My Part

As a friend and I were working on our Greek homework the other night, I mentioned that there are a lot of unreached people groups left in the world, and he asked me how many there were and if it really was a big need. So, I showed him the poster I have that details the population of people groups that are not yet reached (i.e., are less than 2% Christian), and the numbers total over 3,000,000,000. I felt a twinge in my heart I as realized that there are so many of them and yet I do so little.

I was talking to a recent acquaintance today, and she mentioned how she uses her artistic gifts to decorate her and her husband's bedroom in the fashion/colors of various nations and how she uses the decor/paint scheme/etc to remind her to pray for the work in those countries. I felt a twinge in my heart as I realized that I have had a chance to serve in far reaches of the globe yet feel, pray, and weep so little for the nations.

May God forgive me and incline my heart to repent.

Springdale (Home)

This morning I was recognized as a member of Springdale Community Church. Technically, I'm still in the membership process as I need to complete a 5-week class and be interviewed, but they wanted to present me and others today.

These past two months of church here in the Ville have been phenomenal. It's been like a draught of cold water on a summer day, or a great night of sleep after being physically exhausted. God has humbled me, encouraged, fed me, and emptied me, which I hope will continue to happen on a weekly basis.

There have been many times when leaving for "greener" pastures seemed like the easiest option, but the Lord has shown me just how necessary committment is to a relationship, namely this one. God knocked me off my Bible-college high horse onto my rear, and showed me that although Springdale is worlds from perfect (is any church?), there is so much potential to glorify Him with these people, and that these are people love Him so much more than I do.

Although at times I miss the pastoral leadership/preaching of my father back in Arizona and I dearly love the people in that congregation, I can finally say with authority and certainty that I am home. I am home.

Isn't that what church is all about? The family of God, assembling together in exile, redeeming the time until we return to the land of our citizenship, until we see the head that sits on our neck, till we marry that great and perfect bridegroom, till the day of our Lord.

Home.