classmate...small world when you meet someone 5 hours from where you know anyone, and you're talking and you connect that you know the same people- whow...Just how God is in the details, which we all know, but to see it is really really coool!!!!
Well, I could go on and on, but you get the idea! God is great, He is in control, He is powerful and loving and tender, all together!
Thank you so much for your prayers and thoughts and God Bless you!
Here is a Sunday School song [that Grace sings] and they loved learning this one! And then one of the teachers used this song in her class and when the parents came the kids sang it for the last day's closing ceremony!
No comments:
Post a Comment