In true Heather fashion I started writing this blog post two weeks. Instead of just finishing it when I started it I made special K bars instead. I have a feeling most of my blog readers are more mad at the fact that they didn't any than a late blog! Travel back to the first week of July with me.
Paul wrote his letter to the Ephesians while he was in prison. During this time he wanted to go preach the good news, to encourage his fellow believers and friends but due to his circumstances he was not able to go. This last week (first week in July) was very much the same for us as a team. Due to circumstances of illness we were not able to go. Some of the best things written happen when we aren’t able to go where we want to go. That is what I hope to be true this time as well.
The Fourth of July came in with a bang! We were going to take the 4th off to recover and rest and do a 4 day VBS. Some test results showed that we weren’t going anywhere for 5 days. We spent the week just the four of us.
If I’m being honest it was hard. Not because we don’t get along as team. We get along quite well. It’s hard when you have to die to your own plan for your life. Many pastors have experienced as some have been banned to preach. Some have been threatened if they do preach. Some missionaries have raised support only to have the country they were going to close to foreigners. It brings comfort knowing that many have gone before me in times of wanting to go but have had to stay.
The week seemed to drag on and on. There was some boredom having limited internet and not having cable tv. Only having a handful of of DVDs to watch. The previous week we took time to rest too so we were done resting real quick this week.
One day at team devotions we got the question how have you shown God’s love this week? It’s a harder question when you can’t see people. I changed it to how can we show God’s love to people. Which pray was a response. We took the time to pray for each village we have been to, the one we missed out on, next week, and our own families. That night we went for a drive and saw a momma bear with 3 cubs and another bear. We didn’t even pray to see bears that night!
It amazing how so much changes when you sift from what you can't do to what you can do. It does the soul good to actually do it then! So often we get caught up in what we can't do failing to remember that the Bible calls us more to action than inaction. Paul was someone who knew the limited life far more than me and my team. Yet he was still able to have God use his circumstances to bring glory to his creator.
Friday came and we were all able to fill our time with projects. Katy has written a children’s book, Zach mowed the lawn, Jessica was able to get caught up on postcards and I harvested some rhubarb. We took the day to do what we could do. There will always be things that we can't do for the kingdom of God because we aren't Jesus. What about you? What can you do in times when life circumstances seem to constrain you. Better yet what will you do?
Here are some photos from our time as a team that week. Thanks for bearing with me so well in the delay of the blog. More blog posts to come as I'm in the lower 48 visiting family and friends. I haven't made myself sleep at a decent time so it's some more late writing in the stillness of the late night.
I didn't take a photo of myself this week and the only one I had of Jessica was when she was sleeping.
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