The Reverse Mission

I am currently sorting through all of my papers from my recent Honduras trip: vaccination records, safety guidelines, devotional outlines, and even some notes written by the ninos. I reflect back to my first day on the mission, making my way through customs and zipping through the crowded roads of Tegucigalpa. My prayer for the week went a little something like this.."Lord let Your will be done as I set foot in this beautiful country, and let me make way for Jesus!" The ironic part is, the Holy Spirit heard and responded to this prayer in vivid ways, yet answered others I would have never imagined.
Before the trip, my immediate family and all relatives told me I would have a "perspective change" on living in America and being raised in an affluent area. The trip became less of a perspective change, as it was a heart change. I had been blessed to travel to various locations throughout my youth, and I knew how different cultures appeared, and how impoverished nations felt. And, I presumed Honduras would fit into that category. Moreover, I was under the impression we were traveling to a place where the people had nothing. It was our job to bring them something. Possibly something tangible like Gideon Bibles or clothes for the children, maybe aid or health advice. Instead, I found that the people of Honduras had the something that I was searching for! The Holy Spirit's presence within the hearts of the young children was almost visible. Their radiant smiles were that of joy and hope in a literally crumbling topography. I am fully aware of the "pathos" and heart wrenching events that can and will occur when following the Lord's will to do a mission; the poverty alone will move one to tears. Yet, there was something even greater in Quisgualagua, Honduras. Our group made way for Jesus, our King, to touch the hearts of the young Hondurans before we even opened our mouths. I pray that for all future missions that I participate in, and any that our group pursues in the future, that we stand with "unveiled faces" under the glory of our God. The radical part is, that the glory we can express to all that we meet is an eternal glory, because of God's abiding presence through the Holy Spirit. He will aid us in ministry and encourage our manifestation of the fruit of the Spirit. That is when the transformation occurs.
The children that had nothing, taught me something. Christlikeness is the goal of the Christian walk. If we stand under the Glory of all that the Lord is, and move under Christ's example for serving our brothers and sisters we will be transformed. I can now laugh at a remark by a fellow mission group member, Lisa, who stated that the majority of mission work can be seen as a selfish endeavor: striving to find out more about God's character through small laborous tasks. It is so true! Missionary work results in something magnificent for the believer. It catapults us into a mindset of willingness: a desire to transform. A hunger to become a little more like Christ, our Savior.

And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:18

Hearts of Clay

So, I have a question....and nobody seems to have the answer to it! What has happened to Senior Year? I feel like yesterday I peered across the Granite Bay High School field and saw our Senior Sunrise, a classic tradition at the beginning of each year. Tomorrow night will be our Senior Sunset; a conclusion of the year for us to "release our regrets". Every year I had heard this facet of the tradition and laughed. Who has regrets?! It is highschool-a time of fun, right?Let me tell you this. The balloon I tie my regrets to may be weighed down by the long scrolling piece of paper!
Please do not mistake me as a person with a negative outlook. My senior year has been beyond blessed in each and every way. The Lord has provided in ways I cannot describe. For one, my college search has come to a screeching halt. High Point University it is. And, wow! Am I excited or what! I continued to pray for one thing from the Lord. If He would be so gracious to provide it, please let Your decision for where You want me to attend school unbelieveably clear. And looking back at the six month long process, I stand in peace knowing his hand was on everything. Lord, thank you for your clarity when we need it. You will never fail us when it is crunch time.
So what are these regrets? If any underclassman are reading this, please take my advice. I started highschool with the misconceived notion that the Lord will intervene in our lives whenever He so chooses, and will often to redirect us. The Lord always does know what is best for his children and will teach us in the ways that we should go. Often times though, a huge aspect of the learning process is the Lord patiently waiting for us to ask Him to enter our lives. It is in the moments when we cannot even place words to our emptiness that we must turn to Jesus. If He is the one thing that brings such hope in our world, where else would we turn.
Our hearts are but clay for his molding. if we never ask him to shape it and mold it to his forms of righteousness, we are simply young kindergarten students; ignorantly believing that we can learn all skills on our own. It is once our teacher comes to the forefront to give us direction, when we truly learn, isn't it? We must not assume that we have it on our own, or that self-progression is a natural process. Trials are inevitable. The Lord's availability and access is constant. But often once that trials hit, our first incling is not to look to our teacher. We cling to our own understanding, and lean not on His.
The joy of the Lord is our strength always and everyday. Think about the depth of these words. The joy we attain from simply knowing the perfect loving King is enough to bring us strength. And the joy that the Lord has for his children and their wellbeing lets us live each day in confidence. We are protected He is our refuge. Let us pursue our teacher. Let Him mold us.
I desire to look into the sky tomorrow night and instead of seeing yellow balloons floating aimlessly in the sky with laundry lists or sorrows and failures, I want to see Jesus' face shining. There will be no way to soar higher without a purpose. One that actually rejoices in the times that we give our regrets to Him. Now he has the chance to pour His love on us. And, show us His way.

Trust in the Lord with all of your heart, and lean not on your own understanding.

Proverbs 3:5

And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your teacher will not hide himself anymore, but your eyes shall see your teacher.

Isaiah 30:20