Well Done. Well Done.

So many of you know that I am often away from home more than I am at home. For example, I leave again for 3 months in a week and a half. Out of this year, once I return back home, I will have been gone a total of 230 days out of 365. That's roughly 33 weeks out of 52 weeks this year. Though many people think it is so cool that I get to do so much traveling, it is also taxing.

Now, I'm not saying that this calling is a horrible experience, don't get me wrong. What I'm saying is that this calling can be extremely easy to step in and step out of every few months. Especially if you see the calling as a short term calling.

You see, the thing is, I had to combat the I'm going to be leaving these people in a few months so what's the point of investing? mindset. I had to come to the conclusion that though Jesus traveled while He did His ministry He never walked around with the mindset of I'm going to get killed anyway, why invest? No! Instead He invested, He healed, He prayed, and He never allowed the cross to be an excuse to live a mediocre life. Instead He used the cross as a driving point to direct people to a hope and a future because He knew the urgency. Do we?

In this growing experience I had to learn a lot of things, because living your calling is not always going to be easy. It's going to be lonely and exhausting at times, while other times it's going to be exciting and feel well worth it. But more than anything, it's going to be exactly what God needs you and has called you to do!

So, this blog is a little food for thought as you are going forward in your calling and in your current placement from what my gracious Savior has been teaching me.

Slow your stride

A straight up Mary and Martha situation. We know things need to be done, but the most important thing is to sit at the feet of our Savior and come to the honest realization of our humanity. To say, yes, Lord, there are a million things that we feel need to be done, but if you're not at the center there is no point to any of this. When we fix our eyes on the Savior instead of our list of 'to do's' He directs you to moments you wouldn't have if you simply did what needed to be done. He has showed us exactly how to live through His life, in the rest of our Father and in full reliance. Jesus never ran around like a chicken with His head cut off, why should we?

You're not the only one in need

I think so often I find myself thinking about all that is going on and I crave sweet time alone with the Lord, or time alone in general. When life gets crazy it's natural to want a moment to breathe. But, in ministry and in life, that's not often an viable option. So, I started seeing the 'inconveniences' as opportunities for miracles to take place.

One of my favorite examples of this is found in Matthew 14:13-23a. This is right after John the Baptist was beheaded, and Jesus was in grief and on His way to be alone, but a crowd followed Him and met Him on the shore. Now, Jesus easily could have turned around or sent them away, as was suggested by His disciples. But, instead it says in verse 14 that "...when Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, He had compassion on them..." thus performing one of the most well known miracles in the Bible. Why? Because though He craved to be alone, He craved doing His Father's will more! Let me say that again, though Jesus craved solitude, He craved pleasing His heavenly Father more. Is this our mindset? Are we willing to be inconvenienced to further His kingdom?

Pour out every moment and opportunity you're given

This one is the biggest one. As I stated in the beginning, in any calling or placement He has us it's easy to think this moment doesn't matter. I'm just waiting on what God has for me. No! Those moments determine what servant you will be in the next part of what He has for you. In Luke 16:10 it says that, "Whoever can be trusted in the little can be trusted with much..." Are we being trustworthy with the 'little things' set before us?

In all we do we need to cease every moment. If there is a storm, silence it. If there is hopelessness, offer hope. If there are waters you can't walk through, part them. If there is brokenness, bring healing. If there are walls, shout until they come down. Do not miss one opportunity! The reason God doesn't take us to heaven the moment we are saved us so that we can bring people through those gates with us. Who will you bring with you? Who will be standing at the gates saying well done God's faithful one, for I am here because you followed God's great commission and told me of the hope that you had. The hope of eternity you had with the Savior you served.

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Though there is so much more than I feel God is teaching me, I feel like these are so important to start to walk confidently in your calling. And, for the sake of length I will leave the blog at this:

God has placed you exactly where He plans to use you. Cashier, business worker, preschool teacher, student, etc. He wants to use you to reach those some may not be able to reach. The unreachable's aren't just across seas, they are family members, clients, CEOs, and coworkers, and you have been placed here to reach them. Go confidently in your calling and your season.