Lisa: Sometimes this is really hard...

I just dropped Erin off at the bus station and said goodbye--for about the 100th time.  The difference is this time I have no idea when I will see her again.  Good-byes are easier when you have a definite date for your next meeting.  A friend here took us to the bus station and we were chatting on the way home about our lives here.  "Why can't we have a normal life like our friends and other family members."  I guess the answer is that we could if we chose to ignore the calling the Lord placed on our lives. And in my heart that is not my desire.  But sometimes this is really hard....

I wish I could tell you that I was the perfect missionary.  Always looking for the next person to speak life over, talk about Jesus, finding the next opportunity that God places in my path, loving the children every day and being a light in the darkness.  The reality is, I try to do all of the above things  and I do try to seek the will of God each morning.  However, I fail and sometimes I fail often.  Life here can be difficult at times--I miss warm showers, air conditioning, certain foods but mostly my friends and family.  I was very happy today that I managed to make it up our hill before I started crying after telling Erin good-bye.   For those who have seen me cry, you know I am not a pretty crier--haha!

But the Lord in His faithfulness reminded me of why I am here when I got home, wiped my face so I could see again and blew my nose.  In the gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke there is a story of Jesus describing His true family.  He was with a crowd of people and someone told him His mother and brothers were outside.  Scripture says He pointed to his disciples and said, "Here are my mother and brothers.  For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother."  He was not denying his responsibility to his earthly family.  His family was a very important part of His life and He provided for his mother's security while he was on the cross (John 19:25-27).  Jesus was showing us that spiritual relationships are as binding as physical ones and he was paving the way for a new community of believers, our spiritual family. ( notes taken from my Life Application Bible)  Jesus wants me here to build up my spiritual family and love and honor them as I do my earthly family.

God has blessed me with wonderful people here that I am able to live and work with each day.  He has shown me that the more open I am in doing His will, the more blessings He is able to give to people and to my family.  Jesus knows I struggle some days with being so far away from my family and friends and He understands.  But He has not called me to do anything that He and His disciples did not experience.  There can be hardships when you follow God's will for your life.  But I know and believe that the blessings He gives for our obedience are well worth the sacrifice.  Jesus is alright with my tears and my questions and lets me have that time to mourn. He mourns with me. But when I listen carefully I can hear him say--I love you.  Now get up, wash your face and find the joy I am giving you this day.  Pretty awesome!

We want to wish all of you a very Merry Christmas and blessed New Year.  Thanks for all of your love and support for our family.  This journey we are on is also your journey and we are so blessed to be able to share it with you.  I am pretty excited to see what the Lord is going to do in 2015!  We love you!