Hands, Feet, and FAMILY

This trip has really been AMAZING! I have seen, experienced, felt, tasted, and touched so many things! I am in love with traveling.... yep. I know Jesus is preparing me for more too! :) I am so thankful! I have met MANY wonderful people too and have been able to really bless people in difficult circumstances. To picking up a couple and giving them a ride, to meeting a new sister, who WAS in the sex trade business (but NOW is OUT OF IT!!! PRAISE GOD!) It has been like a roller coaster ride! I know I have been called to serve people, to be His hand and feet. To hold the least of these, to love them, to speak his truth over them, and to bring his life to them is all I desire to do, where ever that may be. I love his children and I have been given a gift from him to be able to see them how he sees them, and I hope I am able to speak that through my words and actions towards those around me.

Now, this is the way I am called to be His hands and feet, but there are many other ways to function in the body of Christ. I am thankful that I got to see how God uses each of us in different ways. We are truly unique, but our love for Jesus, Father, and Holy Spirit is the bond that holds us together. We are a family... I love that song, but if you really think about it, we are, but how often do we treat each other as though we were a dysfunctional, angry, bitter, and resentful family? I think it is easy at times to treat each other this way because of our own history with our family and with God. It's hard to use self control and exert patience, mercy, and grace when you feel you have been hurt, betrayed, shamed, etc... I am speaking for myself, but I know others have experienced it too. This is what causes us to feel hurt by the "church" or really... our spiritual family. God has been showing me that I can't take those things personally,which for me (one who wears my heart on my sleeve), is hard. When I take peoples reactions to me as though it were really ME that they didn't like or found fault in, I find it very difficult to react in a loving, patient, graceful, and merciful way. It's like they are attacking the very core of who I am, which isn't true at all because at the very core of my being is Jesus, BUT when I step back and survey the situation, without taking it personally, I can see things differently. I can see whether or not it's just a clash of personalities, maybe they had a bad day, maybe I remind them of someone who hurt them previously, OR maybe what I said struck a nerve and they just aren't ready to hear it. There are plethora of circumstances that cause people to react negatively to each other and not a one of them, if you look at without bias, is personal. 

When I am able to see that, I am able to walk in freedom with Jesus and really be able to walk in a way that extends grace, mercy, and love to those around me. Life really isn't about me anyway, it's about Jesus and giving him glory. So, if it's about him than why should I waste time worrying about what others think of me? Why not spend that time loving those who wronged me? That's what gives him glory. That's what will bring real justice, because then we are trusting God, who is the PERFECT judge, to assess the situation accordingly. He knows our hearts, so we can trust that his decision is fair and true. Really, when we continue to carry a judgement and harbor bitterness God has a right to keep us under his judgement. When we extend forgiveness, we too are forgiven:  "But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins." Matt. 6:15. That's intense. 

I know, this is all over the place, but that is just how my brain is :) I start in one place and end up in another, but it's all good. :) My main point is: be who God created you to be and treat each other as the family that we are, which is full of love, tenderhearted, kind, joyful, gracious, merciful, meek, gentle, patient, and persevering. Oh, and don't take things personally! :) AMEN 

I love traveling.... that's the other thing... :) HA! Oh, but only traveling with Jesus ;) A bit much??? Missing my family in Minneapolis... and California... and Denver... and Portland... and Georgia... 

LOVE LOVE LOVE