23 days in July
30 days in June
31 days in May
30 days in April
31 days in March
28 days in February
31 days in January
and I’m writing this post on the eve of the 18th of December so…13 days left in December
217 days. I might start crying. And it’s completely mixed emotions. As the Christmas season has quickly come and it’s already the 18th of December, the fact that next Christmas I won’t be here is sinking in. Time with family and friends, Christmas parties, and traditions seem to have a greater impact on me. My heart is heavy, both for not being here for future holiday celebrations, and also for the burden to bring the good news to these amazing people.
The reason for this Christmas is to celebrate the birthday of our Savior. It amazes me that people who don’t believe in Jesus, don’t accept him as God, or don’t even know about him, celebrate this holiday with the giving of gifts, coming together with family, and sharing a meal. The wise men brought Jesus gifts on that first Christmas and we have continued that tradition in honor of the great gift He is to us. What a great opportunity to share the gospel with those who don’t believe!
Over 2,000 years ago, God, through the working of the Holy Spirit, placed God the Son, Jesus, into the womb of Mary to become God in the flesh, born of a virgin, to fulfill the prophecy of so many Old Testament Scriptures. 2,000 years ago this happened, and today we worship and adore this Jesus who is fully alive in Heaven waiting for the time for His Father to say, return, go and get my children, and bring them back to live with us for Eternity. This baby, fully God and fully man, bore my sin on the cross, died, was buried, and 3 days later rose, showing His power by conquering death. Jesus reigns in Heaven, and is my Redeemer.
200 days now seems like nothing, in comparison to 2,000 years ago. In just over 200 days I will leave all that I know, all the relationships I hold so dear, and go and by the grace of God build new ones. I pray many of those people will come to know Jesus by doing what He asks me to do, leave everything and follow Him. I pray that I can be His hands and feet to the one’s in need, I want to give my life away for the kingdom's sake, and shine His light in the darkest places of this world, in His name. I will carry with me His mercy to the broken-hearted, those in need of being rescued, and I ask Him to lead me to those who need to know Him. Here I am, Lord, I will go, send me out to make You known. 2,000 years ago Jesus left all He knew to come and make new relationships, do whatever His father asked of Him, and found the one's who needed His father's healing. What an amazing illustration to get to follow.
“We enter the world to be a redemptive agent for the world on behalf of God…we live by spirit filled action.” –Mark Driscoll’s definition of a missionary. We are an agent, a tool used by God to bring people into His kingdom. And we move, do, act, filled with the Holy Spirit. Jesus is our example, He came, lived in communion with God, completely abandoned to His Father’s will, and ultimately completed His call perfectly. We may not be perfect, but thank Jesus that we have a perfect example, and that He has shown us how to do it. Through His Word, Psalm 37 has reminded me that He has set, put or given me desires, a calling, which is to bring the gospel to the people in Kenya who haven’t heard of Him. He gave his life for me, I desire to give my life for Him, whatever that means.
Therefore, I may be sad that this is my last Christmas home for a year, I may be sad that time with family and friends is limited to 217 days, I may be sad that traditions may not happen for 18 months, but nothing can replace the joy I have knowing that I am giving my life over to my Savior for His leading. Nothing makes me more excited than to know I am completely willing to allow God to lead me, whatever that may look like. This life is not about me, this ministry, this move, the financial and prayer team is not about me, it’s about Jesus! It’s all about getting Jesus’ name to those who don’t know Him. I hope and pray that if God is calling you to be apart of this ministry, that you will obey Him, whatever that looks like in your life. I pray that you will be drawn to my Jesus who I would give my life for, at any cost, for His name’s sake. He was once a baby, but I worship Him as a risen Savior, a faithful, mighty, and wonderful Redeemer.
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