Faces of the Philippines 7

A Road Unseen

Today someone in my office needed to borrow a Bible. I was looking for my 'lender', but couldn't find it because it was hiding just behind my laptop. Yes, I do have 2 Bibles here. I call one my lender because it is nice and new and fresh. My other Bible has been with me through a lot and it shows it. It's all marked up and I have a bit of habit of filling it with things that I like to have with me. Reminders of places I've been, people that have influenced me, and times when God has been evident in my life.
I had to hand over this Bible, and immediately I wanted to apologize for all of the things that would probably fall out of it when looking for whatever passage was needed.

Once it was returned, I flipped through it, just to peruse how much I had tucked in the pages and feeling a little apprehensive of judgement for having so much in there. While looking through the pages, I came across this...

I didn't realize it was there, making a home in Psalms.
December 14th I got on a plane in Charlotte. I knew that I was starting something big and exciting, but I had no idea that I had just stepped onto a road- a whole new direction for my life.
That day, as I made my way to JFK where I nearly missed my flight from having to go through security all over again, I was headed to the Philippines to help with SP's disaster response to Typhoon Yolanda/Haiyan for a month.

God knew I was starting more than that.

Coming across this was such a great reminder today that God is in control. Not that I doubt that God is in control, but something about it- just looking at it and thinking: I had no idea what was ahead, but God knew precisely how it was going to go down.
There are still many desires that I have in life. There are still many things that I wonder if they will ever happen. Looking back at this boarding pass is a great encouragement, because it stands as evidence of something that I believe, and that is that God is working it all out. (This isn't to say working out everything I want, but working out the details of my life.)

I didn't know what God had in store when I boarded that plane. I don't know what road lay ahead. But I'm happy that I can face each day knowing that God has it all planned out.
I can ponder what lies ahead and decisions that I don't even face yet. Sometimes I think that has to make God chuckle. In the end, it's how I face today that makes a difference. And when you trust things to someone else, there's a carefree feeling that comes.

Send forth your light and your truth, let them guide me; let them bring me to your holy mountain to the place where you dwell.
Then will I go to the altar of God, to God, my joy and my delight.
I will praise you with the harp, O God, my God.
Psalm 43: 3-4

Faces of the Philippines 6

Split between two

In trying to sit down and write, I find that I have two different topics on my mind. Instead of picking one, I think I'll talk about both and see if I wind up connecting them in some way. It will either be surprisingly good, or long and random. Here goes nothing...

Flexibility is Key:

When people talk about travel, working in the field, dealing with groups- practically anything, you hear all about the necessity of flexibility. It's a virtue. It's a key. It's survival. It's necessary. It's how you stay sane. I could go on and on. Basically, be flexible. 

I've heard it over and over again and I know how important it is. But sometimes, you can bend something until it breaks. Think about it... even a flexible object can sometimes be worked back and forth until it is worn and a weak spot presents itself. 

I know how valuable it is to adapt to situations and surroundings. Unfortunately, I'm not perfect. This week I found myself making the comment that I just wanted something to happen as planned. Even as I said it, I felt like those around me were scoffing thinking 'don't you know where you are, you're in the field, not in the States'. (No one may have been thinking that, but you can see that in my own mind I was judging myself.) In reality, if you try to plan and work with a group of people even at home things will not go perfectly. 

As I have reached almost 4 (actually 5 if you count my time on the DART) months here, I have to remind myself weakness is an opportunity for God to show his strength and his faithfulness. I will get tired. I will be inflexible. I will crack. I will be emotional. I will be weak. God knows all of that. He made me. It doesn't mean I am unusable to him where he has placed me. It means he has more of a chance to prove to me, and to others, that he is awesome and greater than whatever area in which I am faltering. 

Looking Back:

Today I was talking to a new friend. We were sharing our stories with one another. It's absolutely fascinating to hear how God has brought people here. From all different places, from all different experiences in life you have people that have come to the same place in the world for the same purpose: helping people. 

As we each shared about our lives and how we came to the Philippines, I thought it was neat how similar our stories were. I also had to reflect on where I've been. There's a quote from someone saying something along the lines of not knowing where you are until you know where you've been. (Sorry to all of you quote loving people. In my defense, I did try to Google it, but moved on as it was just a small part of the point I'm making.) To reflect on your life and how God has carried you through, gives you perspective on where you are. 

Today, I thought about times when I struggled. I thought about a particular time in my life where I basically begged to be out of that place and looking back on the situation thankful that I am not there any more. And here I am, no longer in that situation and so thankful that God carried me through. I'm also grateful for the time that I had to stay there. During that time that I had to rely on God and trust that He had really given me the call to serve him 'to the ends of the earth', and to absolutely believe that he has a plan for my life. 

Bring it in:

To tie these two together I guess it comes down to this- I am reminded that even in my weakness, I know God 1. is in control 2. knows what he's doing 3. has been faithful and will not change and 4. has a plan for me, as is evidenced by how he has guided my life so far. 

Faces of the Philippines 5