On the Road to Somewhere
Well, I'm well on my way to being a missionary with International Teams. I have completely filled out their extensive long term missionary application and will be submitting it tomorrow. I was struck yesterday by two things that I read/heard.
The first was reading about a missionary family in Medellin, Colombia that has been there for 15 years. I-Teams interviewed them in January of this year and asked them about their ministry. You can read the full interview here (http://www.iteams.org/news/archive/jan13_06.shtml). It was amazing to read about the lives of drug addicts, prostitutes, alcoholics, adulterors and former gang members that had been transformed through Christ. The family said it has been a blessing to be there during this time of harvest and see these changes. They were saying many young girls will get plastic surgery and other body enhancements because they are cheap and then turn around and become prostitutes to make money, because the job market is so tough there. But praise God, they are finding out the love of Jesus and turning away from that lifestyle.
The second was last night when I attended the Annex, the university service at my church. One of the interns was speaking last night, and gave a very powerful message about how so many times we are not content and seek to be better in some aspect of our life. We tell ourselves we need better clothes, or food, or cars, and many other things. He said it was because we simply are not accepting God's love and content with that, seeking to find our hope in material things. We simply need to trust him, and that is what scares a lot of people, maybe not on the surface, but deep down for so many Christians.
This made me think about something that I have not really been focused on. It made me realize that when I am considering locations, I need to not pick based on what fits "me" but what will bring me closest to God and what will stretch me. Only then will I be dependent on God. But, I also need to be careful not to become too stretched, or I'll find myself on a plane home to Colorado. I'm praying God will find a place for me that is a good compromise.
The first was reading about a missionary family in Medellin, Colombia that has been there for 15 years. I-Teams interviewed them in January of this year and asked them about their ministry. You can read the full interview here (http://www.iteams.org/news/archive/jan13_06.shtml). It was amazing to read about the lives of drug addicts, prostitutes, alcoholics, adulterors and former gang members that had been transformed through Christ. The family said it has been a blessing to be there during this time of harvest and see these changes. They were saying many young girls will get plastic surgery and other body enhancements because they are cheap and then turn around and become prostitutes to make money, because the job market is so tough there. But praise God, they are finding out the love of Jesus and turning away from that lifestyle.
The second was last night when I attended the Annex, the university service at my church. One of the interns was speaking last night, and gave a very powerful message about how so many times we are not content and seek to be better in some aspect of our life. We tell ourselves we need better clothes, or food, or cars, and many other things. He said it was because we simply are not accepting God's love and content with that, seeking to find our hope in material things. We simply need to trust him, and that is what scares a lot of people, maybe not on the surface, but deep down for so many Christians.
This made me think about something that I have not really been focused on. It made me realize that when I am considering locations, I need to not pick based on what fits "me" but what will bring me closest to God and what will stretch me. Only then will I be dependent on God. But, I also need to be careful not to become too stretched, or I'll find myself on a plane home to Colorado. I'm praying God will find a place for me that is a good compromise.
posted by Jimmy Bollinger at
3:38 PM
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