I mainly just wanted to check in and share a few insights from my trip around the world. It was such a blessing to see my sister and her family. I might be biased, but those boys are the cutest 1 and 3 year olds I know. Their "Aunt T" loves them dearly.
I think the thing I was most thankful for was to see my sister and her sweet family in their element. Watching them live in their city, speak the language and do ministry gave Mike and I a greater understanding of how to pray for them and support them. I am so proud of the work they are doing and humbled by the trials they face on a daily basis yet handle with God's grace. Their lives were a testimony to us while we were there.
I am one of those people who really likes to have an overarching lesson/theme from a trip like this. A lesson that I can sink my teeth into and remember whenever I look at pictures or think back on the trip. A lesson that God can continually teach me for many years. Most of the time God reveals this lesson/theme to me early on in a trip so it can grow and I can view the rest of the trip through that lens. This time however, it was a long time coming. Sure, there were a lot of little lessons about how blessed we are to be Americans or how blessed we are to live in a culture that is truly saturated with the gospel unlike other nations or how we need to pray for missionaries more and give more and the list goes on.... But I was still looking for something else.
The Lord finally gave it to me on the journey home. We had been awake for 36 hours and were stuck in Detroit due to bad weather. Our flight to Boston had been delayed and Mike and I were just plain exhausted. Those are the moments when the desire to be in your own home and in your own bed are the strongest. What was so strange to me though was this feeling that I knew I didn't belong in China where I had just come from but I also didn't feel like I belonged in America either.
As I had this thought, I also thought that maybe I wasn't thinking clearly after being up so long and I should probably just stop thinking and pray our connecting flight would just hurry up and get there before I totally lose it. Then the Lord reminded me of the passage I have copied below and how this planet is not our heavenly home. As Christians, we should have the desire to be with our Lord more than we long to be on this planet. But while we are here we make it our aim to please Him.
For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. (love this!) So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord,for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. II Corinthians 5:1-10
This trip around the world gave me such a profound appreciation for this passage. As far away as my sister is, she is just an arms length away in the Kingdom of God. Our time here on this planet is just a drop in the bucket compared to eternity. Yes, I wish my sister and her family were living right here in Wake Forest with me, but how many people might not hear the gospel because of my selfish wish? How many people will I miss meeting in Heaven one day because I just want what I want?
As I sat at Gate A77 in Detroit, I longed to be in my bed due to my physical exhaustion, but I can honestly say my spirit truly longed to be in Heaven with my Savior more. My earthly home is just a temporary stop. As I go forward from this trip and journey through the ministry God has for Michael and I, my goal is simple....to walk by faith and not by sight as I run the race towards my eternal home. There is much work to do on this planet we call Earth and to be quite honest...it doesn't have anything to do with Duck Dynasty, the latest celebrity break-up, who has the most Oscar buzz or even what you will buy for that family member who is so hard to buy for at Christmas. It has everything to do with advancing the Kingdom of God whether you do it in your own back yard or half way around the world.
I close by asking each of you to prayerfully consider giving to Lottie Moon this Christmas. Mike and I are by no means rolling in the dough but we know just how important your support is....we saw it first hand. Any amount is a blessing and a true gift. Michael and I wish you all a very Merry Christmas! Know that we are praying for you and we are thankful for you! Much love from Wake Forest...and everywhere else we have been and will be this month :-)
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