“Open up before God, keep nothing back; he’ll do whatever needs to be done:
He’ll validate your life in the clear light of day and stamp you with approval at high noon.
Quiet down before God, be prayerful before him.
Don’t bother with those who climb the ladder, who elbow their way to the top.”
Psalm37:5-7 The Message
...waiting
Perched in a row, waiting. All of us missionaries detained an entire day from traveling home after our meetings for various reasons. Waiting for people, waiting for vehicles and travel arrangements, waiting for paperwork, waiting in line. That particular day, we were waiting for visa paperwork to be completed. Then we were fingerprinted and had to wait for the electricity to come back on in order for the proper photos to be taken. Back at home in Ndu, Brian waits to do class prep as he waits for the person with the key to the textbook room. Classes start two days late waiting for students to arrive. We wait for word from home when the internet doesn’t work. And as we ponder where to go from here, we wait for direction from the Lord. Is there a place for us to return to Cameroon or is it time for us to resettle back in our homeland?
...redeeming the time
As we sat waiting, one of us commented, “If only our supporters could see us now… their missionary dollars hard at work.” How true, that in the process of doing our jobs, there is seemingly a lot of down time, time that in our eyes should be redeemed for better purposes. As much as we try to be responsible with our time, sometimes we feel as though we are not really accomplishing that much. How comforting to know that we have held nothing back, and that he will validate our lives and stamp us with approval. He redeems the waiting in my life for his purposes. He brings that person by to chat while we’re waiting. He teaches me patience and humility as we watch the clock tick on. He compels me to quiet down before him, to be prayerful. He reminds me not to elbow my way through, not to push my own agenda whether it’s simply to get the work done more quickly or whether it concerns our missionary teammates and possibilities for our future here in Cameroon.
...wondering "what's next?"
So as we wait, we wonder yet again, what’s next? Please pray with us that God would help us to be quiet before him, not elbowing our way into what seems best to us. Please pray alongside us. As we prepare to return to the States at the end our second term, we need God’s direction in our lives as we consider how to live lives open to God, holding nothing back. We wonder about our children as they prepare to complete high school and enter college soon. We wonder about our family in the States and how we can love them and serve them best? We have always felt that in whatever capacity we serve, as pastor, as missionary, as children’s worker, as professor, that we have a deep and abiding commitment to serving the church whether at home or in some other place. We wonder about our own desires to continue to participate in the life of the church and how God will see fit to use us as part of his overall plan in the coming years.
He’ll validate your life in the clear light of day and stamp you with approval at high noon.
Quiet down before God, be prayerful before him.
Don’t bother with those who climb the ladder, who elbow their way to the top.”
Psalm37:5-7 The Message
...waiting
Perched in a row, waiting. All of us missionaries detained an entire day from traveling home after our meetings for various reasons. Waiting for people, waiting for vehicles and travel arrangements, waiting for paperwork, waiting in line. That particular day, we were waiting for visa paperwork to be completed. Then we were fingerprinted and had to wait for the electricity to come back on in order for the proper photos to be taken. Back at home in Ndu, Brian waits to do class prep as he waits for the person with the key to the textbook room. Classes start two days late waiting for students to arrive. We wait for word from home when the internet doesn’t work. And as we ponder where to go from here, we wait for direction from the Lord. Is there a place for us to return to Cameroon or is it time for us to resettle back in our homeland?
...redeeming the time
As we sat waiting, one of us commented, “If only our supporters could see us now… their missionary dollars hard at work.” How true, that in the process of doing our jobs, there is seemingly a lot of down time, time that in our eyes should be redeemed for better purposes. As much as we try to be responsible with our time, sometimes we feel as though we are not really accomplishing that much. How comforting to know that we have held nothing back, and that he will validate our lives and stamp us with approval. He redeems the waiting in my life for his purposes. He brings that person by to chat while we’re waiting. He teaches me patience and humility as we watch the clock tick on. He compels me to quiet down before him, to be prayerful. He reminds me not to elbow my way through, not to push my own agenda whether it’s simply to get the work done more quickly or whether it concerns our missionary teammates and possibilities for our future here in Cameroon.
...wondering "what's next?"
So as we wait, we wonder yet again, what’s next? Please pray with us that God would help us to be quiet before him, not elbowing our way into what seems best to us. Please pray alongside us. As we prepare to return to the States at the end our second term, we need God’s direction in our lives as we consider how to live lives open to God, holding nothing back. We wonder about our children as they prepare to complete high school and enter college soon. We wonder about our family in the States and how we can love them and serve them best? We have always felt that in whatever capacity we serve, as pastor, as missionary, as children’s worker, as professor, that we have a deep and abiding commitment to serving the church whether at home or in some other place. We wonder about our own desires to continue to participate in the life of the church and how God will see fit to use us as part of his overall plan in the coming years.
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2 comments:
God is faithful in your life!We pray for you,you are important for us!!!!:)
Ilona
When I returned to Haiti for a visit in 2002, I remember all the sitting and waiting that we did in Port-au-Prince and thinking some of the very things you've expressed here, especially "What would the people at home think?" I believe you've answered it very well.
I will be praying for you as you have so many decisions to make. He is faithful!
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