We covered the tables with paper so that everybody could write down the things they were thankful for and left it up throughout dinner and dessert so that everyone could keep adding to it. I cannot help but smile at those who artistic and draw pictures alongside of their words. Some of what was written was: mango smoothies, snow, electricity, running water, God's grace, Jesus, Forgiveness, Someone drew a picture of their roomate, another wrote vaccinations, teachers, family, and a whole bunch more I cannot think of.
Besides the interns we had a family from India that we have gotten really close to as well as the interns teacher Jeff Osborn. Jeff was teaching Church Planting that week and had the interns do land surveying just to assess the town, spiritually as well as physically. They had questions to ask people and specific places to be aware of such as churches, mosques as well as restaurants and bars.
Around the holidays, more specifically this time of year, it can be harder to be on the missionfield. You find yourself missing your family in the US and will uncounsielsy be comparing the activities that we are doing here to what we have always done in the past. I have said to interns and others that missing out on things in the States can be part of the sacrifice it is to being a missionary. Recently I read a quote from David Livingston, who was a missionary to Africa in the 1800s. "People talk of the sacrifice I have made in spending so much of my life in Africa... I never made a sacrifice. We ought not to talk of 'sacrifice' when we remember the great sacrifice which He made who left His Father's throne on high to give Himself for us." This brought such a perspective of the word sacrifice for me. My focus was coming onto myself and now is directed back on Him. Please pray for us and the interns as we are celebrating the memory of Jesus being born. Let us not feel tempted to feel sorry for ourselves but rejoice and be glad together. There is so much to be thankful for and this continues with each new day the lord brings.
We covered the tables with paper so that everybody could write down the things they were thankful for and left it up throughout dinner and dessert so that everyone could keep adding to it. I cannot help but smile at those who artistic and draw pictures alongside of their words. Some of what was written was: mango smoothies, snow, electricity, running water, God's grace, Jesus, Forgiveness, Someone drew a picture of their roomate, another wrote vaccinations, teachers, family, and a whole bunch more I cannot think of.
Besides the interns we had a family from India that we have gotten really close to as well as the interns teacher Jeff Osborn. Jeff was teaching Church Planting that week and had the interns do land surveying just to assess the town, spiritually as well as physically. They had questions to ask people and specific places to be aware of such as churches, mosques as well as restaurants and bars.
Around the holidays, more specifically this time of year, it can be harder to be on the missionfield. You find yourself missing your family in the US and will uncounsielsy be comparing the activities that we are doing here to what we have always done in the past. I have said to interns and others that missing out on things in the States can be part of the sacrifice it is to being a missionary. Recently I read a quote from David Livingston, who was a missionary to Africa in the 1800s. "People talk of the sacrifice I have made in spending so much of my life in Africa... I never made a sacrifice. We ought not to talk of 'sacrifice' when we remember the great sacrifice which He made who left His Father's throne on high to give Himself for us." This brought such a perspective of the word sacrifice for me. My focus was coming onto myself and now is directed back on Him. Please pray for us and the interns as we are celebrating the memory of Jesus being born. Let us not feel tempted to feel sorry for ourselves but rejoice and be glad together. There is so much to be thankful for and this continues with each new day the lord brings.
3 comments:
Such a great post. Thanks for the encouragement :)
Love that quote.
I also really like the quote! It is awesome to watch our Father give us back some of the things we have "given up" at times that He knows we really need them, eg contact with people we love, little encouragements right when needed, ...(speaking from experience!)
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