23 "Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. 25 Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching."
-Hebrews 10:23-25
It has now been two weeks since my long, yet short journey to the land of Jordan ended. In all the transition, culture shock, switching time zones etc., I now have found the time to post one last blog concerning this trip.
First of all, I just want to say thank you to those who have faithfully read, and offered great encouragement. I thank you for your support and prayers. Again, let me just say wow. God is good and faithful, and was during this whole process. I could go on for days about the ways I and others were able to see God proving faithful to the cries of our prayers. If you want to know more, I would love to sit down with you and talk through the journey.
As I have been back, I have had to process what just happened and how that affects me now and for the future. When you come back from a trip like this, it is easy to wonder what just happened and what do I make of all the things that I did. I can honestly say that I feel encouraged with what was done, and am excited to hear what is currently/will happen in the future. Before I left and now, I know that God desires my heart to be willing and ready to serve overseas. At one point before I left, I realized that my big problem was being completely willing to do this kind of work. I felt that if I truly let my heart completely do what God wanted, it might bring out my true heart and passions. I was scared to death of that. Thinking of not only my time in Jordan, but in the past, I realized that this way of thinking was true.
As I have come back to reality, I wonder how I can continue to live on mission with God as Christine and I are in the States for some time. Contrary to my naive thinking, we are always on mission. Whether it is overseas teaching English, in the little neighborhood I live, or even at the job that is not always my favorite. I have the great opportunity to live for God as I did in Jordan here in now. The missional life is not just a switch that we flip on when we leave the country, or go to the soup kitchen. That life is every second of our lives! Not to be preachy, but I think I had this sort of dualistic way of thinking for a while in life. There was my life and then there was my ministry. However, I feel there should be no separation.
What is so important is what the verse at the top says. We are all called to hold unswervingly to the hope of Jesus. Jesus is the hope that we live for in the quiet neighborhood, the bush, or the desert of the Middle East. In addition, we are to spur each other on toward love and good deeds. The word spur in this case means that we are to urge on or to press forward. In each day we are to be doing this. This is such a simple thing, yet often left taken seriously.
So as I am back to life here in America, my journey in Jordan was not an end, but just the beginning. I have great peace and confidence in Christine and I returning there. More than that, the journey of a believer in Jesus is never over. It's a life lived each day in the hope of Jesus. As Jesus has authority over all, so we have been given authority to live the way Jesus did. Friends, let's strive towards this each day.
I love all of you! Thank you again for partaking on the journey of Jordan. You all played a part in this. Continue to follow Christine and I as we strive to get back overseas as career workers.
-Grace and Peace
