Hard Work

I believe in hard work and have a work ethic that has been refined over the years. I don't say this to boast, but to make the point that I am not afraid of rolling up my sleeves and getting after it.

The work that we do in Arizona on our mission trips is definitely intense and a little more physically demanding than what we are used to in a normal day. In Show Low we are also battling a three hour time difference as well as being 6300 feet above sea level. Needless to say, it takes a little more effort (which is not easy to come by) when you are laboring out there.

This past year one of the tasks that we were assigned was to dig two trenches to bury drainage pipe in near the chapel. If you have never done a little digging in Arizona, you are in for a special treat. It is a whole lot of pick-axe use and not as much shovel. It will take 3-4 times what you would expect here in Georgia to dig. We probably invested 30-40 man hours into the two trenches in two short days. Our muscles were sore and our lungs were tired, but there was a senses of satisfaction when we were done. We could look and see that we had made definite improvements and see the immediate results of our work.

That is one of the reasons that I enjoy working at AICM so much. We are able to tackle projects and see the results of our hard work within a few days. That is certainly not the case while working in ministry. Sometimes you will labor for years, praying and encouraging, pushing and pulling, crying and yelling, and hoping that somewhere down the line you will see godly growth in people. That somewhere in the process the revival that you know God wants to bring will take place and that you will see the results.

Unfortunately, the results are not always going to appear before us. Our job is to continue to do the hard work and be faithful to the God that has called us to do it. Much like Noah, Elijah, David, Abraham and others, we have to persevere and get after the task(s) in front of us. Our faith depends on trusting that God is leading us even when we can't see the immediate results.

"So let's not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good. At the right time we will harvest a good crop if we don't give up, or quit."   Galatians 6:9 (MSG)

Refining

There is no doubt that God is not done refining me (thanks for the affirmative "amens" coming from the gallery.)  This past year has shown me how much more work God has to do in me and how difficult this process will be. Part of the journey for me always includes the mission trip to AICM.

This year was very different from any other as I headed west with a brand new crew (with the exception of two veterans.) While AICM itself has become a 2nd home for me (or 3rd home now that Georgia is included), taking a brand new group of people who have never traveled anywhere with me before is certainly a new challenge. Starting the teaching process all over again with another group and laying out expectations and God-lessons along the way can be very strenuous and spiritually & mentally challenging.

As I continue to reflect and process the life-lessons from this trip I see how God was/is working to refine me through it all. I have gained an even greater appreciation for my friends at AICM and their willingness to dedicate their entire lives-not just a week-to serving in Show Low. I am grateful for the changes-both big & small-that God brought about in the lives our team last week. I am humbled by a God, mission, and church that still love and accept us through hurtful, painful times. I also see (as I do at the end of each trip) that God is trying to shape & chisel me into who He created me to be.

Refining isn't a passive process. God is active in it and when we are willing to step out and eagerly serve, we are allowing Him to work in us. I know that God's ultimate vision for my family's life is bigger than mine and that these changes need to take place for us to get there. I am grateful that He is willing to invest that time in me and that He uses a place that I love to make it happen.

Finding Purpose

Each year that I lead a team out to AICM, I experience different things. The children that we minister to will change, the vision is being refined, the staff roles there will shift, and the teams that travel to Arizona are never quite the same either.

There is one constant in each year however. I see a group of people who become concerned for the welfare of others and who find satisfaction in what we do while we are there. Part of this is a fundamental part of who we are-when we are part of something positive, we tend to feel positive.

I think the larger element is that we were created to serve. God did not intend for us to grab onto some truth of who He & His Son are and keep it to ourselves. Our purpose in this life becames wrapped up in His purpose-to see that other people get an opportunity to choose to follow God on their own. When we are actively involved in living that out we can live with a greater sense of satisfaction and fulfillment. We become "doers" of the Word and not merely "hearers." It is in finding this purpose that everything seems to click.

It should give us pause to consider why we won't relentlessly pursue that same purpose in our hometown, but wait for a special trip to find ourselves aligned with God's intent for our lives.

My Second Home

I have just returned from another trip to the American Indian Christian Mission in Show Low, Arizona. This time was entirely new as our team of 23 included 20 people who had never been there before and 20 of them who had never been on a mission trip before as well. It was a week of learning, coaching, hard physical labor and hopefully life change for all of us.

I am in love with this place and have been for a long time. Including summer trips and other ventures out there, this was my 12th trip to Show Low. I never get tired of it and the beauty of God's handiwork in the canyons and mountains is always fresh & new. We have made very dear friends with many of the staff & have watched several of the children grow up over the years as well. It is a place that captures & also breaks your heart and I already can't wait to go back.

My wife commented as we left this past week that it was more difficult to leave this time than in year's past. With all of the turmoil of the past year and leaving Florida, AICM and our family there certainly feels like a second home. I am thankful that God has provided a place for us to serve in the mission field and I am grateful for the friends that we have in Show Low that continue to work the front lines each day for the Native Americans. Even as I am glad to be back in Georgia and doing God's great work, I am counting the days until I can go back again.

Being Cautious

There is a lot of sickness going around lately-strep throat, colds, stomach flu and just about everything else you can think of. It has made me a little paranoid as I spend time here at the church (especially about the stomach flu-no repeated projectile vomiting for me please!) It has caused me to be cautious as I interact with people and to limit my contact with them. I have also now developed a habit of using Germ-X every time I walk by the bottle in the lobby.  I have literally used that stuff at least 20-30 times since Sunday night. I am so worried about the doors that I am touching and the desire to not be sick that I don't want to take any chances at all.

As I read in James 4 this morning, I wondered why I don't take that same approach to sin. I should be concerned with avoiding sin and doing whatever I can to cleanse myself, but I get lazy with my discipline and find myself sick spiritually. What would happen if I was that adamant about staying clean and being with God? How different would my spiritual health be? What impact could I have in my family and in ministry if I was that devoted to God and less addicted to sin?

Come near to God and He will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up.  James 4:8-10

Be Careful What You Wish For

I shared a quote on my Facebook & Twitter today from C.S. Lewis-"I don't want my image of God, I want God." While that quote sounds good, and it is easy to "like" it, we might want to be a little careful of what we wish for. 

When God reveals who He is to us, we cannot remain the same. God is not someone to be trifled with. He is compassionate and loving, but also great and powerful. The honest truth is that an interaction with God will ruin us for this life as we start to see the potential of life with Him. There are no stories of people coming into contact with God and remaining the same.

Scripture is clear that when we honestly seek God, He will reveal Himself to us.  Once we see ourselves in His light we can't reconcile who we once were with who we need to be. We are faced with a choice-to allow Him to change us into a new creation or to turn our back on Him and follow a path that will ultimately lead to our own destruction.

Self Analysis

I am a question-asker. Questions of other people's perceptions, directions of ministry, effectiveness of what we are doing, or my own relationship with Christ will all fit the bill. I was looking back through some old files tonight and came across these questions to ask of yourself:

1.   Are you serious about living this life?

2.   Are you stepping out of your comfort zone?

3.   What are you doing right now that is forcing a deeper reliance on God?

Challenging questions, but worth asking if you want to grow in Christ.