I woke up with an excitement but also about every emotion you can feel when I saw "June 1" on my phone.
What does one do when she has 30 days before she leaves to move her life to another country?
1. Feels like the wind was knocked out of her
2. Recovers somewhat by the grace of God, but the soreness is still there to reminder her of her need for God. (The thorn if her flesh? I think so... for today at least!)
3. Stands on the promise of one of my lift verses in 2 Peter:
3His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, 4by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.
That sinful desire being my flesh begging me to be in control, to be "as God" as the enemy first deceived Adam and Eve, and in my humanity, my believing that it's all on my shoulders. Sooo... next step...
4. REPENT REPENT! (She tells herself- CHANGE YOUR MIND! Don't believe this subtle lie!) GOD is in control. Of course this isn't the first time she's tried to take things into her own hands (search "control" on this blog and I'm sure you'll find many examples!)
5. Believe this: 1 Timothy 6:
11But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13 I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, 14to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15which he will display at the proper time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.
6. Fight the good fight by doing that which He has called me to do... I was asked on a mission application what the role of the gospel is in my life and i'll just paste that here:
In these days I am believing the gospel to walk through sadness in moving away (Lord, give me the grace to walk through this valley with you) and the diligence to prepare by raising support, packing, planning, and praying for what's to come (Lord, I repent of my laziness, the temptation to bow down to overwhelming tasks, and say that no weapon that is fashioned against me will succeed. I joyfully receive the grace to accomplish that which you've called me to and trust you to empower me to do it in a manner which glorifies you). This is what the gospel looks like in my present life as He uses it to make me more like Jesus.
7. She prays.
8. She "be's."
9. She thinks. A lot. About all the possibilities of everything and then does #4-6 again.
10. She waits. In eager expectation for what God's going to do in HK and around the world.
Hope today finds you a little sore, aware of your humanity, but making room for Him to work in and through you. That's what it looks like for me today and whether you are moving or not, whether you're going or staying HE IS WORKING ALL AROUND AND IN YOU AND ME!
Rejoicing-
