I’ve been back in States for a few days now. Every time I’ve traveled to another country in the past, it’s hard for me to adjust back to the American way of life. It’s different and not many people will understand the experience. It helps to be plugged into a community that understands your heart and is willing to listen when you need to verbally process, but even they may not be able to fully empathize. It helps me to write out all my thoughts in one big chaotic mess of words, and then I can read them out loud and analyze and connect the main ideas together. One thing that God revealed to me in Southeast Asia came when I was asked the question, “How has the gospel impacted your life in the last week?”
This is a good question to ask ourselves here in the States too, because we should be living missionally right where we are as well. This is the conviction I need to ask for forgiveness for daily because I get caught up in my own world far too often. This is my response to the question for my two weeks in Southeast Asia:
In the second village we went to it was so broken with the majority of the women divorced or widowed. My host home was one of the few who were still married, however, they had their share of brokenness too. On our last day she told us that her son had died in the city in a motorcycle accident just last night. 😢She was hurting and she trusted us to share, but she would not share her brokenness as well as share her home. The first village was smaller and had more family connections, and they were overwhelmingly hospitable. The second village was hospitable too and wanted to host us, but their hospitality was more traditional to their culture. (I can explain in another post or if you want to know, let’s grab coffee or tea sometime!) The interesting thing is, the second village in their brokenness was more open to having gospel conversations in host homes with the workers than the first village did. It took me by surprise, but God revealed to me that it’s the darkest most broken places that are more hungry for the Good News. This ignited my heart to share more of God’s Word!
“While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
-Romans 5:8
“The LORD is close to the broken-hearted and saves those crushed in spirit!” -Psalms 34:18
It’s in our brokenness that we are drawn to the love and kindness of God!
The second village had more people open to hear because they are desperate! God is moving in their village, and He was so kind to use us to fight against the evil that is attacking the village! It was so hard to leave after just a few days, but what a joy and relief it is knowing God will continue to work without our presence! 🩵
God will continue saving people for His glory, in every nation, in every tribe, and in every language!
“And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and THEN the end will come.” -Matthew 24:14
“Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees. Say to those who have anxious hearts, ‘Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will continue with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.” -Isaiah 35:3-4
“And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and THEN the end will come.” -Matthew 24:14
“Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees. Say to those who have anxious hearts, ‘Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will continue with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.” -Isaiah 35:3-4
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