Re-entry

Re-entry into America has been difficult for me.  I have been emotionally, physically and spiritually exhausted.  I have found myself walking around feeling and I am sure looking like a zombie at times.

I haven't come home and felt the need to get rid of everything, or to have my children lick their plates clean because there are starving children in the world.  I don't need to move out of my house and sell my car.

There are things though, that I do need to do-things we can all do. 

We can do a better job of giving God credit and glory for the blessings that we have.  It seems that we live with an idea that we deserve a certain lifestyle-when in fact it is frightening to admit what we really deserve.

We can do a better job of caring for widows, orphans and needy in our world.  Giving up Starbucks coffee 4 times in a month gives a mother and her baby a chance at life.  www.compassion/joyfulmom.com.

We can do a better job of teaching our children to be "givers" instead of "receivers".  I am going to let you use your own judgement as to how that looks for your family.

We can do a better of job of looking for Jesus and looking to be like Him.  I am praying that God would open my eyes to see opportunities for ministry like I never have before.  I am looking to turn conversations that He gives me into sacred moments instead of wasting them on secular nonsense.

I knew when I went to Ecuador that I would leave part of my heart there.  It seems that I didn't do that.  I left my life in Ecuador.  The old life.  The one that I was living before I entered that country.  It wasn't bad, but it was different. 

I want this entry to lead to more.  Not more stuff, but more ministry.  More Jesus.  More love.  More compassion.  More grace.

I wonder if Jesus had a difficult time when he re-entered the world after his resurrection?  I wonder if He was worried about being accepted or welcomed.  I wonder if he was afraid no one would listen to His story or be as passionate about it as he was.  He came confident in who he was, and fulfilled promises.

I think that is my goal for this re-entry.  I will do my best to live with God confidence and to fulfill the promises he has for my life...and I will pray and look forward to my next opportunity to leave this country again so that He can mess me up! 

It is the difficult things in life that refine us and make us more like Christ.